Gaul Survives

Multiverse Agent

Multiverse Agent

Put together a hypothetical country set up based on the politics and culture of a modern day Gaul that has survived to modern day.

Name: Gaulica (or Gallia in the native Celtic language)

Government:

- Confederated Republic with elected national leaders

- But highly decentralized, with substantial autonomy for tribal regions

- A "Council of Chieftains" acts as an advisory body to the President

- Frequent referendums on major issues to get input from all tribes

Economy:

- Mixed economic system blending markets with collective tribal ownership

- Major industries like mining under national control as public goods

- But agriculture, crafts, trade mostly organized by tribal collectives

- Druidic guilds regulating banking, commerce, craftsmanship

- Tribal collective holdings in land, resources balanced by private property

Society:

- Tribal identities remain very strong sources of loyalty and belonging

- Celtic polytheistic religion still widely practiced, druids hold respect

- Emphasis on warrior virtues like bravery, loyalty, hospitality

- Oral storytelling traditions and bardic culture is vibrant

- Ancient Celtic festivals like Samhain, Beltane widely celebrated

Legal:

- Blend of customary Celtic laws and modern francophone civil code

- Druidic legal scholars have jurisdiction over many disputes

- Restorative justice focused on making amends, not punishment

- But also human rights and democratic principles enshrined

Culture:

- Celtic language derived from Gaulish is co-official with French

- Unique Celtic-inspired cuisine, alcoholic drinks, music styles

- Gaulish Celtic symbols, patterns, motifs used extensively

- Sports like Celtic wrestling, chariot racing remain popular

This hypothetical modern Gaul preserves the tribal confederated political structure and decentralized nature of ancient Celtic society. It blends traditional institutions like druidic guilds and collective ownership with democratic republican governance. Celtic cultural identity, language, religions and traditions remain strong alongside French colonial influences.



Might put together a timeline of how this modern Gaul survived Rome.
 

Lalli

Probably only way get Gaul culture and language to survive is Romans never conquering the region. Yes, Gaulish language lasted something like to 6th century but it was probably going to disappear at some point after Roman conquest.
 
Hrvatskiwi

Hrvatskiwi

I guess a decentralised Gaul could be somelike this the Swiss canton system writ-large? I would find a well-researched Gallic survival TL very interesting. A lot of potential there.
 
Multiverse Agent

Multiverse Agent

Gauls had won against the Romans during the Gallic Wars in the 1st century BCE:

58 BCE - Julius Caesar attempts his conquest of Gaul, but his forces are decisively defeated by the united Gallic tribes led by Vercingetorix at the Battle of Alesia. Caesar is killed in the battle.

57-55 BCE - With the Roman legions pushed out, the Gallic confederation under Vercingetorix moves to consolidate their territory and liberation across most of what is now France, Belgium, and parts of Germany and Switzerland.
53 BCE - Taking advantage of Roman weakness, Gallic forces led by Vercingetorix cross into northern Italy and sack several Roman cities before being pushed back. The Roman Republic is severely destabilized.

49-46 BCE - With Rome embroiled in civil war between Mark Antony and Pompey, the Gauls align with Pompey's forces and launch an invasion of the Italian peninsula to draw support away from Antony's powerbase.
44 BCE - The Gallic-Pompey alliance captures Rome itself after Antony's assassination. The Roman Republic crumbles and a humiliating peace is signed ceding control of Gaul, Britain, Iberia, and western Germany to the victorious Gallic confederation.
41-25 BCE - Vercingetorix rules the Gallic confederation as the high king, ushering in a period of relative peace, trade, and cultural renaissance across Celtic territories. The druids record a codified set of Celtic laws.
22 BCE - After Vercingetorix's death, the confederation begins fragmenting into smaller regional kingdoms and divisions between tribes intensify over the next few centuries.

