Galia is a country that is two thousand years distant from us. Usually her name is spelled Gallia. In ancient times, the Celtic tribes of the Gauls settled in the warm and humid climate of the modern south of France. The fertile lands gave them the opportunity to engage in agriculture, and forests rich in game became a paradise for hunters. It is not surprising that the ancient Gauls constantly felt the pressure of neighboring tribes and were forced to regularly defend their territories. Especially long was the confrontation between the Gallic tribes and the Roman legionnaires.
Ancient Galia
The country of the Gauls, according to ancient historians, was divided into three parts. The northern territories were given to the Belgians, the western - to the Aquitans, and in the south and east lived the Celtic tribes, which for Roman historians were called Gauls. Three areas were separated by language barriers.
In addition, the Celtic tribes shared natural boundaries: the Garon, Matron and Sekvan rivers became natural barriers to the movement of these peoples. And the Romans were perfectly suited for such a division, because the principle of "divide and rule" was already elevated to the creed of this empire. From the point of view of borders and accessibility, the southern Gauls were most unlucky, and for the Romans these territories became priority.
The conquest of Gaul
Neighborhood with Rome - this is the last test that fell to the lot of the Celtic tribes. As the Roman state strengthened, repeated attempts were made to seize the territories, but the Gauls steadily repelled the attacks of the invaders. Only at the beginning of a new era, during the reign of Julius Caesar, did the rebellious Galia surrender. The country became part of the Roman Empire, became one of its richest provinces. But the Gallic triumph cost the empire quite hard. Only the Gallic wars that went on in these lands for three years brought Rome the long-awaited victory.
Gall war
The outbreak of hostilities fell on 58 BC The martial art of Julius Caesar helped him withstand the fight against the Helvetites and push them far deeper into Europe. The second battle of the same year brought a hard victory over Areovist - the leader of one of the Germanic tribes. For the winter period, Caesar took his legions to the territory of the allied tribes, and he went to nearby Galia for legal proceedings.
Performing his direct duties as proconsul, Caesar did not miss the opportunity to recruit new supporters. Plutarch once noticed that Caesar took control of his enemies with the help of weapons, and his fellow citizens with the help of money captured in battles.
The winter of 56 was alarming. Intelligence reported that the Belgians, who occupied the north of Gaul, sought to repel the onslaught of the Romans, enter into secret alliances and exchange hostages. Caesar gathered two more legions in addition to the six that he had, and set out on a campaign. He threw the belgs away to the north, subdued nerves, morias and menapies, and when the frost came, he led his troops south. The successful Gallic war and numerous victories brought Julius Caesar enormous wealth, which the future emperor generously endowed with his supporters. To the glory of a clever rhetorician was added the halo of a victorious commander, in whose hands real power was gradually concentrated.
In the internal territories, Caesar pursued a policy of soft submission, formally allowing tribal leaders to lead their subordinates, but in fact controlling the entire leadership process as a whole. Diplomatic intrigues, enormous bribes and promises, which, incidentally, were often fulfilled, were used. Gradually, the proconsul Caesar concentrated in his hands full power over this region and was able to return to Rome fully prepared for the coup.
Summary
The main reason for the defeat of the Gauls was the fragmentation of the actions of individual tribes in the fight against the enemy. Open hostilities were conducted only on the borders of the empire. Inland (and Galia eventually joined them) were controlled through bribes, intrigues, and diplomacy.
Galia is a country thanks to which Caesar gained fame, wealth, and then power over the entire Roman Empire. She became the first step on the path to fame, fully revealing in Julia the talents of a commander, speaker and diplomat. Much later there will be military campaigns in the north of Italy, the Rubicon River, and then the civil war, which turned Caesar from a simple patrician into an emperor.