The civilization of the megaliths
The very first traces of human presence on armorican ground date back to the Paleolithic age, but it's the Neolithic that is considered the golden age of the megalith civilization from 5000 to 2000 B.C. Older than the Egyptian pyramids, dolmens are probably collective burial places. There are still great mysteries about this period of Brittany's history that archeologists are trying to see through.

The Roman conquest
From the VIIIth century on, the celts, coming from the Central European plains, settle down in the region. The Armorican peninsula is composed by five cities probably dominated by the Veneti. From 58 to 52, Caesar conquers Gaul. The Veneti fleet is struck down in 56.  From 52 on, the Gallo-Roman civilization is set up.

The great invasions
The Roman domination sets up until the Germanic invasions in the Vth century. Between the IVth and the VIth century, breton populations settle down in Armoric, that then becomes the small Brittany. The Bretons adopt an original social organization based on parishes, the “plou”, “plé” or “plu” followed by a common noun or a proper noun. Monasteries are created, the “lan” (like Lannion). Nouns ending on “ac” name those villages that were already lived-in when the Bretons arrived, but that have been subject to their influence.

The victory of Nominoë
After he had defeated Charles le Chauve at Ballon in 845, Nominoë's influence spreads throughout Brittany. His son, Erispoë becomes the first King of Brittany after he had been handed the royal insignia by Charles himself.

The development of a breton state
After his victory over the Norman invaders, Alain Barbetorte takes on the title of Duke. The Middle Ages witness numerous battles between the dukedoms. Periods of peace and periods of war succeed one another, falling within the framework of the conflict of the Hundred Years War.  A ducal administration is set up gradually, and the court's richness is another way to underline ducal power. Brittany is at its height under the rule of the Dukes of Montfort.

The incorporation of Brittany into France
The weddings of the duchess Anne, compelled to marry Charles VIII and then his successor Louis XII in 1499, are the first steps towards the incorporation of Brittany into France, established in 1532 by the Union's Edict, published in Nantes.

The expansion of breton commerce
During the XVIth and the XVIIth century, Brittany experiences a golden age of commerce due to its exceptional maritime situation, the development of breton ports and to its industrial and agricultural products, like linen cloth. This prosperity is favourable to the expansion of breton art and architecture. Great castles and stone-built hotels date back to that era, as well as most of the parish enclosures.

Brittany and the revolution
Brittany, after it had welcomed the revolutionary fervor in the beginning, becomes a centre of the counter-revolution. The “chouannerie” concerning above all the so-named Haute Bretagne, the eastern part of Brittany, is fed on the antagonism opposing the cities to the countryside. The Chouan's leader, Georges Cadoual, and his troops went into guerilla war actions.

An awkward entry into the XIX century
The revolutionary period and the Empire have left Brittany in a pitiful state. The traditional industries have not been able to adapt, and hunger and misery have driven a great number of Bretons out of the region. On the other hand, as far as culture is concerned, authors like Chateaubriand have achieved great renown over and above the borders of France. Brittany has become a major source of inspiration for many artists.

Brittany in the XXth century
France took a heavy toll among Bretons during World War I, with at least 150 000 dead. During the Second World War, rural Brittany suffers less of the restrictions than does the rest of France.  The government of Vichy severs Brittany from the country of Nantes to formally incorporate it into the country of Angers. A network of resistance fighters gets organized in 1942 to fight the German occupying forces. In 1945, many destroyed cities are reconstructed. After the Second World War, Brittany goes through a deep phase of modernization.

On the way into the XXIst century
The profound changes that occurred during the last century, the extension of the European Union and its consequences, as well as the development of new regional solidarities have clearly helped Brittany to open up. Well aware of the cultural wealth and its numerous assets, Brittany is now playing the trump card: a harmonious combination of modernity and tradition, identity and an open-minded attitude towards the world.