Viriato
(179-139 B.C.), Spain

Chief of the lusitanian rebels who fought the Roman domination. He kept the war for over eight years and finally signed the peace with the Roman Consul. The Lusitans had seen the Roman presence (started around 198 b.c.), become progressively more domineering in the region, and sought to check their colonization by raiding Roman settlements and army camps. Subsequently the Romans branded these Lusitans barbaric brigands and sought to exterminate them.

Leading up to 146 b.c., Viriato initially lived as a pastoral goat herder, then engaged in Lusitan raids on Roman settlements as a source of wealth.

In 146 b.c. Viriato was elected Chieftain after he lead the survivors of a massacre out of a Roman deathtrap. His ingenious guerrilla tactics and success at taking the battle to the Romans, kept the Romans out of Lusitan tribal lands, curtailed their advances into other parts of the Iberian Peninsula and sparked "rebellions" with other tribes under Roman control.

In 141 b.c., Viriato, allowed a defeated and prostrate Roman army to return to Rome, requesting only that the borders of the Lusitans be respected and that the Lusitans be granted the status of 'amici populi Romani ' - 'friends of the Roman people'. These peace terms were actually ratified by the Roman Senate.

During the next two years the Romans broke this and other treaties they made with the Lusitans. In 139 b.c. the Roman general bribed 3 lieutenants of Viriato to kill him and they assassinated Viriato in his sleep.