In Roman times, the colony of Argentoratum was a major centre of the Empire, both military and civilian. In the fifth century Strasbourg was occupied successively by Alemanni, Huns, and Franks. It then became known as Stratisburgum or Strateburgus in Latin, from which later came Strossburi in Alsatian and Straßburg in Standard German, and then Strasbourg in French.
In 962 Emperor Otto I granted Bishop Udo the ownership of the royal mint at Strasburg; Otto II (974) confirmed this gift and gave the bishop the right to establish a mint in any town of the diocese he desired. In 982 Otto II granted Erchanbald absolute jurisdiction over the city of Strasburg and its environs, thus forming the main foundation of the secular supremacy of the bishop.
After France was united as a single country, the Strasbourg Mint operated as a branch of the Paris Mint. It used the mint mark BB between 1797 and 1870, when it was closed. | 
