Cultural Focus: The Druids

All Celtic peoples, who invaded British Isles, were polytheistic — they believed in many gods. Celtic priests and priestesses were called the Druids — in pre-Christian society they formed an intellectual class of philosophers, judges, teachers, doctors, astronomers and astrologers. Very often the Druids were even more powerful than tribal chiefs, because priests advised them in all difficult matters.

The Druids emerged from the ancient Celtic tribes, at a time when people had to live close to nature to survive. The word "Druid" is of Celtic origin, it has common roots in many Indo-European languages (compare "flepeBo" in Ukrainian and "apeBo"in Russian). Today linguists think that the name itself emerged from the combination of "drus" (meaning a tree, usually an oak), and "wid" (meaning knowledge and wisdom). So in the Celtic social system, "Druid" was a title given to learned men and women possessing "oak knowledge" (or "oak wisdom").

To become a Druid, students assembled in large groups for instruction and training. This period of training could last up to twenty years. Then-education was so profound, that at the end they possessed almost entire knowledge of the Celtic people. The deep woods where they gathered, gave the Druids their philosophy and mysticism. Their entire knowledge emerged from the tides of the sea, the light of the sun, the wind in the oak, the cry of the deer.

Many students were women. The roots of such equality were in the peculiar structure of the Celtic society — Celtic women had more freedom and rights than women in any other contemporary culture. They could become warriors, enter battles, divorce husbands and rule the tribe.

The Romans, who came to the British Isles in the first century, were much impressed by the Druid's grasp of mathematical and astronomic skill. Roman author Diogenes placed the Druids on a list of the wisest philosophers and mathematicians in the ancient world.

The period of Roman occupation brought dramatic change in the life of the Druids. The prosecutions of the Druids, started by the Romans, were later followed by the Anglo-Saxons, Normans, Norsemen and Christians. Most of Druidic wisdom was lost.

Today Druidic magic finds its expression in Celtic spirit of contemporary Irish and Scottish artists.

The Roman Conquest and Occupation

The Celts, who inhabited the territory of present-day France, were in close relations with Britons, who supported them in their struggle with the Romans. Julius Caesar was the first to discover it while he was conquering Gaul, so he decided to stop the Gauls from receiving British aid.

In 55 BC, he landed and tried to conquer the Britons but soon withdrew because local opposition was strong. The Britons attacked the Romans on chariots and on foot, their hair and moustaches were dyed red and their legs and arms were painted blue. The better trained Romans could not subdue them.

In the following year with an army of 25,000 Caesar landed again, penetrated to where London now stands and defeated the Celtic tribesmen. After the agreement with the Celtic chiefs to pay tribute, Caesar went back