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Golden Age Downfall |
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Golden Age of the Celts
We can see their presence even in the fifth and fourth centuries before Christ. In this period the Celts were very successful warriors. They conquered Spain about 500 B.C. and they conquered also Northem Italy. Towards the end of the fourth century the Celtics owned Pannonia, having conquered the Illyrians. Many names in the territory afterwards known as Cisalpine Gaul still testify the presence of the Celts : Mediolanum (Milano), Addua (Adda), Viro-dunum (Verduno). We can find their traces even in litterature. Vergil was a Latin poet who appears to bear evidence of his Celtic ancestry. His love for nature, his mysticism, and his strong feelings for a certain decorative language and rhythm are markedly Celtic qualities.
Downfall of the Celtic Empire
We shall never know what exactly took place at the time of the German revolt. What is certain is that from about the year 300 B.C. onward, the Celts appear to have lost whatever political cohesion and common purpose they had possessed. A tumultuous war of Celts against other Celts (who represented earlier waves of emigration and conquest), went on all over Continental-Europe, Gaul and Britain. When this settled down Gaul and the British Islands remained practically the relicts of the Celtic Empire, the only countries still under Celtic law and leadership. In this period the Christian Era for Gaul and Britain started: the “Romanisation” was only a question of time. (Jacopo De Martini -
Caterina Curi, 3^B internaz.) |
The Golden Age of Celtdom in Continental
Europe is almost as old as the planet.