One small note about the Alans: Their name is based on a naming style used also for the Alemmani, who are named after the Lemannus river, which is possibly the modern Main river, known as the largest river entirely in Germany.
Gaul is divided into three areas. Cissalpine Gaul, that is "Gaul before the Alps"; Transalpine Gaul, which encompasses most of Gaul; And Belgica, named after the town of Belgis, not to be confused with modern Brussels, founded in the 10th century. Belgica is home to the modern city of Trier, Augusta Treverorum, or, "The city of Augustus in the land of the Treveri".
Cissalpine Gaul and southern Transalpine Gaul spent the longest time in the Roman empire, Cissalpine Gaul being central to the empire, whose capital for a time was moved from Rome to Mediolanum, modern Milan.
Cissalpine Gaul is also home to the famous town of Genoa and to lake Garda, east of a small town just south of the Alps, known as Brescia, between two of Italy's lakes, and halfway between Milan and Aquilonia.
Aquilonia is the town whose people, after destruction, moved to create Venice, which for much of the medieval period remained a formidable commercial and military power in the middle of Europe, having territories all the way to, for a time, Cyprus.
Northern Italy would for much of the medieval period be the place of light in Italy, being home to Florence and Urbino, both key centers of learning.
the city-state of Urbino was, in fact, the first nation in Europe to have an extensive court of scientists and philosophers, during the rule of Frederico De Montefeltro, who kept war away from the city by use of a professional mercenary army - all without betraying anyone.
The model of courts of men of wisdom was soon copied throughout much of Europe, greatly increasing the spark of learning and the arts, and turning it into a flame: The Renaissance.
The city of Mantua, through which the Mincius river passes, was also famous for a time for it's being surrounded by swamps in an easy to defend position.
It's name comes from Mantus, son of Tiresias - a blind prophet of Apollo in Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years. The name may also have to do with the seeing of a passed kind spirit, or more there, as "manes tuetur", "a spirit is seen".