Looks at Celtic history in Great Britain and Europe, describes their armor, weapons, leaders, and culture, and recounts their battles against Germanic, Norse, and Roman conquerors

Looks at Celtic history in Great Britain and Europe, describes their armor, weapons, leaders, and culture, and recounts their battles against Germanic, Norse, and Roman conquerors

Warfare was a crucial aspect of Celtic society, deeply linked to the spreading of their culture through all Europe. Between the fifth century BC, when La Tène Culture Celts developed in Europe, and the first century AD, when they faced the complete subjugation or annihilation of most of their communities, their approach to warfare was subject to constant evolution, driven both by contact with Mediterranean cultures and different requirements closely related to social issues that were in constant flux. Gioal Canestrelli offers an interdisciplinary approach, combining archaeological and literary sources and examining Celtic warfare from both a practical perspective, linked to weapons structure and military tactics, and a social perspective, analysing the cultural implications of Celtic military development. Furthermore, the book analyses the different areas of the Keltiké, from Britain to Gaul, from Spain to the Alpine region, with more than 120 black & white drawings of the archaeological finds and a number of original color artworks of Celtic warriors.

Thomas Airlie Brown plunges the reader directly into the action and integrally weaves them into the book so tightly, it will not be easy for them to lay it down. The book is historical fiction leading up to a fairy tale, although it is so well leavened with helpings of historical and archeological facts, that all may end up to be factual after all. What he calls the Celtic Domain is traced from its first appearance in the Middle Europe, follows the migration trail across Western Europe into Britain and Ireland, then deals with the apparently unstoppable spread of the Roman Empire into Celtic territory and covers the major battles that resulted. Arthur and Camelot fill the final section with a new interpretation that intrigues as it develops, and ends with an Epilogue that highlights the reasons why the Celts, known-world conquerors before the Romans, could not compete with the political and military sophistication of the Roman Empire. The Appendix, with its numbered sections referred to in the text, contains tidbits of little-known information and history that add to the enjoyment of the read.

In the 1st century BC, Strabo wrote of the Celts: 'The whole race... is madly fond of war, high-spirited and quick to battle... and on whatever pretext you stir them up, you will have them ready to face danger, even if they have nothing on their side but their own strength and courage'. This book gives an insight into the life of the Celtic warrior, and his experience of battle – on foot, on horseback, and as a charioteer. It also details Celtic society and studies the vital ritual nature of Celtic warfare, from the naked gaesatae to the woad-painted warriors.