User:SpartaN/sandbox
Gaul as a province of the Roman Empire / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Roman Gaul (Latin: Gallia Romana) refers to Gaul under provincial rule in the Roman Empire from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD. The expansion into Gaul proper begins with the annexation of Transalpine Gaul in 121 BC and finishes with the Gallic Wars (58–50 BC) of Julius Caesar. Parts of the region remain under semi-Roman rule until the collapse of Soissons following the Battle of Soissons in AD 486.
Roman Gaul | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Province of the Roman Empire | |||||||||||
121 BC–c. 486 | |||||||||||
Province map of the Roman Empire, Gallic provinces highlighted | |||||||||||
Capital | Lugdunum (de facto) later Trier (de jure) | ||||||||||
Historical era | Classical antiquity | ||||||||||
• Narbo Martius founded | 121 BC | ||||||||||
• Conquered by Julius Caesar | 58-50 BC | ||||||||||
• Augustan Division | c. 16-13 BC | ||||||||||
• Diocletian Division | c. 296 | ||||||||||
• End of Roman rule | c. 486 | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Today part of | France Belgium Germany Luxembourg Netherlands Switzerland |
Geographically, Roman Gaul encompassed all of modern France and parts of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Provincial divisions of Gaul evolved over time, going from 3 provinces in the time of Augustus (first century BC) to 17 after Diocletian (third century AD). Important cities include Narbonne (Narbo Martius), Lyon (Lugdunum), and Marseille (Massalia).
The defense of the Rhine was important to Gallo-Roman identity and servicing the legions stationed there was significant to the Gallic economy. Legions often participated in treasonous behavior.
All of Gaul was not conquered until Caesar's campaigns in the 50s BC. It would take a full generation until the imperial framework for provinces are setup with administrative centers in cities ruling over tribal states, assessed for taxation with the census, and grouped separately for their cults. Starting in the south, many colonies begin appearing in this period and then spread to the north. This system stood for 300 years with only slight adjustments, the most significant of which is the separation of military zones along the Rhine into Germania Superior and Germania Inferior.[1]