Meanwhile the Gauls of Cisalpine Gaul had taken up their residence in the fertile plains of Upper Italy. Rome trembled at the irruption of these barbarians into Italy; but Caius Marius saved the republic. In two bloody battles, at Aix (Aqua Sextive) in 102, and at Vercelli in 101 ac., he destroyed these nations. Only that portion of them which had remained in Gaul to await the issue of the expedition escaped the general ruin. Forty-three years after this event Caius Julius Caesar received the procon sulship over the countries bordering on Gaul. He resolved to subject all Gaul, and executed his purpose in less than nine years (58-50 a.c.), in eight blocdy campaigns.
The religion of the Druids, being suppressed in Gaul by Tiberius and Claudius, it gradually retreated into Britain, where, particularly on the small islands near the British coasts, the priests established their mysterious rites, of which in ancient times strange and dreadful accounts were current. The Britons also were soon conquered by the Romans. After the ex tinction of the family of the Caesars, the Gauls once more made an attempt to recover their liberty by the aid of the Germans, but in vain.
After this last effort they gradually became Roman citizens, and so entirely Romanazed that even their ancient language, the Celtic, was sup planted by a corrupt Latin dialect, retaining, however, a considerable number of Celtic words, especially as roots, which, intermingled with Franco-Germanic words, formed the modern language. About the year 486 the Franks sub deed the greater part of Gaul, and put a period to the dominion of the Romans in that country. Despardins, torique et administrative de la Gaule romaine' (Paris 1877); Fustel de Coulange, 'Histoire des institutions politiques de l'ancienne France) (Paris 1877); Goodwin, 'History of France) (New York 1860); Holmes, 'Caesar's Con quest of Gaul) (Oxford 1911); Marin de Syr, 'La France avant Cesar) (Paris 1865) ; Martin, 'Histoire de France) (Paris 1865); Roget, gauloise) (Paris 1868-75) ; Sihler, 'Annals of Caesar' (New York 1911); Thierry, 'Histoire des Gaulais) (Paris 1872).