Soissons

French commune
nomcommune=Soissons
Town hall
région=Picardie
département=Aisne
arrondissement=Soissons
canton=Chief town of 2 cantons
insee=02722
cp=02200
maire=Édith Errasti
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=Soissonnais
longitude=3.323611
latitude=49.381667
alt moy=55 m
alt mini=38 m
alt maxi=130 m
hectares=1,232
km²=12.32
sans=29,453
date-sans=1999
dens=2,390
date-dens=1999

Soissons is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardie in northern France, located on the Aisne River, about 100 kilometres (60 miles) northeast of Paris. It is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital of the Suessiones.

History

Soissons enters written history under its Celtic name (as later borrowed in Latin), Noviodunum, meaning "new hillfort". At Roman contact, it was a town of the Suessiones, mentioned, by Julius Caesar ("B. G." ii. 12). Caesar ("B.C." 57), after leaving the Axona (modern Aisne), entered the territory of the Suessiones, and making one day's long march, reached Noviodunum, which was surrounded by a high wall and a broad ditch. The place surrendered to Caesar.

From 457 to 486, under Aegidius and his son Syagrius, Noviodunum was the capital of the "Kingdom of Soissons," until it fell to the Frankish king Clovis I in the Battle of Soissons.

Part of the Frankish territory of Neustria, the Soissons region, and the Abbey of Saint-Médard, built in the 8th century, played an important political part during the rule of the Merovingian kings (A.D. 447-751). After the death of Clovis I in 511, Soissons was made the capital of one of the four kingdoms into which his states were divided. Eventually, the kingdom of Soissons disappeared in 613 when the Frankish lands were amalgamated under Clotaire II.

In 744 the Synod of Soissons met at the instigation of Pippin III, and Saint Boniface, the Pope's missionary to pagan Germany, secured the condemnation of the Frankish bishop Adalbert and the Irish missionary Clement.

During the hundred years in a famous massacre English Archers from the garrison and the townsfolk (who were in sympathy with French) were massacred by French forces when they took the city after beseiging it [http://www.classicreader.com/book/1913/20/]

In 1999, the town was on the main path of totality for Solar eclipse of August 11, 1999.

ights

Today, Soissons is a commercial and manufacturing centre with the 12th century Cathedral of Saint-Gervais et Saint-Protais and Saint Jean des Vignes Abbey as one of its most important historical buildings. The nearby Espace Pierres Folles contains a museum, geological trail, and botanical garden.

Miscellaneous

Soissons is the birth place of:
*Aurore Clément (born 1945), actress

The saints Crispin and Crispinian were martyred c. 286 at Soissons for preaching Christianity to the local Gauls.

See also

* Franks
* List of Frankish Kings
* Merovingians
* Battle of Soissons
* Wolf of Soissons

References

*SmithDGRG

External links

* [http://www.ville-soissons.fr/ Official website] fr icon
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14130c.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Soissons]
* [http://philippe.sezille.free.fr/webcamxp.htm A live view of the port of Soissons]
* [http://soissons.envole.net/soissons Discovering Soissons]
* [http://www.club150kg-dc.fr/ACS_Soissons/ACS_Frameset(uk).htm Soissons Powerlifting club (english)]