Photo: ( AdriCureuil Kingdom of Gaul flag by Adricureuil on DeviantArt)

Intro to the Gauls

The Gaul's, a subsection of the Celtic La Tene culture, includes about 60 Celtic tribes. They are best known for their fight against Rome; more specifically the wars against Caesar. It should be known that the Gaul's never formed a single political group, but were rather made up of various small tribes that fought for power.

Who where to Gauls

The Gauls were a sub-subset of the Celtic people who formed into tribes that were all culturally and religiously very similar. (Note: the photo on the right is not an exact depiction of Gallic Celtic armor)

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Where were the Galls

The Gauls lived in what is now modern day France while having some land in the south west of Germany and northern Italy.

The Gallic tribes in Italy

In roughly 390 BCE the Gauls began to immigrate to Northern Italy. Diodurus explains that there were mainly 4 tribes that invaded Italy: the Boii, the Senones, the Lingones and the Cenomani. Of these, the Boii and the Senones were the most powerful and would have the biggest impact. They seemed to have intermarried with the local population (The Etruscans) after their conquest of Etruscan. (The Etruscans were not completely wiped out as the map shows).

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Gallic coinage and road networks

The Gauls where much more than a military force, they also had a thriving civilization. They were masters of metallurgy having beautiful gold coins. Oftentimes, Gallic coins featured a horse. The discovery of these coins across a vast region shows extensive road and trade networks were formed long before the arrivals of the Romans. Trade networks from Gaul trace all the way to south eastern Europe as the Gauls became significant traders with peoples who were hostile to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Besides trade Caesar praised Gaul for their response time during the Gallic wars with Rome, meaning the Galls had an advanced communication system that spanned across much of Gaul (modern France).

Photo: (Ambiani, gold stater, 'Gallo-Belgic C')

Top left Photo: (Celtic coinage. north-central gaul. the carnutes. Gold Stater (7.57 g, 22 mm). VF) Bottom left Photo: (Says: et al. A fully excavated village of non-indomitable Gauls)

Right side Photo: (peashooter85 Iberian Celtic Helmet, 3rd-2nd century BC – @peashooter85 on Tumblr)

Photo: (Tatin La Gaule Culinaire: Le banquet)

Gallic culture

When most people think of the Gauls as a people they think of naked barbarians. Many people think of a man roasting meat on a skewer. The reality is that the Gauls were a very advanced civilization of ancient times. Gallic culture was amazing at bringing large groups of people together in a way that made people feel like anyone in the village was a family member. The Gauls lived in very tight nit communities. It is part of why they were so successful. They often hosted feasts where everyone, including the nobles, would all drink from the same glass. They sat in a circular formation around a fire while slaves passed out food for everyone. (This photo from a comic gives a basic idea of a feast)

Factionalism

The Gauls were never a united force, rather they were made up of many smaller tribes that allied together with each other and / or other powers in the region such as other Germanic tribes or the Romans

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The La Tene culture

The Gauls belong to a larger grouping of Celts known as the La Tene culture group. The La Tene culture group were early iron age celts partially defined by thier distinctive art styles.

Photo: (Monde Celtique, culture de La Tène)

Gallic construction

There is a myth that the Gauls were a group pf hunters hidden behind an invincible forest. There is a belief that they were barbaric and un-evolved. This is wrong. The Gauls had one of the most advanced construction techniques in the world for their time. They were forward thinking and evolutionary. Many of their techniques were used in the country side of many countries until very recently. Unfortunately, due to using wood instead of stone, we do not see many of their buildings today. In fact, Caesar praised the Gauls as genius builders for their stone ramparts. (The ramparts still hold strong today)

Photo: (Gallic Rampart)

