Gallia Belgica

• Gallia Belgica was a Roman Province located in modern Belgium and northeastern France.
• The capital was at Rheims, but this was later moved to Trier.

1. History

• Pre-Roman history:
  • Occupied by the Gallic Tribes of Gaul.
• Acquisition by Rome:
  • 58-50 BCE Gallic Wars resulted in the occupation of Gaul by Julius Caesar.
• Timeline of this Province:
• Under The Republic:
  • The Province was known as Gallia Comata between 50-22 BCE.
• After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE):
  • 22 BCE Gaul, known as Gallia Comata, was split into the three Provinces of Gallia Aquitania, Gallia Lugdunensis and Gallia Belgica.
  • The western Border of Gallia Belgica was the R. Marne and R. Seine. The eastern Border was originally the Rhine.
  • In c. 90 CE Gallia Belgica was split from the Rhine Frontier and Germania Inferior and Germania Superior were created along the western Rhine corridor.
• After Diocletian’s Reforms (297 CE):
  • Gallia Belgica was split along the River Meuse into:
    • Belgica Prima: Capital at Treverorum Trier
    • Belgica Segunda: Capital at Durocorter Rheims.
  • c. 350 CE The Franks were settled in parts of Gallia Belgica.
• After Death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
  • 406 CE: Invaded by the Franks and Burgundians
  • 457-486 CE: The Kingdom of Soissons also known as the Kingdom of the Romans.
    • Aegidius was appointed Magister Militum of Gaul in 457 CE and ruled independently of Ricimer from 461-c.464 CE. He resisted the Franks to the east and the Visigoths to the south.
    • Syagrius, his son, ruled until c.464-486 CE, when he was defeated at the Battle of Soissons by the Franks under Clovis I, who then ruled all the former Gallia Belgica.
  • 458-481 CE: Gallia Belgica became the Kingdom of the Franks under the Merovingian Childeric I, whose son Clovis I went on to unite all of Gaul.
• Famous Persons from this Province:
• Residents of Trier:
  • Eucharius (d. 250 CE), Valerius (d. 320 CE) Paulinus (d. 358 CE): all three were Bishops of Trier.
  • Helena (c. 250-330 CE) (mother of Constantine I), Valentinian I (321-375 CE) (Emperor), Ausonius (310-395 CE) (Roman Consul and Poet), Ambrose (340-397 CE) (Bishop of Milan).
• Chief archeological Finds:
  • Bavay: Ruins of the Roman town.
  • Trier: Many buildings and the Roman bridge are still intact.
  • Rheims: Triumphal Arch, Cryptoporticus and Chalk tunnels.
• Historic Battle Sites:
• Main Historical Sources for this Province:

2. Geography

• Capital City:
  • Rheims (Durocorter)
    • Rheims was the capital to begin with before it moved to:
  • Trier (Augusta Treverorum)
• Chief Cities:
  • Amiens (Samarobriva), Arras (Nemetacum), Bavay (Bagacum Nerviorum), Boulogne (Gesoriacum), Cambrai (Camaracum), Metz (Dividorum), Rheims (Durocorter).
• Location Today:
  • Northeastern France. the Netherlands south of the Rhine, Belgium, Luxembourg and Western Germany.
• Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Germania Superior, Germania Inferior, Gallia Lugdunensis.
  • The border was along the R. Marne and the R. Seine.
• Climate and Temperature Today:
  • Maritime climate along the coasts with mild winters and wet, cool summers and all year round rain with little snow.
  • In the Northeast there is a Continental climate with cold winters and warm summers.
• Main Geographical features:
  • Part of the North European Plain. In Roman Times the Sea reached as far as St. Omer, it has since receded.
• Main Rivers:
  • R. Moselle, R. Saone, R. Somme, R. Meuse.
• Mountain Ranges:
  • Flat mostly, as it forms part of the Great European Plain.
• Islands:
  • None

3. Political Organisation

• Province Type:
  • Imperial Propraetorial
• Governor
  • Propraetor
    • Pliny the Elder (c.74-75 CE)
    • Didius Julianus (170-175 CE) (who became Emperor in 193 CE)
• Tribes and Population:
  • Gallic Tribes:
    • The Belgae, Nervii (Bavay), Morini (Boulogne), Remi (Rheims) and Treveri (Trier).
• Language:
  • Gallic.

4. Military Organisation

• Legions:
  • None
• Navy:
  • Classis Britannica
    • Based at the Fortress of Boulogne (Gesoriacum) until 296 CE.
  • Classis Sambrica:
    • Location unknown, operating on the Somme.
  • According to the Notitia Dignitatum (c. 400 CE), the Navy operated under the Magister Peditum of the West.
• Defensive Works:
  • In the third century CE, the coast became part of the Gallic Saxon Shore Forts Defensive system.
• Main Threats:
  • Raids from Germanic Tribes across the Rhine and coastal Sea Raids by German Pirates.

5. Economy

• Chief Exports:
  • Wood from Trier,
• Agriculture and Fishing:
• Manufacturing:
• Mines:
• Mints:

6. Transport

• Roman Roads:
  • Via Belgica:
    • Boulogne to Cologne.
  • Via Agrippa
    • Lyon to Boulogne.
    • Lyon to Cologne.
  • Via Ausonia:
    • Trier to Bingen.
• Waterways:
  • River Moselle
  • River Saone
  • River Somme
  • River Meuse
• Ports:
  • Boulogne (Gesoriacum), Portus Itius (unknown location but possibly Boulogne)
• Ancient Trade Routes:
  • Via Belgica:
    • Boulogne to Cologne.
• Number of Days taken to travel from this Province to Rome:

7. Relationship with Rome

• Rome considered Gallia Belgica to be very important as it was adjacent to the militarised Rhine Frontier and Britannia.
• Rome exercised control over Britannia and the Rhine through northeastern Gaul with a continual supply of goods, men and materiel coming up the Rhone with an overland connection between the rivers Saone and Moselle into the Rhine.
• In 55 CE The Roman General Lucius Vetus even proposed building a Canal between the Saone and the Moselle according to Tacitus, Annals Book 13, Chapter LIII. He died before he could embark on the project.
• In 295 CE, Trier on the Moselle, became one of the four Capitals of the Roman Empire under the Tetrarchy. The Roman Monuments and Bridge in Trier are still standing today.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

• St. Martin of Tours (316-397 CE) gave his cloak to a naked beggar at the gates of Amiens.
• Ambrose (330-397 CE) Bishop of Milan, was born in Trier.
• St. Remi (437-533 CE), Bishop of Rheims and Patron Saint of Rheims (However, he worked under the Merovingian Kingdom, which had replaced the Western Roman Empire by then.)

9. Roman Authors describing this Province

• Tacitus: Annals Book XIII (117 CE)
  • Tacitus mentions the Moselle in this Book.
• Ausonius: Poem ‘Mosella’ (371 CE)
  • Ausonius wrote about the Moselle in this Poem.
  • He describes the journey from Bingen to Trier

Gallia Belgica