History Of Avignon

The earliest history of Avignon can be traced back to at least four thousand BC. The earliest inhabitants of Avignon were Chaseens , and they settled on the Rocher des Doms around this time. In 2000 BC, the Chalcalithic and Campaniforme civilisations settled here and for posterity they have left behind an anthropomorphic monolith. It was discovered in 1961 AD and is displayed in the Calvet Museum . In 500 BC the city expanded to the clifftop oppidum and was under the occupation of Cavares who were Celto-Ligurian people. It was in 2nd Century BC that Avignon got its name. Avenio means the Lord of the River according to a Celtic translation and City of the Violent Wind from Ligurian translation.

The history of Avignon continues with the extension of the Roman influence Roman from the Alps to the Pyrenees in 49 BC and Avignon becomes a Latin city. In the successive centuries several onslaughts by the Franks, Alemans, Goths and Burgundes lessen Avignon to a seventh of what it was earlier. King Vitiges surrenders Avignon and Provence to the Frankish King Clovis and the city becomes a part of the kingdom of Burgundy in 561 AD and remained so until the second half of the eighth century. In 932 AD, Provence is united with Burgundy. This union formed the Kingdom of Arles . The importance of Avignon grew day by day and successive kings of various dynasties tried to annex this region to their kingdom.

In 1226 AD, Louis VIII laid a seige to Avignon and won. With this victory the power of Avignon ended. Meanwhile for the trials and tribulations of Avignon's destiny continued and in 1580 AD plague wiped out the majority of Avignon's population. After some of centuries Avignon became the a vital center of protest in one of the most celebrated and complex events in the history of human civilization, the French Revolution. The agitation and frustration of the common people burst out and this tidal wave swept away the old regime in France.