Evening star., 1951-02-04
It's Been Long Time Since Caesar First Saw Paris
There's an Argument
Over the City's
2,000th Anniversary
By Godfrey Anderson


its founding this year. whether
the historians agree or not.
| For, If all Gaul was divided
into three parts, as any schoolboy
knows, modern France is no les.
divided as to whether 1851 is o.
is not the right year for the 1000.
year celebration.
Julius Caesar, the objector!
pointed out, referred to the city
of Lutetia Parisiorum (now sim
plified to Paris) as existing in S;
BIC. That was 2,003 years ago
And they claim it actually mus
have been founded much earlier
than that.
Whatever the exact date, ever,
one is agreed that the lie de Ii
Cite (where Notre Dame stand.
today was the birthplace of Paris
1t is still the geographical heart
of the city.
There. on the largest of three
marshy islands embraced by twt
arms Of the River Seine. the frs
huts were built of willow branche.
and rushes by a handful of saw.
ages.
These people. who called them.
selves the Parisii, were an offshoot
of tribe of Gaul. The origin o1
their name is lost in the mists ol
antiquity, but at some stage they
began calling themselves the
Loutouchezi. Etymologists believe
this meant inhabitants of tht
middle OF the waters"
For a time the PARISH seem te
have lived peaceably enough, fish.
ing and hunting.
Then the empire building
Romans came. Lutetia, as they
called the island now. took par
in most of the resistant move.
ments against Rome but re.
peatedly got crushed. It's frs
real mention in history came wher
julius Caesar, already conquerol
of most of Gaul. summoned ar
assembly Of tribal chieftains Il
meet on the island in SO BIC.
For four centuries the infan
Paris remained in relative obscur.
ity beneath the Roman rule. Blu
already it was growing and primi.
tive bridges were constructed tt
link it with new suburbs of hut!
and Roman villas on either bank.
| When the Romans left, Paris
like most of Europe-embarked or
a succession of wars. pestilence.
and miseries. Norman pirates
sailing up the Seine, repeatedly
sacked the city.
According to one picturesque
legend. Paris was saved by a gir
from Attila the Huns hordes ir
the fifth century AID. The in.
tercession of a little shepherdes.
is said to have softened the re.
doubtable warriors heart. The
shepherdess became st. Gene
We've. now patron saint of Paris
Hundred Years War
While the so-called dark ages
obscured most of Europe, Paris
went crazy after learning. In the
first University of Paris, scholars
were content to sit on the rush
lined floors of their masters
houses in the narrow lanes, which
criss-crossed in a muddy maze
around the great Cathedral OF
Notre Dame.
In the 18th century. while
France was waging It's Hun.
dred Years War with England
Paris was still unpaved. Pigs rar
about its evil-smelling streets. It.
Notifications were crumbling ir
decay. 1t was then that Etienn.
Marcel, ambitious son Of a Rich
draper. set 800 masons at worl
to pave the city at his own ex.
pense.
Several French kings then anc
later helped embellish the capi.
tai. St. Louis. Charles v, Fran.
co.'s I, Louis XII and Louis XIV
particularly encouraged those whe
wished to make the city beautiful
But as new features were added
others were destroyed.
Wars between Catholics ane
Protestants succeeded the Hun.
dred Years War.
In 1872, while Queen Elizabeth
ruled England, Paris turned ont
of the bloodiest pages Of its often.
bloody history AS the great alarm
bell OF st. German L'Auxer-
rois doomed suddenly over tn,
sleeping city. 1000 Huguenot Pro.
testants were put to the sword OF
order Of the mad King Charlie,
TX in the massacre of st. Bar
tholomew's eve.
Eighteen years later, amids
wild rejoicing, a Protestant Kin,
Henry of Navarre-rode int
Paris. Some say Henri w was tn,
best monarch France ever had
Even today Paris restaurants still
: serve POT au feu Henry w." f.,
kind of chicken and vegetabl,
stew, because the good King Henr,
once proclaimed he wanted ever,
Frenchman to be able to boil ,
: fowl for dinner every Sunday.
While the English cavaliers ant
roundheads were fighting thei
civil war across the channel, Kin,
Louis XIV was ruling over al
ever-growing Paris.
Louis had delusions of grandeur
like no monarch before him. H,
called himself the Sun King ant
declared himself to be the state
Those were the great days O.
Fontainbleau and Versailles, whel
all mobiles had to live at court t,
reflect the Sun Kings SPLENDID
with their own extravagant dis.
play.
Contemporary records show tina
, at this time Paris had 25.OO(