Following the fall of the Western Roman Empire, new Germanic kingdoms were established across Europe, including the Visigothic kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula. A new study published in the journal Cell, led by the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE), analyzed 243 ancient genomes to reconstruct the population history of the peninsula between the 1st and 8th centuries. The research suggests that Romanization brought about a profound demographic transformation, connecting the local population with migratory movements from the Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa, creating a heterogeneous society.
In contrast to the Roman impact, subsequent Germanic migrations (Suebi, Vandals, Alans, and Visigoths) had a more limited genetic footprint. Although individuals with ancestry from Central and Northern Europe were identified, particularly in contexts associated with new political elites, most communities maintained the diverse profile of the Hispano-Roman population. The genetic contribution of these 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 for the recovery of individual histories. Two siblings with Central European ancestry buried considerable distances apart have been identified, suggesting Suebian migration routes. Furthermore, the study of the so-called "Suebian princesses" reveals that the identity of a migrant group did not always imply foreign origin but could be acquired through familial and political alliances, changing the interpretation of past elites.
Researchers point out that Iberian populations of Late Antiquity were genetically more heterogeneous than current ones, indicating that the genetic pool continued to transform during the Visigothic, Islamic, and Christian kingdom expansion periods. Future studies of medieval and post-medieval genomes will be essential to connect ancient inhabitants with present-day populations.
