Quote Originally Posted by TheTank
What I have read about the early germanic tribes (300BC-100AD) I get the impresion that these people very spartan.
I don't know how 'spartan' they were, but the Celts were definitely comparatively decadent. The Celts were considered decadent by mediterranean cultures as well; they saw gold as 'jewelry' metal, and more meant for trinkets. Silver was considered holy and used to make coins as well as religious objects, in addition to much jewelry as well. It's notable though, the average Celt owned an awful lot compared to the average member of any society near them. They produced such an amount of art, jewelry, textiles, etc., that much of what they had was considered rather cheap in their society. Really class defining objects were weapons and armor; most could at least afford a nice piece of jewelry or two. That would tend to give them a bit of a decadent appearance; even the lower class was dressed colorfully with a piece of nice jewelry or a nice cloak. They had a very large 'middle class' that allowed this, due to the relative inexpense of many objects other societies would find expensive. When they relaxed, another form of decadence involved a lot of drugs and alcohol (forbidden by some tribes, most notably the Nervii, to keep their warriors hardened), many imported from the mediterranean, as well as made indigenously; Gauls were particularly skilled in producing beer and wine; wine they exported as well as used in great amounts during feasts. The feasts are another point of decadence in themselves; they weren't for a select group usually, they were for everyone in a tribe. Massive feasts, with all manner of locally available foods, drinks, etc., as well as, if a wealthier chief was financing it, imported food and drink. The mixing of classes in Celtic society was largely due to the fact that one's station could greatly change; being born in poor station hardly meant one was going to stay there. That was also seen as unbecoming to some (though it's not a purely Celtic thing, but for many cultures, for a long time, much of what they got of barbarian culture was found in the Gallic cultures).

Also, I'm going to note this; it's either Gaulish or Gallic. Gaulic appears to be an amalgam of the two.