50 BC - 400 AD The Romans

In 57 BC Julius Caesar's troops conquer what is now Belgium and the southern part of the Netherlands. The tribes in the area fall under Roman rule, this marks the end of the prehistoric era in the Netherlands. There were several uprisings throughout the Roman period, the most notable one by Claudius Civilis, a Batavian chieftain who had commanded the Batavian auxiliaries in the Roman army for many years. Claudius Civilis managed to unite a number of tribes in a revolt against the Roman rulers following the death of their Emperor, Nero. The rebels were joined by the Gauls at a later stage, but inspite of their augmented numbers the uprising was brutally crushed by the Romans.

During the Roman period, the Roman empire extended up to the shores of the river Rhine. The area above the Rhine was not deemed interesting enough, although they did have close trading relations with the Frisians, the local inhabitants. The Romans built their famous roads and towns. Forts were built in present-day Valkenburg, Utrecht and Nijmegen. The native population quickly adapted to the Roman customs and life-style. Large villas were built for the middle and upper classes and the land was farmed using slaves. Some substantial Roman remains can be found in Maastricht and Nijmegen.

During the reign of Emperor Trajan (98-117) a period of peace and relative prosperity, the Netherlands became part of the province of Germania Inferior. In the course of the 3rd century AD, Roman power began to weaken. The Franks an aggressive Germanic tribe started making frequent raids into the Roman-occupied territories. In 406 a great invasion of the Gauls finally defeated the Romans and put an end to their rule in the Low Countries.