ABSTRACT
Roman Iberia was a land of multiple cultures, languages, and musical traditions. The Etymologies of Isidore of Seville, composed around 615 ce, contains mention of a large number of musical instruments of his day, mostly of Roman origin, which provides the first general account of the instrumentarium of Iberia. Sources for Jewish music in Iberia previous to the Muslim conquest are almost non-existent; however, descriptions of Jewish music from the period immediately following the Islamic conquest may reflect older traditions and practices. When the Germanic Visigoths invaded Iberia and established their first settlement, ca. 456, their laws forbade them from marrying local inhabitants, a law that remained in force until 572, and even then the desire to maintain a clear separation from the indigenous population remained strong. Roman forces first invaded Iberia in 218 bce, but the conquest was not completed until two centuries later in 19 bce during the reign of Ceasar Augustus.
