Amiens is situated on the River Somme, 75 miles (120 km) north of Paris. It is the capital of the départment in Picardy.
The first known settlement was Samarobriva ("Somme bridge"), the central settlement of the Ambiani, one of the principal tribes of Gaul in the 1st century BC. The Ambiani derive their name from the Gaulish word "ambe" meaning river, a reference to the Somme that flows through Amiens. The town was given the name Ambianum by the Romans, meaning settlement of the Ambiani people.
The town was fought over during both the 1st and 2nd World Wars, suffering much damage, and being occupied several times by both sides. The 1918 Battle of Amiens was the opening phase of the Hundred Days Offensive which led directly to the Armistice with Germany that ended the war.