[Nº 53] Carta de Claude W. Barlow, de la Academia Americana de Roma, a Ferran Valls i Taberner

Roma, 4 de agosto de 1938

Dear Prof. Valls:

I have found in our Library here the book in which you are interested and I am glad to send you the following information about it. It is called “The Reorganization of Spain by Augustus”, J. J. Van Nostrand, and was published as vol. 4, nº 2, pp. 83-154 of the University of California Publications in History (1916). If not out of print it can still be purchased for 75 cents from the University of California Press, Berkeley, Cal.

The topics discussed are as follows:

Prefatory Note

The Roman Conquest of Spain, 218-19 B. C.

The Civil Administration of Spain, 218-27 B. C.

Here are presented the arguments on the date of the division of Spain into provinces. «The final word has not been written, nor is it my intention to discuss at lenght the arguments brought forward in support of different dates. But reference should be made to two recents discussions, one by Braun, the other by Wallrafen. The former believes that there was a division into three provinces made by Agrippa in 27 B. C., at which time Baetica was made a senatorial province; that between 7 and 2 B. C. Augustus revised the boundaries of the first division, giving to Baetica, Lusitania and Hispania Citerior the territories which they held up to the time of Diocletian. On the other hand, Wallrafen believes that the division of Agrippa was not an administrative one, but simply the withdrawal of Lusitania from Hispania Ulterior and of Asturia and Callaecia from Hispania Citerior to form a military district. He believes that the temporary division was made permanent, that is, transferred from a military to a civil basis, by the definitive organization of the three provinces about 15 B. C., and that at that date Baetica became a senatorial province. The shortest and clearest presentation of the arguments in favor of a dating after 15 B. C. in given by Kornemann... In rejecting Kornemann’s choice of 8 B. C., and accepting Wallrafen’s date, 15-14 B. C., I am governed by a fairly strong argument from probability. There was no reason why the division should be postponed after the final subjugation of the Astures and Cantabri. Then, if ever, was the time to transfer Baetica from imperial to senatorial control. The military importance of Lusitania as a base of attack upon the northern tribes ceased with their conquest, and the troops could be transferred without much fear to the Hither Province. The evidence which appears to favor a later date can be explained independently of such a supposition. An inscription of Baetica (CIL, VI, 31267) came at a time of general rejoicing and need not have represented any local change at that time. In like manner the honors paid to C. and Lucius Caesar by the provincials may be dated at 8 B. C. without affecting the date of the tripartite division. The strongest argument in favor of the later date is that the changes were not incorporated in the Agrippa-Karte, and that Augustus would not make such changes before the death of Agrippa through fear of injuring the pride of his lieutenant. One may question the assumption that exact provincial divisions were given in the Karte, and it is highly improbable that Augustus would postpone an administrative step for eight years with the sole motive of preserving intact the pride of Agrippa».

Municipal Development of Spain, 218-27 B. C.

The Provincial Reorganizat on of Spain under Augustus

«... under the direction of Agrippa, there was compiled a mass of geographical statistics which furnished the later writers on Spain practically all their information concerning roads, towns and natural features of the country. It was in this work of Agrippa that there appeared for the first time details of the tripartite division of the Spanish provinces».

Provincial Subdivisions (conventus)

Provincial Officials

Municipal Organization

Non-Urban Units

The Municipal Imperial Cult

Municipal Development during the First Century A. D.

Bibliography and three maps

The details as to the exact geographical boundaries of the division are too long and detailed for resume, but I trust that the above information will be helpful to you.

I shall pass your greetings on to Prof. and Mrs. Van Buren when I have the opportunity. They are at present in England.

I have a position commencing late in September to teach Latin and Greek in a college for girls. I shall be only too glad to help you from there, if it is possible. My address will be:

Department of Classics

Mount Holyoke College

So. Hadley, Massachusetts

With sincere best wishes,

Truly yours,

Claude W. Barlow (firmado y rubricado)

Archivo Particular Ferran Valls i Taberner, L-173/38.

[Nº 54] Carta de Juan Beneyto Pérez , catedrático de Historia del Derecho poco tiempo después, y entonces Jefe del Servicio Nacional de Ediciones y Publicaciones de Propaganda del Ministerio del Interior, a Ferran Valls Taberner, Director del Archivo de la Corona de Aragón

Burgos, 30 de marzo de 1939

IIIer Año Triunfal

Mi querido amigo:

Recibo su carta del 27 al propio tiempo que el telegrama del 24 sobre el asunto de “Els nostres Clàssics”. Acabo de hablar por teléfono y se me ha dicho que está resuelto todo y que se trata de una equivocación subsanada ya.

Usted conoce perfectamente mi modo de ser y comprenderá que las normas prohibitivas de circulación se refieren únicamente a las publicaciones tendenciosas y no en modo alguno a aquellas en las que el catalán sea simple vehículo de conocimiento y revista trabajos de eficaz valor en la cultura.

Disponga como siempre de su affmo.

Juan Beneyto (firmado y rubricado)

Archivo Particular Ferran Valls i Taberner, L-300/39.