The Celts were a vast group of people who once lived in and ruled over much of Europe before the Roman Empire existed. Archaeologists and scholars have learned much about them in recent decades. Who were they and why did they disappear from so much of their land?

The ancient Celts were a collection of tribes who lived in and ruled over a large part of Europe in the first millennium BCE until most of their territory was taken over by the Roman Empire. From Britain and Ireland in the west to Spain in the south and Asia Minor in the east, the Celts spread across Europe and into Asia. The Celtic tribes shared with each other a common culture, language, and religious beliefs. We know about them from descriptions recorded by from ancient authors like Julius Caesar, but also from modern archaeology which continues to make exciting discoveries every year.

In Celtic society, kings ruled over tribes and warriors fought constant battle with neighbors and foreign enemies. Women were very important in the Celtic world and had more freedom and power than women among the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The druids were the priests of the Celts, but their role and authority in Celtic society was so much more than just presiding over religious ceremonies. They were also teachers, scientists, historians, healers, and judges.

By the end of the first century CE the Romans had conquered all the Celtic lands except Ireland. There the old ways of the Celts thrived until the coming of Christianity in the fifth century CE.

Next Section »