The origin of Gent.
Gaius Antonius came from the South, from the coutry where the sun blazes higher and brighter. Being the leader of his legion, he had abandoned Rome, his hometown, and moved on to the country of water and fog. Julius Caesar had captured this country in favour of the empire.
The men had been marching for days, they were tired and sometimes even listless. They had been travelling over the mountains, of which hilltops were glittering in the sun. They had been walking along rivers and valleys, covered with branches of vine. They had been marching in rains and they had waded through swamps, when they finally reached the river, Legis.
They followed this river to the place where the Legis flows into the Scaldis.
The legion had been given the order to set up the camp at that place. They settled a camp, and everybody could rest from the long trip. This happenes in autumn, when the leaves of the trees coloured yellow and when evenings were getting cold.
Cesarina, Gaius Antonius’, young wife, had accompanied her husband all the way. She had been the most beautiful girl among the young ladies at the court of the emperor.
One evening, when Gaius Antonius was taking a short walk his beautiful Cesarina, through the hills, he was affected by the majesty of the region…
Some hills and plains reaching as far as the eye can see, and flouring rivers along playful windings.
At that moment Gaius Antonius got the idea of building a town on that spot, an estimable and strong fort just like Tongeren or Trier.
Already the next day he gave the orders and a little later the construction of the castle had started. Around the castle the residence of the soldiers were built and also the small houses for the working people of the area. Who worked together with Gaius’ soldiers and for the soldiers who married the young daughters of the region. Caesars’ soldiers were robust and enterprising people, and our girls were very beautiful. So then the difference of language was no abstacle for lovign hearts…
Then the day arrived when Gaius’ castle was completed. He was so proud of it that he wanted to mark it and obove the entrance he had his name cleaved in stone: G.ANT., which is short for Gaius Antonius. Passengers read the sign. Gant, they said, and later they said Ganda and even later, they said Gent. But there are only few people who realy know where the name Gent comes from.