<P> The Romans conquered the Paris Basin in 52 BC and, after making the island a garrison camp, began extending their settlement in a more permanent way to Paris's Left Bank . The Gallo - Roman town was originally called Lutetia (more fully, Lutetia Parisiorum, "Lutetia of the Parisii"). It became a prosperous city with a forum, baths, temples, theatres, and an amphitheatre . </P> <P> By the end of the Western Roman Empire, the town was known as Parisius, a Latin name that would later become Paris in French . Christianity was introduced in the middle of the 3rd century AD by Saint Denis, the first Bishop of Paris: according to legend, when he refused to renounce his faith before the Roman occupiers, he was beheaded on the hill which became known as Mons Martyrum (Latin "Hill of Martyrs"), later "Montmartre", from where he walked headless to the north of the city; the place where he fell and was buried became an important religious shrine, the Basilica of Saint - Denis, and many French Kings are buried there . </P> <P> Clovis the Frank, the first king of the Merovingian dynasty, made the city his capital from 508 . A gradual immigration by the Franks also occurred in Paris in the beginning of the Frankish domination of Gaul which created the Parisian Francien dialects . Fortification of the Île - de-France failed to prevent sacking by Vikings in 845 but Paris's strategic importance--with its bridges preventing ships from passing--was established by successful defence in the Siege of Paris (885--86). In 987 Hugh Capet, Count of Paris (comte de Paris), Duke of the Franks (duc des Francs) was elected King of the Franks (roi des Francs). Under the rule of the Capetian kings, Paris gradually became the largest and most prosperous city in France . </P> <P> By the end of the 12th century, Paris had become the political, economic, religious, and cultural capital of France . The Palais de la Cité, the royal residence, was located at the western end of the Île de la Cité . In 1163, during the reign of Louis VII, Maurice de Sully, bishop of Paris, undertook the construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral at its eastern extremity . </P>

Why did paris become the capital of france