The People From Out of the Darkness
The Celts, a great race of warriors who conquered much of Europe, are referred to as “the ancestors of the modern- day Irish.” (“The Kelts”). However, it is a great mystery as to how and when the Celts arrived in Ireland. As Holly Burton, an archaeologist for University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, states, “the time limit is wide:... theories range from 5000 to 100 B.C.... ” (“The Arrival of The Celts in Ireland, Archaeology and Linguistics”). In trying to answer the mystery of how and when the Celts arrived to the island, one must rely on the studies of linguists and archaeologists, and in the process we uncover the fascinating culture and history of the Celts.
Even the origin of the Celts is debated. Some say they were from a region in France (“Pre-Christian Era Inhabitants of Ireland and Scotland”), others near the Danube River (“The Kelts”), or still others Hallstatt in Austria (“Who Were the Celts?”). Though it is agreed upon by those who argue about the origin, that the Celts migrated some time before or around the fourth century B.C.. According to the University of Missouri, St. Louis, “The years 400 to 200 B.C. are a time of movement. Celts move northwards to Germany and southwards to Italy. Some also invade Hungary, then head south into Greece. Another group of Celts settled in Turkey. At the same time, other Celtic peoples moved into south-western France, Spain, Portugal, Britain and Ireland.”(“Who Were the Celts?”) This knowledge proves that the only thing known about the origin of the Celts is the approximate region of central Europe, which could be any of the places listed above.
As mentioned before, no one is certain when the Celts came to Ireland, but there have been a number of studies done by archaeologists and linguists alike. They have tried to figure out when the Celts came to Ireland for almost a century, tracing the Celts back in as many ways as they can think of. In one study (documented in “The Arrival of The Celts in Ireland, Archaeology and Linguistics”), which has brought a more firm estimate of when the Celts were in control of Ireland, linguists traced the Celtic family of languages back to what they think are the proto languages. There are two major branches in the Celtic family: Goidelic (Including Scots Gaelic, Modern Irish, and the extinct Manx) and Brythonic (Including Breton, Welsh, and the extinct Cornish) (Burton). These branches are believed to have began with what are called ‘Q-Celtic’ and ‘P-Celtic’. However, there were difficulties involved with this study. According to Burton, “Old Irish is the only original Q-Celtic language known, Scots Gaelic and Manx resulting from historical Irish settlement in Scotland and the Isle of Man. Thus our problem in searching for the origins of a Celtic language in Ireland is compounded: Irish is the only native language recorded there, and there is no linguistic clue as to its origin, other than the general one that it is Celtic, and that Celtic is Indo-European.”(Burton) Having traced Old Irish back as far as possible, they found that “the earliest recorded versions of Celtic are Gallic and Brythonic, spoken in Gaul and Britain respectively at the time of the Roman conquest, and Goidelic, the language of Ireland by the 5th century A.D.” (Burton) This means that we only prove farther to what was known before: that the Celts were in control of the British Isles when Rome fell.
Along with the study by linguists, archaeologists have scoured the shores of Ireland for signs of an invasion. As Burton states (in “The Arrival of The Celts in Ireland, Archaeology and Linguistics”), “Archaeologically, this linguistic information correlates closely with the iron-using Hallstatt (ca. 700-500 B.C.) and the succeeding La Tène cultures.” However, “The archaeological evidence for a Hallstatt invasion of Ireland is, to say the least, sparse. The foreign artifacts consist of approximately twenty-four bronze swords, one iron sword... fifteen to twenty riveted vessels of bronze and one of iron, a fragment of a gold cup, a band and some ribbons of gold, two ‘flesh hooks’ and two shields.”(Burton) Although to some this may seem enough for an invasion, archaeologists refer to this as “...a rather paltry assemblage on which to base the claim of an invasion.” (Burton). Archaeologists have looked all over Ireland and have had to come to the conclusion that there was not an invasion, against common knowledge. This conclusion differs from everything archaeologists have ever found about the Celts. Everywhere they went, the Celts left plain evidence of an invasion, along with writings from ancient historians. This has left everyone rather confused and are still looking for answers.
Even though there is no clear record as to when the Celts came to Ireland, there is evidence of their migration from central Europe to the western shore, recorded mainly by Greek and Roman historians. These records can give us an approximate period of time when the Celts may have come to Ireland. When the Celts moved west the Roman army intercepted them and for 200 years the two cultures were at war. The Celts had great military prowess in the third and fourth centuries B.C., and even sacked Rome and Delphi. They also established a Celtic state named Galatia (now called Turkey), and St. Paul’s epistle to the Galatians was to them. (“The Kelts”) The Celts were, at this point, one of the best armies in Europe, specialising in hit-and-run attacks on camps. This war was definitely in their favor.
However, the Celts’ prowess was soon threatened by Rome and, “By the 1st Century B.C. their military power had declined and they were often on the losing side of battles. Many were made slaves by their Roman conquerors. In fact, Spartacus... the leader of the famous slave revolt against the Romans is thought to have been a Celt.” (“The Kelts”) The boasting nature of the Celts was subdued and they were captured and beaten. Nevertheless, that did not stop them from rebelling and making things most difficult for their enemies.
