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Already in the Roman
days....
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This page is part of a site devoted
to studying Franco-American intercultural differences. It is
interesting to observe that some of the stereotypes
about the French were already used by the Romans about the
Gauls as illustrated by the few following examples. However,
these analogies must not be over-estimated : the Gallic roots
of France are very distant and the famous sentence that children
were supposed to learn in French schools (including in the colonies...)
"Our ancestors the Gauls....." is largely an invention
of 19th century Romanticism!
- Ammianus Marcellinus (330-400 AD) writes : "The Gauls
are generally tall, with white skin, blond hair and frightful
and ferocious eyes. Their
mood is quarrelsome and extremely arrogant. Any of them in a fight will resist several brawlers
at a time with no other help than his wife's, an even more dangerous
fighter. Whether calm or wrathful, the Gauls always sound threatening
or irritable..." .
More about arrogance.
- Strabo (58 BC-25 AD) Livre IV Chap.4 writes "The
Gauls add to their natural frankness and ferocity a real thoughtlessness
and bragging, as well as a passion for their appearance as they
cover themselves with golden jewels, wear golden necklaces around
their neck, golden bracelets around their arms and wrists and
their chiefs are dressed in clothes with vivid colors and gold
brocade. This frivolity is
such that victory makes the Gauls insufferably arrogant when
defeat leaves them in dismay.
Along with their habits of frivolity they have however some customs
which illustrate something ferocious and wild in their character
that we also find, one must admit, in most of Northern nations...."
- The traditional Roman view of
the Gauls is that they are excessive in everything : their
personal appearance, behavior, manner of making war, religion,
which violates the traditional Roman virtues and offends Roman
sensibilities. Diodorus Siculus
(90 BC-30 BC) mentions
their "levity of character", "their
harsh Gallic speech", their being "exceedingly
addicted to the use of wine" (Diodorus V-26-2-3).
- Read what Charles de Gaulle
said about the Gallic strengths
and weaknesses of the French.
- More to come....
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 Asterix (the small one), Obelix (the big one) and
their dog Idefix are the characters of a very popular cartoon
"Asterix and Obelix" (there is even a theme
park about them near Paris). Read more
about them (credit)
- A little bit of history : the Gauls were dangerous enemies of
Rome for centuries. After the final victory by Julius Caesar,
they merged very well into the Roman world and there is almost
nothing left of their own culture : a handful of words and certain
character traits (see above). In fact, the Franks, a Germanic
tribe which conquered Gaul from the Vth Century had much more
influence on the formation of the country than the Gauls, but
the French like to be considered Gallic! Read about Vercingetorix,
one of the French national heroes.
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Harriet Welty
Rochefort writes articles and books about France and the French.
Order her books :
- "French Toast, An American in Paris
Celebrates The Maddening Mysteries of the French", St.Martin's Press,
New York, 1999
- "French Fried, The Culinary Capers
of An American in Paris", St.Martin's Press, New York, 2001
More on Harriet's books (excerpts, upcoming
events, testimonials, etc..)
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