Celtic Warriors, part 1
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Today we start a mini-series on Celtic warriors. Above is a painting of the battle of Telamon in northern Italy in 225 BC between the Romans and the Celtic tribes. The historian Polybius wrote that the Gaesetae (Celts) fought naked to display their confidence and intimidate the enemy. (However, the Romans won the battle.)
Above, Celtic warriors in Britain, c. 150 BC. Note that the man in the center, probably the chieftain, is wearing a kind of distinctive U-shaped Celtic necklace called a torc or torque.
We think of Scotland and Ireland as being Celtic, but in the time of ancient Greece and Rome, there were Celtic tribes in France, central Europe, and even into Turkey.
A painting of an ancient Scottish Celtic warrior. Not all Celtic warriors were naked. The ancient historian Diodorus Siculus wrote, “Some use iron breast-plates in battle, while others fight naked, trusting only in the protection which nature gives.”
By the way, Celt is pronounced "Kelt" and Celtic is pronounced "Keltic." And yes, I know how the Boston Celtics pronounce it.
A Pict warrior, engraving by Theodore de Bry colored by John White, 1588. The Picts were the Celts living in Scotland. The Romans conquered England, but they never conquered Scotland or Ireland.
A Pict warrior, John White, 1585-1593.
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The next three pictures are from the book Il Costumo Antico e Moderno (Ancient and Modern Costumes) by Guilio Ferrario, 1837. Above, Ancient Celtic Warriors Dressed for Battle with a Shaman. The shaman is presumably the one with the deer antlers.
German Militia Leaders from the same book. Remember, the "Germans" in the time of ancient Rome were actually Celtic tribes.
Germanic Hunters and Warriors from the same book.
A modern representation of a Celtic warrior by Maria Lashkevich based on grave goods found in Ciumești, Romania dating to the 3rd century BC.
Finally, some Celtic soldiers today. They don't go into battle naked. But, as a gust of wind reveals, they're naked under their kilts.
(Note: I got this photo from Big Whack Attack. Thanks, Pat!)
Next time: Celtic warrior statues.
6 comments:
I heard they sometimes painted themselves with a blue pigment called woad.
And they often got hardons when fighting.
It was a "lucky" tourist shot. 😁😁
The final photo of the Celtic soldiers was awesome. Watching these guys on a windy day....nice!
Interesting. I did not know Celtics covered such a large area.
Can't quite figure out if the guy with the flopping kilt has a piercing at the tip or not...
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