The area around Alicante has been possessed for more than 7000 years, with the 1st tribes of hunter gatherers descending continuously from Central Europe between 5000 and 3000 BC. By 1000 BC Greek and Phoenician traders had started to visit the eastern coast of Spain, establishing small exchanging ports and acquainting the local Iberian tribes with the letter set, iron and the earthenware wheel. Alicante was at long last taken in 1246 by the Castilian lord Alfonso X, however it passed soon and unquestionably to the Kingdom of Valencia in 1298 with the King James II of Aragon.