Gallic learning: the druids

The druids were a very powerful priest class in Gallic society. The druids did not only act as priests, but also as diplomats, peacemakers, lawyers, healers and headed the education of the tribe. This role, and its accompanying responsibility, granted the druids massive amounts of power, as they served a variety of vital roles within the community. However, training to become a druid was not easy. This training included a 20 year period where the person needed to memorize oral history, law, medicinal knowledge, astronomy, religious rituals, and divination practices. Each year the druids would host a pan-Celtic meeting at the Forest of the Khanates. This was sacred ground where major political or religious issues would be solved amongst the druids. Another major role of the druids was to overlook sacrifices made to the gods. The Romans cite human sacrifice as a major role in Celtic religion, but they sought to define the celts as barbarians. We will never truly know what the druids would have thought as they never wrote anything down, rather keeping the information amongst themselves,

(Not an exact photo of what a druid may look like)

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Photo: (Zimmerman The celtic druid conception of death)

Important Gallic burials

Due to Gallic beliefs, Chieftains who died would be buried within two wheeled war chariots. They would also be buried with specific items to use in the afterlife.

Myths about the druids

There are many myths about the druids. Some portray them as magical healers, others as savage beasts. In reality neither of these are true. While the druids were responsible for healthcare in Gallic society, they did not create potions of strength or weakness. They did however, brew herbal teas and used other medicinal herbs.

Photo:(Contributors to Myth and Folklore Wiki Lugh)

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Gallic society

There were many ranks in Gallic society. At the top was the Chieftain, who acted as the political head of individual tribes. Below the Chieftain is the warrior aristocracy who fought bravely alongside of the chief, and acted as his experts. The druids were also on the same level of class as the warrior council as they were in a similar role. Below them was a lesser noble class that controlled parts of a chiefs lands known as Pagi. (Many of the warrior aristocracy also controlled Pagi). They did this in return for a percentage of the goods produced on the land. Further descending was a mercantile/craftsman's class that lived nearby the chiefs hillfort and provided weapons and tools. At the bottom was subsistence farmers who were 90% of the population. They provided taxes in return for protection. Then below them was the slave class, mostly acting as servants for the Gallic leaders. The slave population was not very large and mostly made up of prisoners of war.

Language

The Gauls spoke, Gaulish which was a form of Celtic language which is now extinct. It was similar to Celt-Iberian, and was apart of the Q-Celtic classification of languages. Unfortunately, due to the lack of writing and the Rominizartion of the Celts, the language did not survive. Thanks to the work of previous historians, we do however know it existed.

Photo: (Brown 9 great benefits of learning a new language)

Notable tribes: Helvetii

One of the first tribes that Caesar fought in his conquest of Gaul, the Helvetii are a notable Celtic tribe. The Helvetii are actually a coalition of four different tribes caused by the merger of the Tigurini, Verbigeni and the Tougeni. Unfortunately the, 4th tribe remains unknown to this day.

(Not exact replica of Helvetii)

Photo: (Rogers Helvetii)

Notable tribes: Senones

The Senones are one of the most famous Celtic tribes. This is because they are the tribe that pillaged Rome. They joined the migration south and settled the closest to Rome of all the tribes. They also are the tribe that Brennus is from, who famously fought against the Romans, as well as invaded areas of Greece.

(Above is a coin produced by the Senones)

Photo: (Metropolitan museaum of Art Coin of the Senones: Celtic: 2nd-1st century BCE)

Notable tribes: Veneti

Some of best sailors in the Gallic world, the Venetii were a large tribe in Armorica (modern day Brittany) who were well connected with other nearby tribes. In 56bce they went to war with Caesar after they had kidnapped one of his suppliers. They did this to show their discontent with Rome. Caesar retaliated by isolating the Venetii before destroying them in combat.

(Not a Venetii ship)

Photo: (Patel Book III section II: Naval war with the veneti)

Notable tribes: Averni

The Averni was one of the most powerful tribes in Ancient Gaul. Their most famous leader was Vercingetorix who led the Gauls in their war against Roman rule. (and almost won). Their power came from having some of the best blacksmiths in Gaul. Their expert craftsmen created masterwork level weapons that allowed them to dominate the battlefield. They also had rich mining, farming and trading industries. With military dominance behind them, the other tribes would would be required to pay the Averni tribute. This would make the Averni one of the richest tribes in Gaul.

