Editing Arras (section)

====Before the Middle Ages====
[[File:Saintvedast.jpg|thumb|The ordination of Saint Vaast]]
In the 4th&nbsp;century, ''Nemetacum'' was renowned for its arts and crafts as well as textiles trade throughout the whole empire. Between 406 and 407, the city was taken and destroyed by Germanic invaders. In 428, the [[Salian Franks]] led by [[Clodion le Chevelu]] took control of the region including the current [[Somme (department)|Somme]] department. Roman General [[Flavius Aetius|Aetius]] then chose to negotiate for peace and concluded a treaty (''fœdus'') with Clodion that gave the [[Franks]] the status of «[[foederati]]» fighting for Rome.

The town's people were converted to Christianity in the late 4th&nbsp;century by Saint Innocent, who was killed in 410 during a barbarian attack on the town. In 499, after the conversion of [[Clovis I]] to [[Catholicism]], a [[diocese]] (''évêché'' in French) was created in Arras, the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Arras]], and given to [[Vedast|Saint Vaast]] (also known as ''Saint Vedast'' in [[English language|English]]), who remains the diocesan [[patron saint]]. [[Vedast|Saint Vaast]] then established an episcopal see and a monastic community. It was suppressed in 580 to found the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Cambrai]], from which it would reemerge 5&nbsp;centuries later.