War, women, and Druids : eyewitness reports and early accounts of the ancient Celts / by Philip Freeman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Freeman, Philip, 1961- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civilization, Celtic--Sources.

Civilization, Celtic.

Druids and druidism--Sources.

Druids and druidism.

Celts--Europe--Sources.

Celts.

Celts--Religion--Sources.

Women, Celtic--Sources.

Women, Celtic.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (113 pages) : map

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Austin, Texas : University of Texas Press, 2002.

Summary:

"The ancient Celts capture the modern imagination as do few other people of classical times. Naked barbarians charging the Roman legions, Druids performing sacrifices of unspeakable horror, women fighting beside their men and even leading armies—these, along with stunning works of art, are the images most of us call to mind when we think of the Celts," observes Philip Freeman. "And for the most part, these images are firmly based in the descriptions handed down to us by the Greek and Roman writers." This book draws on the firsthand observations and early accounts of classical writers to piece together a detailed portrait of the ancient Celtic peoples of Europe and the British Isles. Philip Freeman groups the selections (ranging from short statements to longer treatises) by themes—war, feasting, poetry, religion, women, and the Western Isles. He also presents inscriptions written by the ancient Celts themselves. This wealth of material, introduced and translated by Freeman to be especially accessible to students and general readers, makes this book essential reading for everyone fascinated by the ancient Celts.

Contents:

Frontmatter

CONTENTS

PREFACE

WAR

FEASTING

POETRY

RELIGION

WOMEN

THE WESTERN ISLES

THE ANCIENT CELTS SPEAK

FURTHER READING AND REFERENCES

INDEX

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-292-75639-9