Talk:Ancient Celtic warfare

Untitled

This "article" is a joke! Badly written, for the most part wholly inaccurate, insulting, etc. etc. etc. To compund matters only the opening paragraph is about the Celts. If someone wants to rewrite this drivel in its entirety, fine, if not I suggest DELETION. Enaidmawr 01:05, 23 March 2007 (UTC)

I've always wondered why I shouldn't write articles while drunk, now I know.

I just feel pain reading this, honestly its like this kid opened the Ark of the Covenant Sacha -March 27

Is whoever wrote this article serious? Where on earth did they get their facts?

My word, that really was dire! I just looked at the old (early 2007) archived version, and I don't think I've ever seen such a bad article! Wardog (talk) 14:48, 17 December 2010 (UTC)

Radical rewrite required

This article needs a lot of work. Some appears to have been done but a lot more required. I'm prepared to believe some of it is true but until the grand statements are supported by references I think we should possibly flag it up for deletion. --mgaved (talk) 15:57, 22 June 2008 (UTC)

Radically re-written

I've re-written this article, hopefully saving it from deletion. It still needs some more work, some more citations and particularly weak are the Celtiberian and Post-Roman sections - the latter needed additions on regions outside Ireland. Paul S (talk) 20:28, 25 November 2008 (UTC)

Gasaetae

Gasaetae The Celtic world, Gasaetae The Celts: a history Gasaetae War with Insubres and Boii and Gaesatae,Polybius ~~

If you cite Dáithí Ó hÓgáin as a reliable source on history, I see trouble ahead. Paul S (talk) 20:52, 24 September 2009 (UTC)

If he is bad than he is out.Megistias (talk) 21:36, 24 September 2009 (UTC)

"New Tactics"

"At first the Roman galleys, fighting in unfamiliar conditions, were at a great disadvantage until new tactics were developed by the Roman admiral Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus which resulted in a decisive victory for Caesar's men." It is worth noting that one of the "new tactics" used was to get the Pictone's, the Santoni and the allied states along the river Loire to do it for them. Bloody Sacha (talk) 03:38, 24 January 2012 (UTC)

Classical sources

Polybius, Histories 2:28.3-7

28 1 Aemilius, who had heard of the landing of the legions at Pisa but had not any idea that they were already p311 so near him, now, when he saw the fight going on round the hill, knew that the other Roman army was quite close. 2 Accordingly, sending on his cavalry to help those who were fighting on the hill, he drew up his infantry in the usual order and advanced against the foe. 3 The Celts had drawn up facing their rear, from which they expected Aemilius to attack, the Gaesatae from the Alps and behind them the Insubres, 4 and facing in the opposite direction, ready to meet the attack of Gaius' legions, they placed the Taurisci and the Boii from the right bank of the Po. 5 Their wagons and chariots they stationed at the extremity of either wing and collected their booty on one of the neighbouring hills with a protecting force round it. 6 This order of the Celtic forces, facing both ways, not only presented a formidable appearance, but was well adapted to the exigencies of the situation. 7 The Insubres and Boii wore their trousers and light cloaks, 8 but the Gaesatae [from the Gaulish gaiso 'javelin', i.e., meaning "armed with javelins"] had discarded these garments owing to their proud confidence in themselves, and stood naked, with nothing but their arms, in front of the whole army, thinking that thus they would be more efficient, as some of the ground was overgrown with bramblesb which would catch in their clothes and impede the use of their weapons. 9 At first the battle was confined to the hill, all the armies gazing on it, so great were the numbers of cavalry from each host p313 combating there pell-mell. 10 In this action Gaius the Consul fell in the mellay fighting with desperate courage, and his head was brought to the Celtic kings; but the Roman cavalry, after a stubborn struggle, at length overmastered the enemy and gained possession of the hill. 11 The infantry were now close upon each other, and the spectacle was a strange and marvellous one, not only to those actually present at the battle, but to all who could afterwards picture it to themselves from the reports.

29 1 For in the first place, as the battle was between three armies, it is evident that the appearance and the movements of the forces marshalled against each other must have been in the highest degree strange and unusual. 2 Again, it must have been to all present, and still is to us, a matter of doubt whether the Celts, with the enemy advancing on them from both sides, were more dangerously situated, 3 or, on the contrary, more effectively, since at one and the same time they were fighting against both their enemies and were protecting themselves in the rear from both, while, above all, they were absolutely cut off from retreat or any prospect of escape in the case of defeat, 4 this being the peculiarity of this two-faced formation. 5 The Romans, however, were on the one hand encouraged by having caught the enemy between their two armies, but on the other they were terrified by the fine order of the Celtic host 6 and the dreadful din, for there were innumerable horn-blowers and trumpeters, and, as the whole army were shouting their war-cries at the same time, there was such a tumult of sound that it seemed that not only the trumpets and the soldiers but all the country round had got a voice and caught up the cry. 7 Very terrifying too were the appearance and the gestures of the naked warriors in front, 8 all in the prime of life, and finely built men, and all in the leading companies richly adorned with gold torques and armlets. 9 The sight of them indeed dismayed the Romans, but at the same time the prospect of winning such spoils made them twice as keen for the fight.

