The Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula caused large-scale demographic change, transforming the territory into a diverse population mosaic with ancestry from the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa. In contrast, subsequent migrations of Suebi, Alans, and Visigoths during Late Antiquity had a more limited genetic impact on the Hispano population.
The research, published in the journal Cell, analyzes 243 ancient genomes from 31 archaeological sites, combining genetic evidence with archaeological data to reconstruct population history between the 1st and 8th centuries AD. The study concludes that Romanization was a demographic transformation that connected local populations with Mediterranean human movements.
From the 5th century onwards, individuals with Central European ancestry are identified, particularly in contexts associated with the new Germanic political groups. However, most communities maintained the diverse profile of the Hispano-Roman population. The genetic contribution of Germanic groups ranges between 12% and 22%, without radically altering the genetic landscape as occurred in other regions like Britain or the Balkans.
Genomic analysis has also allowed the identification of individual stories, such as that of two siblings with Central European ancestry buried in Mérida and Castellón, likely first-generation migrants. Similarly, the so-called "Suebian princesses" reveal marital alliances between Suebian elites and Hispano-Roman families, demonstrating that migrant identity could also be acquired through family and cultural means.
Researchers point out that the genetic history of the Iberian Peninsula differs from other post-Roman regions, with migrations and new ancestries but without large-scale population replacement. Future studies of medieval and post-medieval genomes will be essential to connect ancient inhabitants with current populations.
