[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":25},["ShallowReactive",2],{"zoom:p1ch4z3:en":3},{"period":4,"chapter":15,"zoom":18},{"id":5,"title":6,"titleEn":6,"titleEs":7,"range":8,"rangeEn":8,"rangeEs":9,"cover":10},"p1","Prehistory","Prehistoria","≈ 1,000,000 BC → 600 BC","≈ 1 000 000 a. C. → 600 a. C.",{"fileName":11,"filePageUrl":12,"imageUrl":13,"sourceLabel":14},"Lascaux, horse.JPG","https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lascaux%2C%20horse.JPG","/assets/p1-prehistoire-cover.png","Wikimedia Commons",{"id":16,"title":17},"p1ch4","The Age of Metals",{"id":19,"title":20,"chapterId":16,"html":21,"hasEn":22,"isFallback":23,"seoDescription":24},"p1ch4z3","The Oppidum: the birth of the first towns","\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🏔️ Settling on heights for protection\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>From around \u003Cstrong>600 BCE\u003C/strong>, the social climate in what is now France became more unstable. To protect themselves from attacks, populations left the plains and settled on natural high ground: plateaus or steep hills.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>These fortified sites are called \u003Cstrong>oppida\u003C/strong> (singular: \u003Cstrong>oppidum\u003C/strong>). They are the ancestors of modern towns.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🧱 The Murus Gallicus (the Gallic wall)\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>To enclose these settlements, the Celts developed a unique fortification technique that even Julius Caesar admired: the \u003Cstrong>Murus Gallicus\u003C/strong>.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>A framework of wooden beams assembled with large iron nails\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>The gaps filled with earth and stones\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>The outer face covered with dry stone masonry\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Cp>This wall was highly effective: the wood absorbed the impact of battering rams, while the stone prevented the spread of fire.\u003C/p>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cimg src=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Lyon_murus_1.jpg?width=512\" alt=\"Murus Gallicus\">\u003Cbr>\n\u003Cem>Model of a Murus Gallicus (Lyon), showing the internal structure of wood and stone.\u003C/em>\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🏘️ A vibrant center of life\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cp>The oppidum was not just a fortress—it was a true \u003Cstrong>urban center\u003C/strong>:\u003C/p>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Craft production\u003C/strong>: Entire districts were dedicated to blacksmithing, pottery, or weaving\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Trade\u003C/strong>: Markets were held there, and the first coins were minted\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>\u003Cstrong>Politics\u003C/strong>: The place where assemblies met and leaders resided\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Cp>Sites such as \u003Cstrong>Bibracte\u003C/strong> (on Mont Beuvray in Burgundy) or \u003Cstrong>Gergovia\u003C/strong> (near Clermont-Ferrand) could host thousands of inhabitants.\u003C/p>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>🧠 Key takeaways\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>An \u003Cstrong>oppidum\u003C/strong> is a fortified town built on elevated ground\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>The \u003Cstrong>Murus Gallicus\u003C/strong> was an advanced wood-and-stone construction technique\u003C/li>\n\u003Cli>It marks the beginning of \u003Cstrong>urban planning\u003C/strong> and Gaulish political organization\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n\u003Chr>\n\u003Ch2>📸 Image credits\u003C/h2>\n\u003Cul>\n\u003Cli>Murus Gallicus — Nicolas Hirsch, \u003Ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0\">CC BY-SA 4.0\u003C/a>, via Wikimedia Commons\u003C/li>\n\u003C/ul>\n",true,false,"From around 600 BCE , the social climate in what is now France became more unstable. To protect themselves from attacks, populations left the plains and",1778543142660]