[2] After the conquest of Gaul, the Romans preserved the capital city of the Gabali, Anderitum, which they renamed Gabalum (modern Javols).
In the 12th century, Adalbert, Bishop of Mende, decided to take advantage of the lack of interest of the nominal rulers of Gévaudan to increase his personal power.
According to the 1307 peerage, the Bishop of Mende was granted the title of count of Gévaudan and could mint coins and dispense lower justice.
In the beginning of the 16th century Gévaudan was extremely wealthy,[citation needed] but the French Wars of Religion ruined the country.
The area was victim to a series of vicious attacks of people in the 18th century by an unidentified wild animal called the Beast of Gévaudan.