THE CELTS
Premise: The Celts deserve their own culture (music / buildings / religion / units)
Rome Total War is shaping up to be one of the most amazing military games of all time. For the first time in history, the epic feel of huge battles will be brought to life in our own homes without actual bloodshed (...though I'm sure CA will post a disclaimer about the impact on relationships )
One aspect though persists in diminishing the ambience of this classic, ... the treatment of the Celtic culture / peoples.
The Greeks called these distinct peoples the Keltoi which was a Celtic word that they used to describe themselves meaning “the hidden people”. Let's hope they don't remain so in RTW.
The Keltoi or Celts as they became known, spread over 3/4 of the RTW map. The had a homogeneous culture bar a few very minor differences and enjoyed a "highly evolved and sophisticated society" - (History of the Druids, Dr Peter Berresford Ellis, 2002)."The Keltoi name was so great in the East that Kings, even before they were attacked, bought peace with large sums of money" (The Celts, Thrust to the East, 50; Daithi O Hogain 2002)
"In both countries (Gaul & Briton) you find the same lifestyle, rituals and religious beliefs. There is no great difference in language, and there is the same hardihood in challenging danger..."- (Tacitus, The Agricola and Germania, Agricola: 11)
They were fierce warriors that cherished freedom above all, literally taking heads if any would try and deprive them of their liberty.
“They consider it a glory to die and a disgrace to survive without victory. They regarded it as the utmost disgrace to desert their leader, and after the fall of a leader, they retire from battle” – Posidonius (C1st BC)
They had 100s of years of proud military history, fighting almost consistently against all other major factions of the period, and occasionally with them (eg. Carthage). They even defeated the great Roman Empire on a number of occasions. Aristotle claimed that “they fear neither earthquakes or waves”. Arrian records that when asked by Alexander the Great what they fear, they replied “We fear only that the sky will fall on our heads”
Far from being 'barbarian', the Celts by today's standard were actually more advanced in some aspects than the 'civilised' states around them. They had complex legal, medical, and social systems which provided welfare / protection for the vulnerable. They had equality of sex 1,000 years before others even considered it. They were fastidious in personal appearance. Diodorous siculus points out that soap (sopa) was a Celtic innovation and word.
“They (Celts) are very careful to avoid growing fat or big bellied and that if any young man exceeds the measure of a certain girdle he is fined” – Ephorus (C4th BC)
Further, they influenced Rome immensely with military equipment, fighting technique and "sophistication in art, pottery, jewellery, enamelwork and advanced metalwork. One of the great skills developed by the Celts was their road building ability" - (History of the Druids, Dr Peter Berresford Ellis, 2002). They were great traders, eg. British woollen goods were eagerly sought in Rome.
“The Tribal centres, to which the Romans later applied the term ‘oppida’, were places of public assembly and trade and usually had highways to and from them. Many were situated on high ground and most had elaborate defences. The usual type of defence consisited of timber palisades, some ‘oppida’ had substantial fortifications of stone” – (Origin and Culture of the Celts, 17, Daithi O Hogain 2002)
In 153 BC, it was the Celts that forced the Romans to change their calendar to make January 1st the beginning of the new year instead of March 15th. A charismatic Celtic leader called Salendicos fought single handedly into the Roman Consul Gracchus' camp and tent in an attempt to kill him. Almost succeeding, the Romans were so alarmed by this situation, bravery and audacity that they changed the date in order to facilitate the appointment of a new consul specifically for the task of supressing these warriors.
“Violation of guest-friendship they regard as impious. Strangers who visit them for whatever reason they protect from injury and hold sacred, and every man’s house lies open and his food is shared with them regardless of person” – (J. Caesar, C1st BC)
Publicius Vergilius Maro (70-19 BC) stated that the Celts were a people “living in harmony with nature within a divine scheme of things, and showing a deep sympathy for all living things and insisting that mankind must cooperate with nature”
Given the immense impact these peoples had on world, the large amount of information we know about them, the survivability of the Bithronic tongue, Celtic music, interesting culture, druidic order etc etc, all this warrants inclusion with their own culture / buildings / music / language / units
Celtic Warrior attire, equipment and arms - (click on parts of the picture)
Celtic Fansite
Celtic dressups
Bookmarks