Mastia

Mastia (or Massia of Tarshish) is the name of an ancient Iberian ethnicity, belonging to the Tartessian confederation, located in southeastern Spain and has traditionally been associated with the city of Cartagena (Spain), mainly from the analysis of classical sources in the early twentieth century made the German Adolf Schulten.

Thus, the first description of the city of Mastia appears in book entitled Ora maritima, the Latin poet Rufus Festus Avieno, the fourth century C., although the wording used supposedly more ancient sources as a possible tour of the sixth century masaliota C. Avieno description reads:

"... Then the port is Namnatio that from the sea opens its curve near the town of massienos. And at the bottom of the Gulf rise the high walls of the city of Massia ... Rufo Festo Avieno, Ora maritima."

However, there is no conclusive evidence that the text refers to the city of Cartagena, although from the context and other geographic descriptions that precede and follow these lines, it seems that it could refer to the city. Although there have been scholars who have Mastia located somewhere near Mazarrón in the ancient city of Carteia (Cádiz), located at the bottom of the Bay of Algeciras.

There is also a reference to Mastia in the treaty between Rome and Carthage in 348 BC, as Μαστια Ταρσειον (Mastia of Tartessians), which marked the limit could reach Rome on the Iberian Peninsula.

For Hecataeus of Miletus know that some cities were dependent on or under the influence of Mastia field and mentioned:

• Sixos of the Mastians. The only one that can be confidently identified. It corresponds to the current Sexi (Almuñécar)
• Maniobora of the Mastians.
• Molybdine of the Mastians.
• Syalis of the Mastians.

Its mineral wealth, fisheries and agriculture was the cause of the kingdom of Tartessos keep it in their area of influence.