Prehistory

Around 400,000 BC Neandertals lived on the edge of the Meuse river, near the village of Spy. From 30,000 BC on the inhabitants were Homo sapiens. Neolithic vestiges exist at Spiennes where there was a silex mine.

The first signs of the Bronze age date 1750 BC. From 500 BC Celtic tribes settled and traded with the Mediterranean world. From 150 BC the first coins were in use.

The earliest named inhabitants of Belgium were the Belgae (after whom the modern Belgium is named). They were (mostly) Celtic tribes, living in northern Gaul.

Antiquity

In 54 BC, the Belgae were overcome by Julius Caesar, as described in his chronicle De Bello Gallico.
the Roman province Gallia Belgica (around 120 CE. For a map in 58 BCE, see Gallic_Wars)
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the Roman province Gallia Belgica (around 120 CE. For a map in 58 BCE, see Gallic_Wars)

In this same work Julius Caesar referred to the Belgae as "the bravest of all Gauls" ("horum omnium fortissimi sunt belgae").

What is now Belgium flourished as a province of Rome. This province was much larger than the modern Belgium. Five cities: Nemetacum (Arras), Divodurum (Metz), Bagacum (Bavay), Aduatuca (Tongeren), Durocorturum (Reims).

At the north-east was the neigbour province Germania Inferior. Its cities were : Traiectum ad Mosam (Maastricht), Ulpia Noviomagus (Nijmegen), Colonia Ulpia Trajana (Xanten) and Colonia Agrippina (Cologne). Both provinces include the Low Countries.