Page 65 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

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Roman Gaul 1 A historical map of
Celts trickled in from the east in the first millennium BC and France from 1787.
developed a hierarchy of druids, warriors, farmers and artisans. 2 Prehistoric painting of
They became known as Gauls to the Romans, who conquered all an ox, part of the stun­
of what is now France between 125 and 51 BC. The Romans built ning wealth of art at the
roads, bridges and aqueducts, as well as temples and amphi­ Lascaux caves in
theatres, but the empire in Gaul collapsed in the second half of southwestern France.
the 5th century AD, as rival barbarians battled for supremacy. 3 An amphitheatre in
Orange, built by the
The Frankish Realm Romans in the
Out of these dark ages emerged the Frankish realm, dominated 1st century AD.
by the Merovingian dynasty (486–751), then by the Carolingians 4 Oil portrait of the Holy
(751–987), whose power was threatened for several centuries by Roman Emperor
Arab invasions from Spain. The Carolingian empire reached its Charlemagne by German
painter and theorist
apogee in 800 when Charlemagne (742–814), king of the Franks, Albrecht Dürer, dated
was anointed Holy Roman Emperor. He expanded his empire to around 1512.
across western Europe, but in 843, after years of civil war between
rivals for the throne, it was carved up between his three grand­
sons, one of whom, Charles the Bald (823–877), became king of
West Francia, the nation that would become known as France.

31 BC AD 508 AD 843
Augustus establishes Paris made The Treaty of Verdun
the Three Gauls (Gallia capital of creates West Francia,
Celtica, Gallia Aquitania Frankish the forerunner of
and Gallia Belgica). kingdom. modern France.

AD 43
125–51 BC Lugdunum (Lyon)
The Romans conquer becomes the capital
and colonize Gaul. of the Three Gauls.
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