Civilization of Uzbekistan and France

The history of France is centuries old, spanning several centuries. Here are some of its key moments. It is difficult to pinpoint the origins of France. It was formed gradually over time. Some historians trace the history of France back to the Franks, who gave their name to the country. During prehistoric times, hominids populated the European continent around 200,000 BCE. Homo sapiens were present in Western Europe around 50,000 BCE. In France, the caves of Lascaux show the presence of humans during Protohistory. Celtic tribes occupied a large part of France, Belgium and Germany. This territory was designated Gaul by the Romans. The Celts built the first cities, such as Lutetia (Paris) and Burdigala (Bordeaux). During the Second Punic War, Hannibal Barca recruited Celtic mercenaries to defeat the Romans. Because tribes from Gaul had attacked Rome, southern Gaul was annexed to the Republic in 121 BC. Julius Caesar conquered Gaul in order to secure peace on the Empire’s border.