Photo: (Chakra The gallic chieftain vercingetorix and his famous revolt against caesar)

Notable tribes: Gaesatae

The Gaesatae was were a tribe of mercenary Gauls that lived just north of the Alps. They were famous for being extremely rich and extremely brave warriors who had elite skills. Their most famous battle was the battle of Telamon where the Romans trapped them between two armies and crushed them, alongside the Boii and the Insubres.

(Not an exact image of the gaesatae)

Photo:(M Og Gaesatae (aka Gauls) completed)

Notable tribes: Cenomai

The Cenomani were a tribe that lived in Trans-Alpine Gaul. Unlike the Boii, they often fought alongside the Romans to defeat their neighbors. They were key parts in many of the first conflicts between Gaul and Rome. They even fought against Hannibal in the second Punic war. The Ceniomani were deep allies of the Romans and would later integrate into the Roman empire after the defeat of the Boii and the Gaesatae.

(Photo of Cenomani coin)

Photo: (Gallia - Aulerci Cenomani (area of Le Mans) Quart de Statère d'Or au Cheval Androcéphale bga_373955 Celtic coins)

Notable tribes: Boii

The Boii were a tribe that was constantly at war with Rome. They initially migrated to northern Italy alongside the Senones. After Rome destroyed the Senones, the Boii would join the non-Celtic Etruscans in declaring war on Rome. The Boii were defeated but survived. Later they would declare war again, this time with the help of the Gaesatae and the Insubres. They were crushed at the battle of Telamon where they famously fought naked. It was not long after this battle that they would be annexed by the Romans. The Boii also had multiple invasions into ancient Greece after the death of Alexander, where they would plunder Greek cities. It should also be noted that the Boii are not originally from Gaul, but did have a tribe in Trans-Alpine Gaul. (Only some of the original Boii tribe emigrated)

(Boii tribe coin)

Photo: (Predavanje)

Vital resources: wood

The Gauls used wood for everything and anything they could. Wood was used to make weapons, tools, budlings, and art, as well as to heat homes. Wood was vital to the existence of the Gauls. The Gauls made good use of any wood they could find. Luckily for the Gauls they lived in and around many forests.

Photo: (Philippehalle Forest in France stock image. image of wood, natural - 34037667)

Vital resources: iron

Iron was a key resource to the Gauls because many of their tools were iron. Most of their weapons also included large pieces of iron such as spear heads or arrow heads. Iron was also used in farm tools and in smithing tools. Iron is a common metal in the regions the Gauls inhabited so there was enough to be commonly used.

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Gauls and religion

The ancient Gauls followed a pagan religion, that was somewhat similar to the polytheistic Roman gods, or Greek gods. They did not follow an orginised religion as some tribes worshiped gods that others did not. There are currently around 400 different gods worshiped by various Gallic tribes that we know of. The most important gods were worshipped by most of the different tribes, and include Taranis (thunder god), Maponos (god of youth), Belenus (sun god), Cernunos (god of nature and fertility) Epona (horse goddess), Toutatis (protector god) and Lugh (god of business/trade and technology). The druids acted as priests of for the religion. This Celtic religion guaranteed people certain rights, as given form the gods. Anyone who violated those rights would be seen as tyrannical or evil.

Photo: (Seared and roasted French rack of lamb)

Gallic diet

The Gauls often ate many of the same dishes that later the inhabitants of France would eat. This included beef, mutton, lamb, pork and other farm animals. (If you were rich) They also ate many grains including wheat, barley, oats, bean, and peas. Some tribes also had their own primitive form of beer.

Myths about Gallic religion

There are many myths about Gallic religion, often portraying it as a form of environmentalism or as barbaric. In reality it was neither. It was actually a polytheistic religion that was similar to the Romans. In fact in later years the Romans included the Celtic goddess Epona as one of their own goddesses.

