![gaul roman empire visec gaul roman empire visec](https://www.worldhistory.org/img/r/p/500x600/239.gif)
The discipline of the legions held in the face of attacks. Tight Roman formations kept their sides safe. Roman discipline completely countered any Gallic advantage. Like any army, they also hoped to get around the flanks. Wildly rushing in with swords swinging, they aimed to break opponents with the ferocity of their attacks. Gallic armies relied on the success of their charge to take out enemies. It showed how their mismatched styles affected the outcome. What followed was the best-recorded incident of war between these two cultures. The ambitious Caesar wanted to launch an invasion deeper into Gaul than before, to defend Rome and earn glory for himself. Relations between the Romans and Gauls had long been a tense mixture of war and trade. In 58 BC, the migration of a tribe called the Helvetii gave Julius Caesar an excuse for war. Roman warfare was every bit as brutal as that of the Gauls, but it was far less flamboyant. They got in at their opponents, stabbing at bodies and punching with their shields. While the Gauls used long swings to give their blows force and hold back enemies, the Romans fought up close. Roman swords were shorter than those of the Gauls and were used differently. Without orders, they dropped their entrenching tools, grabbed their weapons, and formed their lines. On one occasion, Caesar’s forces in Gaul were caught by surprise while building field fortifications. Severe punishments ensured they obeyed orders even in the face of death. Volleys of thrown spears took some of the impact out of an enemy charge.ĭiscipline was at the core of the Roman army. Firmly packed together, the Romans could deploy more blades in a small space than the Gauls could, although they lacked their reach. It was with mixed feelings they approached their foe.Įach Roman could defend himself with his shield if need be, but it was in the tight formation of a legion that he found his best defense. Physically shorter on average, they felt defensive about their height as well as nurturing a sneaking admiration for their opponents. The Romans were the opposite of the Gauls. The Fierce Discipline of Rome Detail of Portonaccio sarcophagus, 2nd Century BC, Museo Nazionale de Roma, Rome, Italy. Musical instruments were used to synchronize troops on the battlefield, but this was the warfare of the individual, and men were not trained for close coordination. Under a leader like Vercingetorix, they were capable of clever maneuvers. There was some organization, or the Gauls could never have brought together an army. Fighting was a chance to show off individual heroism. Gauls often went into battle naked or dressed in elaborate armor, the two extremes achieving the same goal of making a warrior stand out. The way they approached the field of battle also celebrated the individual. Gold coins of the Gaul Parisii, 1st century BC, (Cabinet des Médailles, Paris). One on one hacking and slashing with their blades they were able to master opponents with shorter weapons. Fighting in loose formations with long swords, every man was given space to show off his ability. Gallic warfare was built around the individual, letting them use their skills and abilities to the utmost. Roman writers described them in fearful terms. Tall and physically intimidating, they fought with wild abandon. Today, Gaul is rarely used, although it remains an alternative name for France in Greek and in Latin.In the Roman minds, the Gauls were the ultimate barbarians.
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Despite this, Gaul would remain the name used for the region in the Early Middle Ages until it was mostly replaced by the term "France". By this time, much of the original Celtic culture of the Gauls had been merged into the broader Gallo-Roman culture. Rome would control Gaul for 5 centuries, lasting until the Domain of Soissons, a Roman rump state, fell in 486 AD to the Franks. The entirety of Gaul would come under Roman rule following the conquests of Julius Caesar in the Gallic Wars, lasting from 58 - 51 BCE. The German Teuton and Cimbri tribes attempted to invade Gaul in 120 BCE, but were defeated by the Romans in 103 BCE. Gaul was conquered by the Romans throughout the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE, with the provinces of Cisalpine Gaul and Narbonensis being created in 203 BCE and 123 BCE respectively. The Gallic people were a part of the ancient La Tene culture, and occupied the area in various tribal states from the 5th to 1st centuries BCE. The size of the region was about 494,000 square kilometers (191,000 square miles). This area roughly covers most of modern France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland and contains part of the Netherlands, Northern Italy, and Germany. Gaul is the name used for an area in Western Europe for the home of a great number of Celtic tribes and people.