The immigration was due rather to economic causes and to chance trading-journeys. There is no documentary proof of the presence of Jews in this country dating earlier than the fourth century, but they were certainly there before that period. Hilary of Poitiers died is praised for having fled from their society Venantius Fortunatus, "Vita S.
Hilarii," iii. A decree of the emperors Theodosius II. Hoenel, "Corpus Juris Antejustin. Salinas, p. From the year the Church took official cognizance of the Jews.
The Council of Vannes for bade the clergy to partake of the meals of the Jews or to invite them to their own, because, Christian food being placed under the ban by the Jews, the clergy would appear inferior to them if they accepted Jewish food while the Jews refused to eat the food which Christians offered them "Concil.
In Sidonius Apollinarius recommended a Jew to Eleutherius of Tournai, saying that "these people are accustomed to having good causes to plead. At the same date he recommended another Jew, who had been baptized, to Nonnechius, Bishop of Nantes "Sidon.
Baret, iii. Martini," 3, These places were generally centers of Roman administration, located on the great commercial routes, and there the Jews possessed synagogues for Clermont, see Gregory of Tours, "Hist. In harmony with the Theodosian code, and according to an edict addressed in to the decurions of Cologne by the emperor Constantine, the internal organization of the Jews seems to have been the same as in the Roman empire.
