Halloween, Gaulish

Samhain Celtic calendar Coligny calendar Gaulish 62 lunar months Halloween Nos Calan Gaeaf Druid October 31 Superstition Feralia Pope Boniface IV All-hallows Eve Trick or treat Pumpkin Ducking apples Candy Ghosts Witches Black cats

The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France and Belgium, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish.

Latin and Gaulish languages were very similar to each other, and Greek was only a distant relation.

Gradually, Gaul (which included modern France) was inhabited by the Gauls, a Celtic people who also lived in Britain. They were not only warriors and farmers, but also excellent craftsmen.

< Invented wooden barrels and soap

Gaul was finally conquered by Julius Caesar’s army in 52 BC. The most important battle was the siege at Alesia which ended with the capture of the chief of the Gauls, Vercingetorix.

Gaul managed to preserve much of it's local identity and traditions. Later as the Roman Empire crumbled Gaul was again invaded, this time by Germanic tribes known as the Franks. They left their Mark on Gaul both ethnically and culturally, but eventually even they succumbed to the assimilating forces of Gaulish society, and began adopting their local version of Latin and becoming the precursors to the modern French people today.

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