who were the gauls

The Gauls were a group of Celtic peoples who lived in mainland Europe during the Iron Age and Roman period, roughly from the 5th century BC to the 5th century AD. Their homeland was known as Gaul (Latin: Gallia), encompassing what is now modern-day France, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, and northern Italy. The Gauls spoke the Gaulish language, a continental Celtic tongue. They emerged as part of the larger Celtic cultural group, associated with the La Tène culture, and by the 4th century BC had expanded over much of Western Europe. The Gauls were organized into tribal confederations and populated large fortified settlements called oppida. Their society was led by chieftains and druids who oversaw religious practices. The Gauls were known for their warrior culture and mounted significant resistance against Roman expansion, notably under leaders like Brennus and Vercingetorix. Gaul was never a united state but rather a region of various tribes with shared cultural traits. Roman conquest of Gaul culminated in Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars (58–50 BC), after which Gaul was turned into a Roman province, laying the foundation for a Gallo-Roman culture. The Gauls also settled in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), where they became known as the Galatians. Historically, the Gauls are remembered both for their fierce military prowess and as a significant Celtic cultural presence in ancient Europe, leaving legacies in religion, art, and language.