Editing History of France (section)

=== Roman Gaul ===
{{Main|Roman Gaul}}
[[File:Siege-alesia-vercingetorix-jules-cesar.jpg|thumb|''[[Vercingetorix]] throws down his arms at the feet of [[Julius Caesar]]'' after the [[Battle of Alesia]]. Painting by Lionel-Noël Royer, 1899.]]

[[File:Square House Roman Temple at Nimes, France (7179063926).jpg|thumb|[[Maison carrée|Roman Temple]] at [[Nîmes]]]]
Gaul was divided into several different provinces. The Romans displaced populations to prevent local identities from becoming a threat to Roman control. Thus, many Celts were displaced in [[Gallia Aquitania|Aquitania]] or were enslaved and moved out of Gaul. There was a strong cultural evolution in Gaul under the Roman Empire, the most obvious one being the replacement of the [[Gaulish language]] by [[Vulgar Latin]]. It has been argued the similarities between the Gaulish and [[Latin]] languages favoured the transition. Gaul remained under Roman control for centuries and Celtic culture was then gradually replaced by [[Gallo-Roman culture]].

The Gauls became better integrated with the Empire with the passage of time. For instance, generals [[Marcus Antonius Primus]] and [[Gnaeus Julius Agricola]] were both born in Gaul, as were emperors [[Claudius]] and [[Caracalla]]. Emperor [[Antoninus Pius]] also came from a Gaulish family. In the decade following [[Valerian (emperor)|Valerian]]'s capture by the Persians in 260, [[Postumus]] established a short-lived [[Gallic Empire]], which included the Iberian Peninsula and Britannia, in addition to Gaul itself. Germanic tribes, the [[Franks]] and the [[Alamanni]], entered Gaul at this time. The Gallic Empire ended with Emperor [[Aurelian]]'s [[Battle of Châlons (274)|victory at Châlons]] in 274.

A migration of Celts occurred in the 4th century in [[Armorica]]. They were led by the legendary king [[Conan Meriadoc]] and came from Britain. They spoke the now extinct [[British language (Celtic)|British language]], which evolved into the [[Breton language|Breton]], [[Cornish language|Cornish]], and [[Welsh language]]s.

In 418 the Aquitanian province was given to the [[Goths]] in exchange for their support against the [[Vandals]]. Those same Goths had sacked Rome in 410 and established a capital in Toulouse.

{{Main|Crossing of the Rhine}}

The Roman Empire had difficulty integrating all the barbarian newcomers - with whom [[foederati]] treaties were concluded - within the empire, and generals as [[Flavius Aëtius]] had to use these tribes against each other in order to maintain some Roman control. He first used the [[Huns]] against the [[Burgundians]], and these mercenaries destroyed [[Worms, Germany|Worms]], killed king [[Gunther]], and pushed the Burgundians westward. The Burgundians were resettled by Aëtius near [[Lugdunum]] in 443. The Huns, united by [[Attila the Hun|Attila]], became a greater threat, and Aëtius used the Visigoths against the Huns. The conflict climaxed in 451 at the [[Battle of Châlons]], in which the Romans and Goths defeated Attila.

{{Main|Frankish War (428)|Gothic War (436-439)|Burgundian Revolt of Gunther}}

The Roman Empire was on the verge of collapsing. Aquitania was definitely abandoned to the [[Visigoths]], who would soon conquer a significant part of southern Gaul as well as most of the Iberian Peninsula. The Burgundians claimed their own kingdom, and northern Gaul was practically abandoned to the Franks. Aside from the Germanic peoples, the [[Vascones]] entered [[Duchy of Vasconia|Wasconia]] from the Pyrenees and the [[Bretons]] formed three kingdoms in Armorica: [[Domnonia]], [[Cornouaille]] and [[Broërec]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Heather |first=P. J. |title=The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbarians |date=2007}}</ref>