Photo: (balkancelts.wordpress.com Epona – the celtic horse goddess: Celtic gods, Celtic deities, Celtic Goddess)

Photo: (Salvador79 Res Novae Romanae: A revolution of the third century TL)

Rome vs Gaul: The plundering of Rome

As mentioned previously, in about 390 bce the Gauls migrated south. With this they invaded many regions. During this movement south, the Gauls would come across the Romans. In their invasion of modern day Italy, Brennus (Gallic tribe leader) pillaged the city of Rome. This happened after a dispute where a Roman delegate killed a Gallic delegate during the Gallic siege of the Etruscan city of Clusium. This would be the first of many hostile actions between a young Roman Empire and the Gauls. This legendary rivalry would not end until the Gallic wars when Caesar finally conquered Gaul.

Rome vs Gaul: Rome rising

In 259 bce the Gallic Senones sieged the Etruscan city of Arretium. Rome sent an delegation to solve the conflict, but the Roman killed a Senones delegate. The Senones then pillaged Rome. In response, the Romans sent diplomats to the Senones. The Senones killed the Roman delegates. This angered Rome so they invaded the Senones. After these events unfolded the nearby Boii tribe now fearing Rome allied themselves with the Etruscans and attacked Rome. The allies were defeated and the Boii sued for peace while the Etruscans were annexed. The war only lasted 3 years.

Photo: (Wiki Boii)

Rome vs Gaul: Battle of Telamon and the fall of Cis Alpine Gaul

In 232 bce a Roman bill that resettled former Senone lands angered the Gallic tribes of the Boii and the Insubres. As a resault, they made an alliance. They sent delegates to the Gaesatae and convinced them to create a massive army. In response, the Romans allied the Gallic tribes of the Cenomani and the Venetii. In 225 bce a 50,000 strong Gallic force descended onto the Roman Empire and it's allies. The Gallic army had a decisive first win, but chose not to press the advantage as to keep their winnings safe. Soon, the Gauls found themselves surrounded as Roman reinforcements arrived. The Gauls were wiped out in a total defeat. The Gallic troops fought bravely, but ultimately the Boii and the rest of Cis Alpine Gallic tribes would be defeated and Annexed by the Romans.

Photo: (Wiki Battle of Telamon)

Rome vs Gaul: Caesar the savior or the conqueror

In 58 bce Caesar, after being asked to intervene in another conflict, leads an invasion against the Halvetii tribe in Trans-Alpine Gaul. Using this excuse to expand his influence, Caesar obliged and sacrificed 5,000 of his own soldiers to win the invasion. After Caesars invasion he simply never left.

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Rome vs Gaul: The Germania arrives

Shortly after conquering the Halvetti tribe, a Germanic tribe allied to Rome was harassing nearby Gallic tribes. These tribes asked Caesar for help and, again, he obliged. After some diplomatic action at Vosges, Caesar defeated the Germanic tribe. What started as a very close battle turned into an all out massacre of the Germanic tribe. Again, after this the Romans simply did not leave and began to occupy the territory.

Photo: (AR15.COM Germanic warriors)

Rome vs Gaul: The rise of Vercingetorix

By 56 bce Ceasar had subjugated most of Gaul through force or alliances. Yet, in 52 bce a Gallic leader by the name of Vercingetorix united multiple Gallic tribes to contest Roman rule. Vercingetorix attempted to starve the Romans by implementing scorched earth tactics. Eventually, at Vercingetorix's capital of Gergovia, Vercingetorix made a stand on defensive positions. Caesar promptly cut off his supply lines, to which Vercingetorix responded by paying the Aedui to revolt. This threatened to surround Caesar. Vercingetorix created a strong defensive position that could not be surrounded while Caesar was busy dealing with the Aedui. Caesar later attacked; however, this was disastrous. Modern estimates say as many as 6,000 Romans died. Caesar was forced to retreat. Although Caesar had lost significant territory to the Gauls, he eventually defeated Vercingetorix in open battle. As a result, Vercingetorix was forced to retreat into the nearby city of Alesia.

