Grandson of the biblical patriarch Noah, Tubal was, according to some ancient authors, the one who populated Iberia after the Flood. Flavius Josephus, a first-century chronicler, wrote: "Tubal founded the Tubals, who are now called Iberians." Given the existence of two Iberian peoples, one in the Caucasus (present-day Georgia) and the other in Europe (present-day Iberian Peninsula), doubt has since arisen among exegetes and historians as to which Iberians Josephus was referring to, giving rise to various theories about the possible relationship the two Iberias.
As Caro Baroja summarizes, Tubal-Cain—who in "Genesis" (IV, 22) is a descendant of Cain and the inventor of the forge—is identified in classical texts with Vulcan. The other Tubal is the son of Japheth ("Genesis," X, 3). Both are related to metallurgy. The arrival of the latter to the West is based on the interpretation of Saint Jerome, who, commenting on a text from Ezekiel (XXXVIII, 2-3) and another from Isaiah (LXVI, 19), considered that they referred to Italy or Spain when speaking of Magog, "prince of the head of Meshech and Tubal." According to Cipriano de Valera's translation: "Thubal, sive Tubal aut Italia interpretatur, aut Iberia," says the learned saint. Saint Isidore, more categorical, would affirm in his Etymologies (IX, 2, 29): "Thubal, o quo Iberi, qui et Hispani; licet quidam ex eo et Italos suspicentur."
From these assertions of biblical and patristic origin, the Basque-Iberian and Basque-Cantabrian theory was woven over the centuries, which would enjoy great longevity and varied derivations. Archbishop Ximénez de Rada, writing in the mid-13th century and followed by Alfonso X, relates that the sons of Tubal, after traveling through various provinces, headed for the western borders. They arrived in Spain, were the first inhabitants of the heights of the Pyrenees, and multiplied, forming villages initially called Cetubeles—coetus Tubal, or multitude of Tubal. These people expanded across the plains of Spain and founded towns, villages, and cities along the Ebro River. Over time, the name Cetubales transformed into Celtiberians, by association with the Ebro River.
Alonso de Madrigal, known as El Tostado, offered a more precise version in the 15th century: "Tubal. From whom the Spanish descend; he settled on the slopes of the Pyrenees, in the place called Pamplona. Later, as they multiplied into many villages, they descended to the plains of Spain, and that land was called in Latin, from coetus, that is, Tubal's retinue, Cetubalia."
The identification of the Basques with the primitive settlers of Iberia and of Basque as their first language spread from the Navarrese to the west. Lope García de Salazar (15th century) places Tubal's repopulation in Basque land:"Thus history has told how / the seven sons of Japheth, son of Noah / populated many lands in the West, among whom Tubal, who / was the fifth son, came to Spain with his children and generations / and settled / the banks of the Ebro as far as / the ports of Aspa and called that / entire land Carpentanja, and populated / four cities in it: the first / was Oca, which is on the mountains of Oca; / the second is Calahorra; / the other is Tarazona; and the other / is Zaragoza. And then they spread / throughout Spain."
The Valencian chronicler Beuter (16th century) attributes Tubalic origin to Tafalla and Tudela, and equates the Navarrese with the Cantabrians. Pedro de Medina had made similar statements, asserting that the original language of Spain was "Basque."
However, not all authors accepted these theories. After the Renaissance, figures such as Maluenda and Ribera opposed the Tubalist genealogy, while others such as Villalpando and Pineda defended it. For Pineda, "Tharsis" refers to the south and "Thubal" to all of Spain: "Thubal, omnes Hispani; Tharsis, Baetici." Pineda also echoes Maluenda's opinion, according to which Thubal refers to the northern peoples, close to the Muscovites, the eastern Iberians.
Martínez de Zaldibia and Garibay, proponents of Basque-Cantabrianism, place Tubal further west, in the region of Cantabria and Navarre. Garibay states that Tubal "taught his people the law of nature and gave them the order to live well," and even dictated their Fueros (Royal Charters). Bachelor Poza writes: "They have preserved their loyalty, their language, their custom from the patriarch Tubal until today."
However, more independent authors such as Oihenart (17th century), being a French subject and immune to Inquisition censorship, dispense with biblical references and rely on Greco-Latin sources. Marca does the same. Moret, more cautious than the Biscayan and Guipuzcoan authors, incorporates the Tubalist tradition without giving it much credence and criticizes the fanciful etymologies of Tudela and Tafalla.
Despite this, Tubal remains present in Basque-Navarrese popular tradition. The Navarrese licentiate Juan de Beriain, abbot of Uterga, stated in his Christian Doctrine (Pamplona, 1626) that "the just and perfect Noah spoke and taught the Basque language in this kingdom, and from then until today it has been preserved in the very noble city of Pamplona and throughout the Basque land."
In the Historical and Legal Propugnáculo (1666), canon José Conchillos presents Tudela as having been founded by Tubal in Celtiberia, in opposition to Moret's thesis. Moret responded with Bodoque, a satire that dismantled Tubalist ideas. In turn, Conchillos responded with Desagravios (1667), a work condemned by the Council of Navarre for its insults and for fomenting discord among the country's natives.
Even so, the city of Tudela preserves the memory of that mythical foundation in its title: "Most Ancient, Most Noble, and Most Loyal Colony of Tubal, the city of Tudela."
The Babel-like origin of languages, like other pious traditions, gradually lost ground during the Age of Enlightenment, disappearing at the end of the 18th century, even before the Inquisition itself. New romantic myths succeeded them: Aitor, Altabizkar, and the universe of Navarro Villoslada, confirming the saying that "necessity creates the organ."