The
immediate consequence of his success against them was the revival of trade
among the people who inhabited the coasts of the Mediterranean; but the
Romans, intent on their plans of conquest, or engaged in civil wars, had
little share in it The very nature and extent, however, of their conquests,
by making them masters of countries which were either commercial, or which
afforded articles of luxury, gradually led them to become more commercial.
Hitherto, their conquests and their alliances had been confined almost
entirely to the nations on the Mediterranean, or within a short distance of
that sea: but Julius Caesar directed his ambition to another district of the
world; and Gaul was added to the Roman dominions.
Transalpine Gaul comprehended Flanders, Holland, Switzerland, and part of
Germany, as well as France, Its situation, having the ocean to the north
and west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, was particularly
favourable to commerce; and though, when Caesar conquered it, its
inhabitants in general were very ignorant and uncivilized, yet we have his
express authority, that the knowledge they possessed of foreign countries,
and commodities from abroad, made them abound in all sorts of provisions.
About 100 years before the Christian era, the Romans, under pretence of
assisting the people of Marseilles, carried their arms into Gaul, and
conquered the district to the south of the Rhine.
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