Galicia was settled by the Celts before the 6th century B.C. During the period of Roman domination, the 'conventus iudicus' of 'Gallaecia' (an advisory body consisting of indigenous inhabitants and Romans who advised the governor on judicial matters) coincided exactly with Celtic territory; present-day Galicia was covered by the 'conventus' of Lugo. As a result of the Barbarian invasions, the Suevi settled on the land until the Visigoth occupation under Leovigildus. Arab rule left hardly any traces in Galicia, which maintained its identity during the Reconquest as an independent Christian kingdom, until its absorption by the Castilian Crown under Alfonso VI.

The role played by Galicia in the history of medieval culture is extraordinary and it was famous throughout the entire Middle Ages owing to the Way of St. James, the main route of pilgrimage in Europe to the tomb of St. james the Apostle.