Long before any Roman settlements, Greek navigators settled in
what would become Provence. The Phoceans founded important
cities such as Massalia (Marseille) and Nikaia (Nice), bringing
them in to conflict with the neighboring Celts and Ligurians.
The Phoceans were great navigators such as Pytheas who was born
in Marseille. The Celts themselves often fought with Aquitanians
and Germans, and a Gaulish war band led by Brennus invaded Rome
circa 393 or 388 BC following the Battle of the Allia. However
Gaulish tactics would not evolve and the Romans would learn to
counter them, the Gauls would from then be defeated in battles
such as Sentinum and Telamon. When Carthaginian commander
Hannibal Barca fought the Romans, he recruited several Gaulish
mercenaries which fought on his side at Cannae. It was this
Gaulish participation that caused Provence to be annexed in 122
BC by the Roman Republic. Later, the Consul of Gaul—Julius
Caesar—conquered all of Gaul. Despite Gaulish opposition led by
Vercingetorix, the Overkin