Gallia Belgica

Belgic Gaul
Province of the Roman Empire
22 BC–5th century
Capital	Durocortorum (Reims) Augusta Treverorum (Trier)
Historical era	Antiquity
• Established after the Gallic Wars	22 BC
• Ended with Frankish Kingdoms	5th century

Gallia Belgica ("Belgic Gaul") was a province of the Roman Empire located in the north-eastern part of Roman Gaul, in what is today primarily northern France, Belgium, and Luxembourg, along with parts of the Netherlands and Germany.

In 50 BC, after the conquest by Julius Caesar during his Gallic Wars, it was described as stretching all the way to the Rhine, and one of the three parts of Gaul (Tres Galliæ), the other two being Gallia Aquitania and Gallia Lugdunensis.^[1] An official Roman province of this name was later created by emperor Augustus in 22 BC. The province was named for the Belgae, as the largest tribal confederation in the area, but also included the territories of the Treveri, Mediomatrici, Leuci, Sequani, Helvetii and others. The southern border of Belgica, formed by the Marne and Seine rivers, was reported by Caesar as the original cultural boundary between the Belgae and the Celtic Gauls, whom he distinguished from one another.^[2]

The province was re-organised several times, first increased and later decreased in size. Diocletian brought the northeastern Civitas Tungrorum into Germania Inferior, joining the Rhineland colonies, and the remaining part of Gallia Belgica was divided into Belgica Prima (in the eastern area of the Treveri, Mediomatrici and Leuci, around Luxembourg and the Ardennes), and Belgica Secunda (between the English Channel and the upper Meuse).

The capital of Belgica Prima, Trier, became an important late western Roman capital.^[3]

Part of a series on the
History of Belgium
Prehistory Neolithic flint mines of Spiennes 4300–2200 BC
Ancient Belgae, Eburones & Treveri ~51 BC Gallic Wars 58–50 BC  • Ambiorix's revolt 54–53 BC Roman rule 51 BC–c.500 AD
Early Middle Ages Franks   Merovingians 481–751 Carolingians 751–987 Prince-Bishopric of Liège 980–1789
Middle Ages Franco-Flemish War 1297–1305 Burgundian rule 1384–1482  • Wars of Liège 1465–68 Habsburg rule 1482–1556
Early Modern Northern Renaissance 15th–16th century Spanish rule 1556–1714  • Seventeen Provinces 1549–81  • Dutch Revolt 1568–1648  • Southern Netherlands Austrian rule 1714–93  • Brabant Revolution 1789–90  • Liège Revolution 1789–91 French rule 1793–1815
19th century Dutch rule 1815–30 Belgian Revolution 1830–31 Reign of Leopold I 1831–65  • Treaty of London 1839 Reign of Leopold II 1865–1909  • School War 1879–84  • Congo Free State 1885–1908
20th and 21st centuries Belgian Congo 1908–60 Reign of Albert I 1909–34 World War I 1914–18  • Invasion 1914  • Atrocities 1914  • German occupation 1914–18 Ruanda-Urundi 1922–62 Reign of Leopold III 1934–51 World War II 1940–45  • Invasion 1940  • German occupation 1940–44  • Holocaust 1941–44 Royal Question 1944–50 Reign of Baudouin 1951–93 Reign of Albert II 1993–2013 Reign of Philippe 2013~
Timeline • Military • Jewish history • LGBT Belgium portal
v t e

Part of a series on the
History of Luxembourg
Early history Celtic Luxembourg ~51 BC  • Treveri   Gallic Wars 58–50 BC Roman rule 90 AD–c.500 AD
Middle Ages Franks   Merovingians 481–751  • Austrasia   Carolingians 751–987 Duchy of Lorraine 959~  • House of Luxembourg   Duchy of Luxembourg 1352-1482 Habsburg rule 1482–1556
Early Modern Spanish rule 1556–1714 Louis XIV's siege 1684 Austrian rule 1714–95 Revolutionary siege 1794–95 French rule 1795–1815  • Peasants' War 1798
19th century Congress of Vienna 1815  • Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 1815– Dutch rule 1815–30  • Reign of Guillaume I 1815-40  • Belgian Revolution 1830–31 Personal union 1839–90  • Treaty of London 1839  • Reign of Guillaume II 1840–49  • Reign of Guillaume III 1849-90  • Luxembourg Crisis 1867 Full independence 1890-
20th and 21st centuries Reign of Adolphe 1890-1905 Reign of Guillaume IV 1905-12 Reign of Marie-Adélaïde 1912-19 World War I:    • German occupation 1914-18 Reign of Charlotte 1919-1964 World War II:    • German invasion 1940  • German occupation 1940-45  • Government in exile 1940-45  • Holocaust 1941 Reign of Jean 1964-2000 Reign of Henri 2000-
Luxembourg portal
v t e