Talk:Brennus (3rd century BC)

Drinking the blood from babies if they were fat

Why does this article make no mention from Pausanias Book X Chapter 23, that Brennus’ men would kill babies and drink their blood, and that women would commit suicide to not get raped, during their raid on the Aetolians? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.93.208.34 (talk) 21:31, 8 January 2020 (UTC)

Sack of Delphi?

I've sourced and rewritten the article, but it seems from the sources I've been able to find that the story of Brennus sacking Delphi and carrying off its treasure is a myth! Both Pausanias and Justin say Brennus was defeated at Delphi. The sack and looting seems to derive from a brief reference by Strabo to a story about treasure from Delphi being found at Toulouse, which he doesn't even believe - he says that Delphi had already been emptied of treasure by the Phocians, and notes that the Gauls were scattered after their defeat and retreat. --Nicknack009 22:29, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

400 years after the fact Pausanias and Justin state very clearly that the Celts where destroyed by ghosts, bolts of lightning and rocks falling from the sky. Some therefor feel that they must rid wikipedia of the "myth" that Celts stole gold, from Greeks, with swords, which they deem to be impossible. That its common knowledge among Romans during the time of Strabo that the Volcae Tectosages stole and returned with Delphi loot, the archeological evidence which corroborates this and the classically confirmed creation of a Volcae Tectosage sub state in the heart of the Greek hemisphere, Galatia, is all meaningless to them. Pausanias says that they where all killed by ghosts in Greece, therefor it couldn't have happened. Those who believe that the Celtic sack of Delphi was a myth are either ignorant of the nature of Pausanias account, or are maliciously misrepresenting it. Its common for proponents of the myth theory to recount the event as "The Celts where repulsed at delphi" and conveniently leave out the string of impossible supernatural events.

Actual passages by Pausanias

"[2] The thunder both terrified the Gauls and prevented them hearing their orders, while the bolts from heaven set on fire not only those whom they struck but also their neighbors, themselves and their armour alike. Then there were seen by them ghosts of the heroes Hyperochus, Laodocus and Pyrrhus; according to some a fourth appeared, Phylacus, a local hero of Delphi.

"[4] All the day the barbarians were beset by calamities and terrors of this kind. But the night was to bring upon them experiences far more painful. For there came on a severe frost, and snow with it; and great rocks slipping from Parnassus, and crags breaking away, made the barbarians their target, the crash of which brought destruction, not on one or two at a time, but on thirty or even more, as they chanced to be gathered in groups, keeping guard or taking rest."

Myth theory: The Celts where killed by Lightning Bolts, 3 (possibly 4) zombies and rocks

Sack theory: The Celts killed Greeks, with swords and stole their gold.

Both theories have their faults and their merits and I expect this to be a hotly contested debate, but at least now everyone knows the nature of the sources involved. Now that the dice are clean I'll leave it to you to decide which is more likely to have been true. Bloody Sacha (talk) 06:21, 27 April 2010 (UTC)

There is a later account from the Romans of recovering a treasure from a lake in northern Italy or southern France. This treasure is said to have been the remains of the stuff taken from Delphi. I will run down my source.

But more importantly, the original Greek accounts of the fighting are obvious copies of the the defeat of the much more famous Persian invasion. So there is reason to doubt most of the story. It is reasonable, however, to suppose that one of the Celtic warlords along the Danube felt that their treaty of friendship with Alexander the Great was a personal agreement, which became void upon the death of Alexander. And of course the administration of the Kingdom of Greece fell upon incompetent bumblers after that death. I'll get my other sources straight, too.~Vince O'Mahony170.121.14.12 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 15:52, 7 February 2013 (UTC)

I hadn't noticed this before, but the picture included with the article is clearly the weighing of the Roman tribute to another Brennus in 387 BC after the Sack of Rome. The scale is the centerpiece of the picture, and no scales are involved in the tales of the Greek gold. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mahuna2 (talk • contribs) 13:33, 28 April 2014 (UTC)

Looking into the background of the picture I agree, that is the other Brennus. I've removed the picture. Chuy1530 (talk) 02:00, 3 December 2014 (UTC)