Paris in the Gallo-Roman Period: 52 BCE to 486 CE

Welcome to the first chapter in my series on the history of Paris. This chapter covers the city’s earliest days, from its time as a small Gallic settlement called “Lutetia” to the Frankish conquest.

For many years, researchers believed that Paris was founded on the main island in the Seine, Île de la Cité (Île de la Cité). However, in the early 2000s, it turned out that the first settlement in the area of modern Paris was a small fishing village that existed about 4,000 years ago in what is today Bercy (the 12th arrondissement).

In 52 BCE, Julius Caesar conquered a small settlement of the Parisii tribe that existed on the Île de la Cité. The Romans built the city of Lutetia on the island, where the governor’s palace stood (on the spot where the Conciergerie stands today). Later, the city expanded onto the Left Bank, and its center settled in what is today the area around the Panthéon.

Today, you can still find remains from that era, such as the Roman baths at the junction of Boulevard Saint-Germain and Boulevard Saint-Michel, and the Arènes de Lutèce, rediscovered during the 19th century on Rue Monge.

Between Two Saints

During the third century CE, Christianity began to take hold in Paris. One of the most prominent preachers was Dionysius, who tried to convert the city’s pagan residents. His activity didn’t sit well with the Roman authorities, who decided to execute him by beheading on a hill north of Lutetia.

According to legend, Dionysius’s head was severed before he reached the top of the hill. He became a martyred saint and gave his name to the “Street of the Martyred Saints” (Rue des Martyrs), which today, ironically, is best known for its food shops. The event also gave the hill its name: Montmartre (Montmartre), meaning “the hill of the martyred saints.”

Dionysius, known today as Saint Denis, didn’t let his beheading stop him. According to tradition, he stood up, picked up his severed head, and kept walking north while still preaching. He was finally stopped and fell several kilometers north of there, and on the site of his burial the magnificent Basilica of Saint-Denis was later built, where nearly all the kings of France are buried.

During the fourth and fifth centuries, the Roman Empire gradually crumbled, and barbarian tribes began invading its territories. Among the most dangerous invaders of that era were the Huns, who advanced toward Lutetia in the fifth century.

When the Huns threatened the city, fear gripped its residents. A young woman named Geneviève urged them not to surrender and to trust in God, since He would not let the Huns destroy their city. And indeed, the Huns passed over Lutetia and continued on their way. Was it divine intervention, or perhaps a rumor spreading through the Hun camp that the beauty of the city’s women didn’t justify the effort?

Either way, Geneviève became one of the most influential figures in the city, and after her death she was declared the saint who protects Paris. The hill on which the Panthéon stands today is named after her.

Episodes from “Once Upon a Time… Man” That Can Teach You About the Era

This episode of “Once Upon a Time… Man” deals with the Roman Empire in general, but since the series was a French production, it includes plenty of information about the Roman conquest of Gaul (later France).

Recommended Movies About the Era

There aren’t many films dealing directly with Lutetia, but the “Asterix” series (both the animated films and the live-action films starring Gérard Depardieu) offers a fun and humorous glimpse into life in Gaul under Roman rule.

Want to Read More About the History of Paris?

Feel free to move on to the next chapter in the history of Paris series and learn about more periods in the story of the City of Light.