Part 3/15:
The story of France as a land of civilizations truly intensifies during antiquity. The ancient land known as Gaul was inhabited by Celtic tribes, especially the Gauls, who spoke a Celtic language and rivaled neighboring peoples like the Belgic tribes and the Aquitanians—who perhaps shared linguistic roots with the Basque language.
Greek sailors from Ionia, around 600 BC, founded Massalia (modern Marseille), establishing one of Europe's earliest cities on the Mediterranean coast. Meanwhile, further inland, Celtic tribes expanded across the land, founding cities like Lutèce (Paris), Burdigala (Bordeaux), and Tolosa (Toulouse). Greek colonies like Nice and other coastal ports engaged in trade and exploration, sometimes clashing with Celtic tribes in regional conflicts.