FIND OUT MORE. First Metalworkers 367 • Holy Roman Empire 385
History^383
Celts
The tribespeople who lived in
western Europe before the Roman
conquest were called Celts. Each
tribe was made up of three main
classes – druids, warriors, and
farmers – and the largest settlements
were hilltop forts.
WHAT WERE CELTIC WARRIORS FAMOUS FOR?
Celtic warriors were famous for their love of feasting,
fighting, and jewellery. They daubed their faces with a
blue war paint made from woad (plant that produces a
blue dye) and yelled at the tops of their voices as
they rode into battle. But the terrible look and
sound of a Celtic army was no match for the
discipline of highly trained Roman legions.WHO WERE THE DRUIDS?
After studying everything from herbalism to
astronomy for up to 20 years, druids served Celtic
society as priests and judges. At sacred pools, or
groves of oak trees, they led religious rites that
sometimes involved human sacrifice. Unlike most
Celts, many druids could read and write.GOLD TORC 3
The Celts were skilled
metalworkers.
Weapons and tools
were made of iron but
this torc (neck ring),
found in Britain, was
made from twisted strands
of gold wire.1 DUN AENGUS CELTIC FORT, IRELAND
Celtic tribes fought each other, and also battled against invaders.
As refuges for themselves and their cattle, they built forts on
easily defended sites such as hilltops, and cliffs by the sea.EMPERORS
STATUE OF FIRST EMPEROR 1
Augustus reigned for nearly 50
years. He reorganized coins, laws,
and taxation, and transformed
the Roman army into a
peace-keeping force, designed
to protect the empire’s
expanding frontiers.Statues
would have
stood in archesStone and
concrete made
strong wallsCanvas stretched
over the top
provided shadeAfter Julius Caesar’s death, Rome was
divided by civil wars. By 27 BCE, his
adopted son Octavian was master of the
Roman world. Under the title Augustus,
which means “revered” in Latin, he became
the first Roman emperor. His reign brought
peace and prosperity to a war-weary world.
WHY DID ROMANS GET BREAD AND CIRCUSES?
Rome was the largest city in the world. By 300 CE,
it had a million inhabitants, many of whom were
hungry and unemployed. To stop them from rioting
they were given “bread and circuses”. The “bread”
was the regular ration of grain issued to Roman
citizens and the “circuses” were the free
entertainments and chariot races provided
by politicians and emperors.
d
Celtic
Celts