The settlement is almost certainly the same as Portus Itius (Latin: 'channel harbour’) mentioned by Caesar. The site was mentioned as Bononia in 4 AD. In fact, the denominations Gesoriacum and Bononia were used contemporaneously to designate different parts of the site. The traditional view is that Gesoriacum referred to the lower part and Bononia to the upper part of the city. In late classical times, Bononia became part of the coastal defence administration known as the "Saxon shore", and was probably administered separately from Tervanna. Culture Caesar described the Belgae, including the Morini, as Gauls who had different language, customs and laws compared to the central part of Gaul which he called Celtic. He also mentioned that he had heard that the Belgae had some Germanic ancestry from east of the Rhine. Place names and personal names clearly show that the Belgae were heavily influenced by Celtic language, but some linguists such as Maurits Gysseling, have argued based on placename studies that they spoke either a Germanic language, or else another language neither Celtic nor Germanic. Edith Wightman reads Caesar to make a distinction between the core of the Belgae included the Suessiones, Viromandui and Ambiani, placing the Morini, Menapii, Nervii, and other northern tribes in a "transition zone" which may have been more Germanic. She proposes that coin evidence indicates that these northern tribes were probably bound to an alliance with the core group in the generations before Caesar's arrival, and that the Morini may have been a relatively new and loosely bound member of the alliance. Pliny the Elder remarked that the Morini cultivated flax and used linen to make sails. The area was also known for exporting wool, geese, pork, salt, and garum. In late classical times Zosimus implied the Germanic character of the city, calling it Bononia germanorum. History Caesar was very interested in that part of the Morini territory, which is where the crossing of the sea to Britannia was "the shortest". The Morini had several harbours of which Portus Itius, was only one. The tribe counted some pagi (subregions), which, apparently, could make their own decisions. The Morini fled into or behind the marshes and became unreachable for the Roman army. In 56 BC, when autumn was very wet, this tactic worked. The year after, which was much dryer, it failed. The Morini participated together with other coastal people (Lexovii, Namnetes, Ambiliati, Diablintes