30 1 But when the javelineers advanced, as is their usage, from the ranks of the Roman legions and began to hurl their javelins in well-aimed volleys, the Celts in the rear ranks indeed were well protected by their trousers and cloaks, 2 but it fell out far otherwise than they had expected with the naked men in front, and they found themselves in a very difficult and helpless predicament. 3 For the Gaulish shield does not cover the whole body; so that their nakedness was a disadvantage, and the bigger they were5 the better chance had the missiles of going home. 4 At length, unable to drive off the javelineers owing to the distance and the hail of javelins, and reduced to the utmost distress and perplexity, some of them, in their impotent rage, rushed wildly on the enemy and sacrificed their lives, while others, retreating step by step on the ranks of their comrades, threw them into disorder by their display of faint-heartedness. 5 Thus was the spirit of the Gaesatae broken down by the javelineers; 6 but the main body of the Insubres, Boii, and Taurisci, once the javelineers had withdrawn into the ranks and the Roman maniples attacked them, met the enemy and kept up a stubborn hand-to‑hand combat. 7 For, though being almost cut to pieces, they held their ground, equal to their foes in courage, and inferior only, as a force and individually, in their arms. 8 The Roman shields, it should be added, were far more serviceable for defence and their swords for attack, the Gaulish sword being only good for a cut and not for a thrust. 9 But finally, attacked from higher ground and on their flank by the Roman cavalry, which rode down the hill and charged them vigorously, the Celtic infantry were cut to pieces where they stood, their cavalry taking to flight.

Caesar

Caesar De Bello Gallica, Book 1, XXIV

Caesar, when he observes this, draws off his forces to the next hill, and sent the cavalry to sustain the attack of the enemy. He himself, meanwhile, drew up on the middle of the hill a triple line of his four veteran legions in such a manner, that he placed above him on the very summit the two legions, which he had lately levied in Hither Gaul, and all the auxiliaries; and he ordered that the whole mountain should be covered with men, and that meanwhile the baggage should be brought together into one place, and the position be protected by those who were posted in the upper line. The Helvetii having followed with all their wagons, collected their baggage into one place: they themselves, after having repulsed our cavalry and formed a phalanx, advanced up to our front line in very close order.

Caesar De Bello Gallica, Book 5, LV

Indutiomarus [leading aristocrat of the Treveri] disappointed in this expectation, nevertheless began to raise troops, and discipline them, ...

Caesar De Bello Gallica, Book 7, XXVIII

The enemy being alarmed by the suddenness of the attack, were dislodged from the wall and towers, and drew up, in form of a wedge, in the market place and the open streets, with this intention that, if an attack should be made on any side, they should fight with their line drawn up to receive it.

Gallic use of the Testudo:

Caesar De Bello Gallica, Book 2, VI

There was a town of the Remi, by name Bibrax, eight miles distant from this camp. This the Belgae on their march began to attack with great vigor. [The assault] was with difficulty sustained for that day. The Gauls' mode of besieging is the same as that of the Belgae: when after having drawn a large number of men around the whole of the fortifications, stones have begun to be cast against the wall on all sides, and the wall has been stripped of its defenders, [then], forming a testudo, they advance to the gates and undermine the wall: which was easily effected on this occasion; for while so large a number were casting stones and darts, no one was able to maintain his position upon the wall. When night had put an end to the assault, Iccius, who was then in command of the town, one of the Remi, a man of the highest rank and influence among his people, and one of those who had come to Caesar as embassador [to sue] for peace, sends messengers to him, [to report] "That, unless assistance were sent to him he could not hold out any longer."

Caesar De Bello Gallica, Book 7, LXXXV

Some are casting missiles, others, forming a testudo, advance to the attack; fresh men by turns relieve the wearied. The earth, heaped up by all against the fortifications, gives the means of ascent to the Gauls, and covers those works which the Romans had concealed in the ground.

Livy, The History of Rome 10.29

[6] and so, though the Gauls stood crowded together with their shields interlocked in front of them, and it looked no easy battle at close quarters, the lieutenants bade their men gather up the javelins that were scattered about on the ground between the hostile lines and cast them against the testudo2 of their enemies; and as many of these missiles stuck fast in the shields and now and then one penetrated a soldier's body, their phalanx was broken up —many falling, though unwounded, as if they had been [7] stunned. such were the shifts of Fortune upon the Roman left.

…

The Samnites could not withstand their onset and fled in confusion past the Gallic line itself, abandoning their comrades in the midst of the fighting and seeking refuge in their camp. The Gauls had formed a testudo and stood there closely packed [12] together. then Fabius, who had learned of his colleague's death, commanded the squadron of Campanians, about five hundred lances, to withdraw from the line, and fetching a compass, assail the Gallic infantry in the [13] rear; these the principes, or middle line, of the third legion were to follow, and, pushing in where they saw that the cavalry charge had disordered the enemy's formation, make havoc of them in their [14] panic.

Gallic use of the Pilum:

Appian, Gallic History

The spears of the Gauls were not like javelins, but what the Romans called pila, four-sided, part wood and part iron, and not hard except at the pointed end.

Strabo, Geography § 4.4.3

The equipment is in keeping with the size of their bodies; they have a long sword hanging at their right side, a long shield, and lances in proportion, together with a madaris somewhat resembling a javelin; some of them also use bows and slings; they have also a piece of wood resembling a pilum, which they hurl not out of a thong, but from their hand, and to a farther distance than an arrow. They principally make use of it in shooting birds.

[Note: On the subject of the Pilum, "The Pilum: The Roman Heavy Javelin", by M.C. Bishop, 2017, p.10, says: "A broadly 'Celtic' origin seems likely (whether through Northern Italian or Iberian Celts, or even at one remove via another Italian culture such as the Etruscans or Samnites)."

And on p.9 "A weapon resembling the pilum was certainly being used by Samnite warriors in the 6th and 5th centuries BC (Cowan 2012). Similarly Gallic cemeteries in the north of Italy, such as that at Monte Bibele, have produced socketed pilum-like weapons with 500mm- to 950mm-long irons, with both leaf-shaped and barbed heads between 40mm and 170mm long, which date to the 4th century BC (Lehars 2008). Similar weapons of the same date are known from the Celtic cemetery at Montefortino, Italy and (from the the late 4th or early 3rd centuries at Tene in Switzerland."]