Since the Middle Ages this riverside quarter has been dominated by the Sorbonne, and acquired its name from the early Latin-speaking students. It dates back to the Roman town across the Ilea de la Cite. The area is generally associated with artists and students, but the place also has a history of political unrest : In 1871, the Place Saint Michel became the center of the Paris Commune, and in May 1968, it was a site of student uprising.