A Roman road linked Altenstadt – now in French Alsace and a constituent community of Wissembourg – with the Rhineland; an early settlement here was prosperous in Roman times. Many archaeological finds are evidence of settlement by merchants, former legionnaires and also winegrowers from about 79 BC to at least 383 AD. A Frankish clan arose about 500 and its chief, Chagilo, became the village's namesake.