Belgica

Ancient country, northeastern Gallia (Gaul).

One of the administrative areas into which Augustus divided Gaul, it stretched from the Seine River to the Rhine and included the Low Countries. Its capital was Durocortorum Remorum (now Reims). Part of the area became Germania Inferior and Germania Superior under Domitian, and later, under Diocletian, the remainder was divided into Belgica Prima and Belgica Secunda. In the 5th century AD, Belgica was absorbed by the Franks. See also Belgium.

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▪ ancient province, Europe

in full  Gallia Belgica 

      one of three Gallic provinces organized by Julius Caesar; it became one of the four provinces of Gaul under the Roman Empire. As established by Augustus (27 BC), Belgica stretched from the Seine River eastward to the Rhine and included the Low Countries in the north and the Helvetian territory (western Switzerland) in the south. Its capital was Durocortorum Remorum (now Reims, France). Under the Roman emperor Domitian (AD 81–96), large portions of Belgica along the lower and upper Rhine were made into the separate provinces of Germania Inferior and Germania Superior, respectively. Under Diocletian (c. AD 300), the remainder was divided into Belgica Prima (capital, Augusta Treverorum [now Trier, Ger.]) and Belgica Secunda (capital, Durocortorum Remorum). In the 5th century, Belgica was absorbed into the kingdoms of the Salian and Ripuarian Franks.

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