Around the (ruins) of these Castra and Castellum the first large settlements arose. Very little is known about these settlements, apart from archeological material, as there was little literacy at the time. Based on archeological evidence, together with sparsely preserved written text it is thought that Dorestad (build near the former Roman fortifications) was the most populous and important settlement of the region; with an estimated 3,000 inhabitants, it was much larger than the remaining villages, which often had no more than 100–150 inhabitants. Dorestad seems to have been the principal trading center of the Low Countries from around 600 CE until it started to decline around the early 9th century, caused by frequent Viking raids, Frisian-Frankish wars, silting of its river connection and the emerging of new centers favoured by the Franks, such as Liège, Cambrai, Soissons, Herstal, Tournai and, most to the north, the neighbouring site of Nijmegen.
Around (the ruins of) these Castra and Castellum the first large settlements arose. Very little is known about these settlements, apart from archeological material, as there was little literacy at the time. Based on archeological evidence, together with sparsely preserved written text it is thought that Dorestad (build near the former Roman fortifications) was the most populous and important settlement of the region; with an estimated 3,000 inhabitants, it was much larger than the remaining villages, which often had no more than 100–150 inhabitants. Dorestad seems to have been the principal trading center of the Low Countries from around 600 CE until it started to decline around the early 9th century, caused by frequent Viking raids, Frisian-Frankish wars, silting of its river connection and the emerging of new centers favoured by the Franks, such as Liège, Cambrai, Soissons, Herstal, Tournai and, most to the north, the neighbouring site of Nijmegen.
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