Caesar brought an end to the Celtic nation in Europe and Britain when he fought the famous Gallic War against them. His strategy was perfect, for he noticed “one of the Celts’ great weaknesses and one of Rome's great strengths... united at the tribal level in their day-to-day lives -- only united as a people in time of crisis or adventure -- the Celts had a tendency to fall into inter-Celtic warfare. The Romans... were able to exploit the weakness of the Celts, making treaties with individual tribes and setting tribe against tribe. This is the famous Roman... practice of divide et impera (divide and rule).” (“Early Celtic War History”) This weakness sent the Celtic nation crumbling until its power was completely vanquished, and the only clans left were in the British Isles. Even these clans were under the harsh rule of the Roman Empire.
After the defeat in Italy, the only Celtic survivors were in the British Isles. However, the majority of Rome’s firepower was concentrated on the Picts in Scotland. Yet, Rome was just one more nation coming to Scotland. The Scots came from Ireland, and the Germanic tribes (the Angles, the Saxons, and Jutes) came from the continent. Therefore the Picts were desperate to hold onto their land and Scotland was full of war. “The Romans referred to the area north of Hadrian’s wall as Caledonia and it was made up of many warring Celtic tribes.” (“Who Were the Celts?”). No one dared to go north of the wall for they knew if they did they would not come back alive.
In the 5th century A.D. the Romans withdrew from the British Isles, leaving the Celts to do as they please. However, war between the Germanic and Celtic tribes was still being fought in Scotland. “The last Celtic King to win a major victory over the Anglo-Saxons was the famous King Arthur. It was at Mount Bladon in 496 A.D... that he and the Knights of the Round Table decisively defeated their enemy, now called English... The battle of Mount Bladon turned out to be a last gasp for the Celts because by the end of the 6th century, all of England except for Wales was under the control of the English.” (“The Kelts”). Even when the Celts were finally free, they were pressured again and again by others. They were, one could say, ‘getting a taste of their own medicine’, now understanding what they had done to countless civilization in the past. However, this did not stop them from trying once more before they were defeated entirely. The Celts were left in Wales and Ireland, able to do what they pleased as long as it did not challenge the English way of life.
Although we may never be sure of how and when the Celts came to Ireland, archaeologists, linguists, and historians have inadvertently discovered the interesting history and culture of the Celts. This in itself is just as important as the how, for it can give the why. To quote a Roman Historian, “To believe that we can penetrate the Celtic mind, and share the Celts’ psychological condition and feelings, is a pure waste of time.” (“The Kelts”), clearly this historian did not find the Celts as interesting as many do.
Even the origin of the Celts is debated. Some say they were from a region in France (“Pre-Christian Era Inhabitants of Ireland and Scotland”), others near the Danube River (“The Kelts”), or still others Hallstatt in Austria (“Who Were the Celts?”). Though it is agreed upon by those who argue about the origin, that the Celts migrated some time before or around the fourth century B.C.. According to the University of Missouri, St. Louis, “The years 400 to 200 B.C. are a time of movement. Celts move northwards to Germany and southwards to Italy. Some also invade Hungary, then head south into Greece. Another group of Celts settled in Turkey. At the same time, other Celtic peoples moved into south-western France, Spain, Portugal, Britain and Ireland.”(“Who Were the Celts?”) This knowledge proves that the only thing known about the origin of the Celts is the approximate region of central Europe, which could be any of the places listed above.
As mentioned before, no one is certain when the Celts came to Ireland, but there have been a number of studies done by archaeologists and linguists alike. They have tried to figure out when the Celts came to Ireland for almost a century, tracing the Celts back in as many ways as they can think of. In one study (documented in “The Arrival of The Celts in Ireland, Archaeology and Linguistics”), which has brought a more firm estimate of when the Celts were in control of Ireland, linguists traced the Celtic family of languages back to what they think are the proto languages. There are two major branches in the Celtic family: Goidelic (Including Scots Gaelic, Modern Irish, and the extinct Manx) and Brythonic (Including Breton, Welsh, and the extinct Cornish) (Burton). These branches are believed to have began with what are called ‘Q-Celtic’ and ‘P-Celtic’. However, there were difficulties involved with this study. According to Burton, “Old Irish is the only original Q-Celtic language known, Scots Gaelic and Manx resulting from historical Irish settlement in Scotland and the Isle of Man. Thus our problem in searching for the origins of a Celtic language in Ireland is compounded: Irish is the only native language recorded there, and there is no linguistic clue as to its origin, other than the general one that it is Celtic, and that Celtic is Indo-European.”(Burton) Having traced Old Irish back as far as possible, they found that “the earliest recorded versions of Celtic are Gallic and Brythonic, spoken in Gaul and Britain respectively at the time of the Roman conquest, and Goidelic, the language of Ireland by the 5th century A.D.” (Burton) This means that we only prove farther to what was known before: that the Celts were in control of the British Isles when Rome fell.
