In a dominant position on the town, this small medieval structure is in a mix of defensive fortification and residential place.

During the eleventh century, at the mercy of the ebb and flow of Christian borders, Penedono and its castle changed hands several times. Its final reconquest was due to the action of the King Leonean Fernando Magno (1064). An inventory of the property of Guimarães Monastery, issued in 1095, relates the Penedono Castle among other goods previously postulated by D. Chamoa. With the political emancipation of Portugal, its areas have been incorporated into the new nation. Sancho I (1185-1211), compared to the strategic situation of Penedono, near the border line, encouraged the repopulation of these lands through Foral (1195) at the same time determining the reconstruction of their defenses. His successor, Alfonso II (1211-1223) confirmed his charter in 1217. The town and its castle also had the attention of King Dinis (1279-1325), which determined him reinforcements in defense.

The current configuration of the castle dates back to the late fourteenth century, when Ferdinand (1367-1383) included the village in Trancoso term. Given the intention of the City Council to raze the castle of Penedono, the good men of this village rose up, achieving their autonomy.

The death of Viriato of José de Madrazo

Viriato, described as a shepherd and hunter of Lusitania was elected head of the Lusitanian. After defending victoriously its mountains, Viriato threw himself decidedly an offensive war. Enter triumphant in Hispania Citerior, Roman division of the Iberian Peninsula in two provinces, Citerior and Ulterior, separated by a line perpendicular to the Ebro river and passing by Castulonensis saltus (now Sierra Morena, Spain), and launches contributions on cities recognize the government of Rome. Two types of war were attributed to Viriato, bellum, when he used a regular army, and latrocinium, when the fighting involved small groups of warriors and the use of tactics guerrilha. For many authors, Viriato is seen as the model of the guerrilla.

In 147 BC opposes the surrender of the Lusitanian Caio Vetílio that would have surrounded the valley of Betis in Turdetania. Later defeat the Romans in the gorge of Ronda, which separates the coastal plain of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia, where he would kill the Vetílio own. Later, another victory against the forces of Gaius Plautius, taking Segóbriga and Claudio Unimano forces, in 146 BC, was the governor of Hispania Citerior. The following year the Viriato troops back to defeat the Romans led by Caio Nigidius.

Later that year, Fabius Maximus, brother of Scipio Africanus, is appointed consul of Hispania Citerior and charge of the campaign against Viriato being you, for this, provided two legions. After some defeats, Viriato can recover, and 143 BC back to defeat the Romans, pushing them to Cordoba. At the same time, the celtibéricas troops rebelled against the Romans starting a fight that ended around 133 BC with the fall of Numantia.

Thus, Rome sends new general, Servílio Scipio, who had the support of troops from Popílio Lenas. This renewed fighting with Viriato, but this keeps military superiority and force him to seek a new peace. Send in the process, three commissioners of his confidence, Audas, Ditalco and Minuros. Scipio resorted to bribery of fellow Viriato, who killed the big boss in his sleep. A tragic end to Viriato and the Lusitanian, and shameful to Rome, superpower of the time, and who called harbinger of civilization.

Rome reaches compromise with Viriato, almost recognizing as sovereign, however, betrayal, compactuou with three of his allies to the murdered. Years before, the Roman general Sergio Galba almost decimates Lusitanian, and Viriato was one who escaped. The historian Strabo thus defined the Lusitania: “The most powerful of the Hispania of nations, that of all, longer stopped the Roman arms.” However, Nor could the Romans rely on the submission of the peoples of the Iberian Peninsula that were forced to keep the country under strict military occupation, and then came the first standing armies of Rome. Forty thousand men remained in the Iberian Peninsula in standing guard.

After Viriato die, Táutalo becomes army leader Lusitanian but had little success.

Without the strong resistance of Viriato, Decius Junius Brutus could march to the northeast of the peninsula, across the Douro river overwhelming Galicia. Julius Caesar still ruled the territory (now Galécia) for a while.

The camp features an octagonal shape, bounded by strong slopes, with 2000 meters of perimeter and area of 38 hectares; in the spring faces north and west shows traces of a moat. Of the eight remaining slopes and are flyable six.

The Cava was traditionally considered a camp of the Roman era, built by Decimus Brutus Junius (137-136 a.) Or, according to Jorge Alarcão, by military leaders and Cassius Longinus Petreio in mid-century to. C .. More recently, Vasco Mantas, despite considering that within the Cava area there was a Roman camp, attributes its construction to the Arabs.

Only in the sixteenth century that is called the name of Cava de Viriato.

Little is known about the life of Viriato. Nothing is known of his date of birth or the exact place where he was born and the only reference to the location of his native tribe was taken by Greek historian Diodorus of Sicily who claims he was of the Lusitanian tribes.

Viriato belongs to the class of warriors, the occupation of the elite, the ruling minority. He was known to the Romans as the Duke’s army Lusitano, as adsertor (guard) of Hispania or as imperator probably the Confederation of the Lusitanian tribes and Celtiberas.

The Lusitanian Viriato honored with the titles of Benefactor, (Greek: evergetes), 17 and Savior, (Greek: soter), 18 the same honorifics used by the kings of the Ptolemaic dynasty.

He was described as a man who followed the principles of honesty and fair dealing and was recognized for being accurate and true to his word in treaties and alliances that fez.5 Diodorus said that the general opinion was that he had been the most beloved of all Lusitanian leaders.