Editing Ath (section)

===Pre–1500===
Archeological records show the existence of several [[Gallo-Roman]] settlements in the Ath area.  The origin of the city of Ath, however, dates from around 1160, when Count [[Baldwin IV, Count of Hainaut|Baudouin IV]] of [[County of Hainaut|Hainaut]], bought some territory from his liegeman, Gilles de Trazegnies.  A few years later, Baldwin built the Burbant Tower &ndash; which can still be seen today &ndash; to protect his new acquisition.  The new city was soon given privileges and its newly built (1325) market hall on the ''Grand-Place'' began to attract residents.

Ath was the setting of the "Peace of Ath", signed on June{{nbsp}}4, 1357, to end the question of the [[Duchy of Brabant|Brabant]] succession.<ref>{{cite book |first=LHJ |last=Sickling |title=Neptune and the Netherlands: State, Economy, and War at Sea in the Renaissance |page=22}}</ref>  By then, the weekly Ath market, which took place &ndash; and still takes place &ndash; on Thursdays, had started attracting sellers from a much larger region.  The production of linen, cloth, hide, and luxury items such as gold ware, cabinets, and sculptures was growing fast.  The population growth necessitated the building of a second wall, which was completed at the end of the 14th century.  In 1416, the city built a school for the study of [[Latin]], which [[Justus Lipsius]] attended. The city counted then about 5,000 people.