476 CE - The last remnants of the Celtic confederation in Gaul are overrun by Germanic tribes as the Migration Period leads to the collapse of most organized Celtic power.
This timeline sees the Gauls capitalize on Roman instability by pushing out Caesar's legions and allying with Pompey's forces in the Roman civil war. This allows them to capture Rome itself and essentially extinguish the Republic, replacing it as the dominant power in western Europe for several centuries
 

Evil Crusader

Multiverse Agent said:
Gauls had won against the Romans during the Gallic Wars in the 1st century BCE:

58 BCE - Julius Caesar attempts his conquest of Gaul, but his forces are decisively defeated by the united Gallic tribes led by Vercingetorix at the Battle of Alesia. Caesar is killed in the battle.

57-55 BCE - With the Roman legions pushed out, the Gallic confederation under Vercingetorix moves to consolidate their territory and liberation across most of what is now France, Belgium, and parts of Germany and Switzerland.
53 BCE - Taking advantage of Roman weakness, Gallic forces led by Vercingetorix cross into northern Italy and sack several Roman cities before being pushed back. The Roman Republic is severely destabilized.

49-46 BCE - With Rome embroiled in civil war between Mark Antony and Pompey, the Gauls align with Pompey's forces and launch an invasion of the Italian peninsula to draw support away from Antony's powerbase.
44 BCE - The Gallic-Pompey alliance captures Rome itself after Antony's assassination. The Roman Republic crumbles and a humiliating peace is signed ceding control of Gaul, Britain, Iberia, and western Germany to the victorious Gallic confederation.
41-25 BCE - Vercingetorix rules the Gallic confederation as the high king, ushering in a period of relative peace, trade, and cultural renaissance across Celtic territories. The druids record a codified set of Celtic laws.
22 BCE - After Vercingetorix's death, the confederation begins fragmenting into smaller regional kingdoms and divisions between tribes intensify over the next few centuries.

476 CE - The last remnants of the Celtic confederation in Gaul are overrun by Germanic tribes as the Migration Period leads to the collapse of most organized Celtic power.
This timeline sees the Gauls capitalize on Roman instability by pushing out Caesar's legions and allying with Pompey's forces in the Roman civil war. This allows them to capture Rome itself and essentially extinguish the Republic, replacing it as the dominant power in western Europe for several centuries
Click to expand...
Gaul doesn't have the manpower or power projection for this, especially if it's a Gaul that immediately shatters upon Vercingetorix's death.
And of course, 476 won't be 'Christian' or 'Common' Era but a pretty generic year instead of an historical watershed moment.
 
Last edited:
ramones1986

ramones1986

I thought of LSCatilina's suggestion(s) back in 2011, specifically the first couple suggestions:
LSCatilina said:
Celtic Gauls with the littlest roman influence : Make Ambiorix succed to defeat the Romans army with the help of Germans. Killing Cesar is a bonus.

Ambiorix was the Che Guevara of the Gaul : never captured in battle (in fact, at the difference of Che, never captured at all), seen as a hero by his men and as a bastard by his foes (contrary to Vercingetorix that he praise, Cesar always hated Ambiorix that he never suceed to really defeat).

The Southern Gaul is quite un-receltizable : Pilnus consider the province as another Italy by the culture and the prosperity.

Celtic Gaul with a certain roman influence : Vercingetorix's victory. Vercingetorix didn't much serached to crush the Romans to make them quit the Gaul. No decisive battle of any kind.

A victory of Vercingetorix would certainly allow Caesar or the Romans if the Iulius is dead, to preserve many alliances in Gaul and maybe some territories in Aquitaine and Helvetia.
Click to expand...
 

HyperMuscularDemon

How about Gaul preserving the Celtic language, culture and religion? If Caesar gets defeated in Gaul, then I could easily see a form of a league of Gaulish Peoples forming, although it would probably be somewhat decentralized. Plus, if the Greek city of Marseille is brought into the league, then the Gauls could have contact with Greece.
 
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