Hispan, Espan, Hispalo or Hispano, is a

mythological Myth is a genre of folklore consisting primarily of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society. For scholars, this is very different from the vernacular usage of the term "myth" that refers to a belief that is not true. Instead, the ...

character of Antiquity, who would derive the name

Hispania Hispania was the Ancient Rome, Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two Roman province, provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior. During the Principate, Hispania Ulterior was divide ...

, according to some ancient writers. Therefore, Hispan is the eponymous hero of Hispania. Hispan is mentioned first by the Gallo-Roman historian

Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus Gnaeus Pompeius Trogus also anglicized as was a Gallo-Roman historian from the Celtic Vocontii tribe in Narbonese Gaul who lived during the reign of the emperor Augustus. He was nearly contemporary with Livy. Life Pompeius Trogus's grandfa ...

(1st century BC) in his work ''Historiae Philippicae'', preserved only in a later summary, probably made in the 3rd century AD by Justinus. During the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, Hispan was also known as Espan, with various legends told of him.

Yatendra & Deepmala--Background of the myth of Hispan

Probably, the word Hispan is the

latinized name Latinisation (or Latinization) of names, also known as onomastic Latinisation (or onomastic Latinization), is the practice of rendering a ''non''-Latin name in a modern Latin style. It is commonly found with historical proper names, including p ...

of an ancient Canaanite god called B'l Spn, whose name has different meanings, as "Lord of Sapanu" or "Lord of the North". His worship was introduced into the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula ( ), also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in south-western Europe. Mostly separated from the rest of the European landmass by the Pyrenees, it includes the territories of peninsular Spain and Continental Portugal, comprisin ...

by the

Phoenicians Phoenicians were an ancient Semitic group of people who lived in the Phoenician city-states along a coastal strip in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily modern Lebanon and the Syrian coast. They developed a maritime civi ...

during the 1st millennium BC.{{citation needed, date=May 2025 The legends and myths of this divinity would be those set out in the medieval texts that refer to Hispano or Hispan, such as the ''Estoria de España'' of the 13th century. But scholars like Robert B. Tate defend the fictional and medieval nature of Hispan.

Origin

It is told that he was partially from

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

and

Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *Etruscan civilization (1st millennium BC) and related things: **Etruscan language ** Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan coins **Etruscan history **Etruscan myt ...

origin.

References

- Isidore of Seville, ''Etymologiae''. - Justinus, ''Historiarum Philippicarum libri XLIV''. - Matesanz Gascón, Roberto, "Hispano, héroe epónimo de Hispania", ''Gallaecia'', 21, 2002, 345-370. - Tate, Robert B., "Mitología en la historiografía española de la Edad Media y del Renacimiento", ''Ensayos sobre la historiografía peninsular del siglo XV'', Madrid, 1970. Heroes in mythology and legend Legendary Spanish people