Photo: (Chakra The gallic chieftain vercingetorix and his famous revolt against caesar)

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Rome vs Gaul: Caesar's masterpiece

It is at Alesia where Caesar would show his tactical genius that makes him so famous today. When Caesar arrived at Alesia he immediately began building a wall surrounding the city. After completing the first wall, Caesar starts construction on a second wall. He does this because he has learnt of Gallic reinforcements moving on his position. He then goes on a massive foraging campaign to supply his troops with enough food to outlast the now trapped Vercingetorix inside Alesia. Suddenly, he now had the advantage. In response, Vercingetorix forced Alesia's inhabitants to flee the city into the surrounding Romans. Unable to join the Romans or to re-enter Alesia for fear they would be killed, the inhabitants of Alesia were forced to stand on empty battleground. Caesar does not let these people pass and the civilians are left in a tough position as many die from starvation. The Gallic reinforcements then arrive and the Romans are outnumbered 2/1. The Gauls begin to attack the Roman fortifications, yet the Romans hold strong. After an initial push the Gauls amass a large force on a hill overlooking the city and attack from all sides. Vercingetorix sallies out and attacks the wall at its weakest point, essentially crushing the Romans inside the double walled areas. The Romans use every man in the fight yet the Gauls are winning. This is when Caesar takes a few cavalry units and amasses them on the hill behind the the Gallic reinforcements. He crushes the Gauls at that part of the wall and the Gauls begin to flee as they sense that Caesar's cavalry is actually another Roman army reinforcing the Romans. Before long, Caesar has won the battle and kept Vercingetorix inside the walls. With his reinforcements spent and no food or water, Vercingetorix surrenders. This was the last significant rebellion against the Romans. This would also be the last of an independent Gaul.

Romanization begins

After the Roman conquest, most people in lower society did not care if they paid taxes to a chief or to a governor. Most of the discontent was coming from the druids who got the noblemen and high ranking society upset. However, many of the chieftains integrated quickly into Roman life as they had been in contact with Rome for many many years. They also sent their children to get a Roman education as it was seen as the better education. As a consequence, this rapidly Romanized their children and glorified the Roman Empire in the minds of these young and impressionable students. Most of the warrior elite of Gaul joined the Roman legions, and became full citizens after their service was done. As an additional pay for their service the soldiers were also granted a plot of land for their family to settle. Although the Romans allowed people to worship whatever gods they wanted, the druids were persecuted by Rome. Rome cited the reason as preventing human sacrifice; however, it was mostly because the druids sowed seeds of discontent time and time again, which threatened Roman control. It would be decades before the average Gallic farmer would fully Romanize, yet it would eventually happen. Between the 200-300s ce Christianity began to spread into Gaul as an underground cult. Eventually, it would come to be the dominant religion in not only Gaul, but all of the Roman empire, and would become the state religion of the Roman empire. Before long Celtic polytheism would begin to be persecuted, and eventually die out.

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The end of Gaul: the Franks

When the western Roman empire collapsed, Gaul was split into 6 major groups: the Visigoths, Burgundians, Alemanni, Soisson, Armourica (Brittany) and the Franks. In 486 ce, Clovis (A Frankish king, but not king of the Franks) invaded Soisson, the last true Roman area in France. He defeated the remanence of the Romans and subjugated the territory. He then turned his eyes to the Alemanni. Between 496-500ce Clovis was able to edge out a victory with some help, taking large areas of land. (however, not all of the Alemanni land was taken).

Around 500ce Clovis attacked the kingdom of Burgundy with the support of the Burgundy king's brother Godigisel. On the verge of defeat, the King of Burgundy Gundobad, reaches an agreement with Clovis in order for Clovis to retreat from Burgundy. Gundobad does not live up to his side of the deal with Clovis; and, for his part in the invasion he kills his brother Godisigel.

Clovis turns his attention to Alaric II of the Visigoths. In 507 ce Clovis won the war and killed Alaric the II. Clovis then sends his son Theodoric to subjugate modern south west France. Between 507-509ce Clovis killed the remaining Frankish kings and became King of the Franks. In 511ce Clovis died and his territory is split amongst his sons. By 532ce his sons would conquer Burgundy and the Franks would takeover most of Gaul.

Brittany, which would be the last Celtic enclave in Gaul, would continue to survive while the Franks would go on to become the modern day French.

Photo: (Anglofranc Celts)

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