A Brief History of the Olive and How Spain Became Its Modern Home

A Brief History of the Olive and How Spain Became Its Modern Home

Olives have been part of human history for over 6,000 years. Grown, pressed and poured across civilisations, this small fruit has powered economies, fed empires and flavoured food for millennia. But how did Spain, the world’s largest producer today, become its modern heartland?

Ancient Roots

The olive tree (Olea europaea) was first domesticated in the Eastern Mediterranean, in what is now Syria, Palestine and Crete. Ancient Egyptians, Minoans and Phoenicians were early adopters, cultivating olives and trading the oil as a valuable commodity. From there, the olive spread west.

The Roman Expansion

It was the Romans who brought olive trees to the Iberian Peninsula. As the empire expanded, they introduced agriculture, roads and systems for large-scale oil production. Hispania, modern-day Spain and Portugal, became a major supplier of olive oil to Rome. Amphorae marked with Spanish origins have been found across Roman ruins in Europe.

Olive groves thrived in Spain’s Mediterranean climate. And over centuries, cultivation became part of the country’s agricultural identity.

Centuries of Refinement

Spanish farmers spent generations selecting the best cultivars for their land. Regions developed their own olive types, from the robust Picual to the delicate Arbequina. Techniques were passed down, refined and modernised, but always rooted in tradition.

Today, Spain produces nearly half the world’s olive oil. But quantity doesn’t mean compromise. In places like Lleida, Catalonia, where we source OilWell’s olives, they still focus on flavour, balance and quality above all.