Soissons derives its name from the _Suessiones_, a Belgian tribe who
inhabited that part of the country during the Gallic period. At that
time the City, then known as _Noviodunum_, was situated about two and
a half miles north-west of the Aisne on the Pommiers Plateau. After
Cæsar’s conquest of the country, the city was rebuilt on the banks of
the Aisne, under the name of _Augusta Suessionum_. Of the Gallo-Roman
epoch, only a small portion of the city ramparts (_p. _32) remains,
but excavations have brought to light the site of a large theatre (_p.
_51), and at the Mail, the foundations of what were luxurious villas.
The greater part of the objects unearthed are in the Museum (_p. _41),
with the exception of the famous group «Le Niobide et son Pédagogue»,
now in the Louvre.
Christianity was first preached in Soissons at the end of the 3rd
century, by two shoemakers, the brothers Crispin and Crispinian, who
suffered martyrdom there.
Soissons played an important part throughout the whole of the Frankish
Monarchy. It was at its gates that in 486, Clovis won a decisive
victory over the last Roman Count, _Syagrius_, thus causing the
downfall of Roman domination in Gaul. It was after this victory that
the famous episode of the Soissons Vase occurred.
The Frankish King lived for a long time in the city, and at his death
in 511, Soissons became the capital of the kingdom of one of his sons,
_Clotaire I_, who ultimately became sole king of the Franks. Later,
Soissons once more became a separate kingdom under _Chilperic_, and
again under _Clotaire II_ (561–613). During this period, the rivalry
of _Brunehaut_ and _Frédégonde_ gave rise to sanguinary episodes in
Soissons and the surrounding country.
In the 8th century, Soissons witnessed the fall of the Merovingian
dynasty. In 752, _Pépin-le-Bref_ was proclaimed King by an assembly of
nobles in the monastery of Saint-Médard (_p. _61).
In the same abbey, in 833, the emperor _Louis-le-Débonnaire_, was
deposed and imprisoned by his rebel sons, after they had forced him to
make a public confession in the church of the monastery.
In 923, under the walls of Soissons, _Charles-le-Simple_ fought a
battle with his rival _Robert_, Duke of the Franks. In this battle,
Charles was taken prisoner and lost his throne, which passed to the
powerful House of France, whence sprang the Capetian dynasty.
Throughout the Middle-Ages, religious life was intensely active at
Soissons. At that time, the City comprised six large monasteries, in
addition to the Cathedral and several churches or collegiates. It
was none the less a lay fief with the rank of county, which in 1131
obtained a communal charter under _Louis-le-Gros_, and on the accession
of _Francis I_, became definitely part of the crown lands.
Situated on the main roads of invasion, Soissons has always been one of
the advance posts which protect Paris. For this reason, it has suffered
numerous sieges, most of them disastrous, owing to the unfavourable
situation of the city, which lies in a plain surrounded by hills. It
was taken and pillaged in 1414 by the troops of _Charles VI_, in 1544
by _Charles-Quint_, and in 1567 by the Protestants. In 1814, during the
French campaign, it was conquered by the Russians and Prussians, whilst
in 1815, after Waterloo, it had to re-open its gates to the Allies.
In 1870, a German Army of 20,000 men laid siege to Soissons on
September 11. The garrison of 5,000 soldiers which held the town
refused to surrender, and attempted several unsuccessful sorties.
Posted on the surrounding heights, the German artillery violently
bombarded the town, setting fire to some of the suburbs, the hospital,
and part of the military commissariat established in the old Abbey of
Saint-Jean-des-Vignes. A breach was finally made in the fortifications,
and on October 16, after a siege of thirty-seven days, the city was
forced to surrender.
During the late war, Soissons was twice occupied by the Germans: in
1914, from September 2 to 13, and in 1918, from May 29 to August 2,
after the surprise attack at the Chemin-des-Dames (_See pp. _4 _&_ 7).