Along with the study by linguists, archaeologists have scoured the shores of Ireland for signs of an invasion. As Burton states (in “The Arrival of The Celts in Ireland, Archaeology and Linguistics”), “Archaeologically, this linguistic information correlates closely with the iron-using Hallstatt (ca. 700-500 B.C.) and the succeeding La Tène cultures.” However, “The archaeological evidence for a Hallstatt invasion of Ireland is, to say the least, sparse. The foreign artifacts consist of approximately twenty-four bronze swords, one iron sword... fifteen to twenty riveted vessels of bronze and one of iron, a fragment of a gold cup, a band and some ribbons of gold, two ‘flesh hooks’ and two shields.”(Burton) Although to some this may seem enough for an invasion, archaeologists refer to this as “...a rather paltry assemblage on which to base the claim of an invasion.” (Burton). Archaeologists have looked all over Ireland and have had to come to the conclusion that there was not an invasion, against common knowledge. This conclusion differs from everything archaeologists have ever found about the Celts. Everywhere they went, the Celts left plain evidence of an invasion, along with writings from ancient historians. This has left everyone rather confused and are still looking for answers.
Even though there is no clear record as to when the Celts came to Ireland, there is evidence of their migration from central Europe to the western shore, recorded mainly by Greek and Roman historians. These records can give us an approximate period of time when the Celts may have come to Ireland. When the Celts moved west the Roman army intercepted them and for 200 years the two cultures were at war. The Celts had great military prowess in the third and fourth centuries B.C., and even sacked Rome and Delphi. They also established a Celtic state named Galatia (now called Turkey), and St. Paul’s epistle to the Galatians was to them. (“The Kelts”) The Celts were, at this point, one of the best armies in Europe, specialising in hit-and-run attacks on camps. This war was definitely in their favor.
However, the Celts’ prowess was soon threatened by Rome and, “By the 1st Century B.C. their military power had declined and they were often on the losing side of battles. Many were made slaves by their Roman conquerors. In fact, Spartacus... the leader of the famous slave revolt against the Romans is thought to have been a Celt.” (“The Kelts”) The boasting nature of the Celts was subdued and they were captured and beaten. Nevertheless, that did not stop them from rebelling and making things most difficult for their enemies.
Caesar brought an end to the Celtic nation in Europe and Britain when he fought the famous Gallic War against them. His strategy was perfect, for he noticed “one of the Celts’ great weaknesses and one of Rome's great strengths... united at the tribal level in their day-to-day lives -- only united as a people in time of crisis or adventure -- the Celts had a tendency to fall into inter-Celtic warfare. The Romans... were able to exploit the weakness of the Celts, making treaties with individual tribes and setting tribe against tribe. This is the famous Roman... practice of divide et impera (divide and rule).” (“Early Celtic War History”) This weakness sent the Celtic nation crumbling until its power was completely vanquished, and the only clans left were in the British Isles. Even these clans were under the harsh rule of the Roman Empire.
After the defeat in Italy, the only Celtic survivors were in the British Isles. However, the majority of Rome’s firepower was concentrated on the Picts in Scotland. Yet, Rome was just one more nation coming to Scotland. The Scots came from Ireland, and the Germanic tribes (the Angles, the Saxons, and Jutes) came from the continent. Therefore the Picts were desperate to hold onto their land and Scotland was full of war. “The Romans referred to the area north of Hadrian’s wall as Caledonia and it was made up of many warring Celtic tribes.” (“Who Were the Celts?”). No one dared to go north of the wall for they knew if they did they would not come back alive.
In the 5th century A.D. the Romans withdrew from the British Isles, leaving the Celts to do as they please. However, war between the Germanic and Celtic tribes was still being fought in Scotland. “The last Celtic King to win a major victory over the Anglo-Saxons was the famous King Arthur. It was at Mount Bladon in 496 A.D... that he and the Knights of the Round Table decisively defeated their enemy, now called English... The battle of Mount Bladon turned out to be a last gasp for the Celts because by the end of the 6th century, all of England except for Wales was under the control of the English.” (“The Kelts”). Even when the Celts were finally free, they were pressured again and again by others. They were, one could say, ‘getting a taste of their own medicine’, now understanding what they had done to countless civilization in the past. However, this did not stop them from trying once more before they were defeated entirely. The Celts were left in Wales and Ireland, able to do what they pleased as long as it did not challenge the English way of life.
Although we may never be sure of how and when the Celts came to Ireland, archaeologists, linguists, and historians have inadvertently discovered the interesting history and culture of the Celts. This in itself is just as important as the how, for it can give the why. To quote a Roman Historian, “To believe that we can penetrate the Celtic mind, and share the Celts’ psychological condition and feelings, is a pure waste of time.” (“The Kelts”), clearly this historian did not find the Celts as interesting as many do.