shieldsstory

Discovering Cartagena

More Articles By Phillip Bruce www.raxomnium.com

Stories Of The Shields

A series of shields painted on decorative tiles can be seen around the corner from Cartagena’s main tourism office.

Some of the attractive panels next to the pavement by traffic lights show scenes from the past, such as windmills, fishermen and miners. The shields, however, are intriguing. There is no explanation but they seem to be from the various periods of Cartagena’s history.

If this theory is correct, then the earliest heraldic crest is the one with a bull’s head and the words Carthago Nova 225BC. The Carthaginians worshipped Baal Hammon as a principal god and the bull was an important element of imagery and ceremonies. The heritage of modern bullfights may relate as far back as this.

Another shield shows a proud eagle above the word “Roma” and five arrows, with the date “Ano 37BC” and the words “Colonia Urbs Iulia Nova Carthago.” This must commemorate the genesis of the Imperial golden age of Roman Cartagena. The wording pays tribute to Julius Caesar. In 46BC two sons of Caesar’s great rival, Pompey, besieged Cartagena but Caesar defeated his enemies and established final control in Spain in 45BC. In the same year, Cartagena was formally designated a Roman colony. Administrative control of Hispania was said to have been laid down in a gathering called by Caesar in Cartagena. Cities rushed to name themselves in his honour with his name, spelled “Iulia.” Caesar was assassinated in 44BC and events then began that led to the rule of the Emperor Augustus.

A third shield shows a castle sitting on a rock in the sea, with the date 1492. Everyone knows that is the year that “Columbus sailed the ocean blue” and discovered the New World. There is a statue of him above the city wall at the waterfront pointing out to sea. 1492 was also the year that the “Christian Kings,” who were actually a king and a queen, Ferdinand and Isabel, conquered the last Islamic state in Europe – Granada. In March that year, Jews who refused to convert to Christianity were expelled from Spain.

The fourth shield and this is a bit of a puzzle. A fat circular fort is shown with three smaller turrets rising above it, again in the middle of the sea, at the date 1532. The wording says “Cartagena – this is the castle,” which seems a rather odd inscription. Maybe the castle was rebuilt then? In this year, Pizarro was busily eradicating the Inca Empire.

In the fifth panel, the shield is surrounded by a wreath which says “Most noble and loyal city of Cartagena” and which features the tower, higher this time, with the three turrets set in the sea. There is a border around this image made up of alternating towers and lions, perhaps, like the inscription, an indication of Royal favour. The city must have supported the winning side in some rebellion or dispute. No date appears.

Shield six is a development of the previous one, with a crown appearing above the castle and sea image. There is no date or wording.

Additional information about these shields from students of heraldry would be most welcome.

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