Wamba was born into a peasant family in a Baetican village in 625, where he lived the first half of his life as a husbandman. Over the years he, through prudence and common sense, grew to be moderately wealthy in his village and highly respected for his wisdom. Saint Leo, declaring he had been given divine guidance, instructed the electors to seek out a husbandman named Wamba. So scouts were dispersed throughout the land until, at length, Wamba was found tilling one of his fields.