Aquitani Discussion

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The Aquitani shared common ancestry with the Vascones and Iberians as a pre-Indo European people and spoke a proto-Basque language. They inhabited the region of Southwest France between the river Garonne and the Pyrenees mountains. Julius Caesar clearly distinguised the Aquitani from the Gauls and the Belgae who also inhabited broader Gaul as they had their own language, customs and laws. The Atlantic coast of the Aquitani was sandy and had thin soil - however gold and silver mines were abundant and they had established fine ironworks - Roman records mention the Aquitani as a wealthy people. Not long after Julius Caesar defeated Vercingetorix at the Battles of Gergovia and Alesia, the new Roman province of Gallia was established combining Aquitania, Belgica, Barbonensis and Lugdunensis. Latin became the predominant language of the region during Roman times, but even today Basque remains common in the southern regions.