The Celts: The Enigmatic Peoples of Iron Age Europe

by Duncan Ryan

In the period of European history before Rome spread its influence over the entire continent and made itself master of the known world, a group of tribal societies with a unifying culture and language family dominated most of Europe and all of the British Isles. These people were the Celts, a series of tribes that spanned from the Balkans to Iberia and into even the northernmost reaches of Britain. For centuries before the Roman conquests, these tribes defined the history of Europe, and their legacy has affected all of European history ever since.

The The Enigmatic Peoples of Iron Age Europe is an exploration of Celtic history in the many regions of Europe that these fascinating peoples occupied. It is a historical work intended specifically for those without a specialized knowledge of ancient European history, and will serve as a thorough introduction to the wonders of ancient Celtic history. In this short history, you will learn

-Celtic history in many different parts of Europe
-The origins and spread of the Celtic culture and languages
-The affect of the Roman conquests on Celtic culture
-Celtic art, life, society and military traditions
-The perceptions of the Celts in both classical and modern eras
-And many other aspects of Celtic history and culture

Portrayed by the Romans as primitive barbarians, research into the Celtic tribes of Europe over the past several centuries has allowed a different picture of these remarkable peoples to emerge. The Celts, at long last, may finally be seen for the complex and advanced societies that they were.

If you are interested in European history, Roman history or ancient history in general, this short history will guide you through the basic aspects of Celtic life, history and culture, as well as serve as a framework for future learning about these ancient tribes of Europe. For those who do wish to delve more deeply into the history of the Celts, a complete bibliography of the best ancient and modern sources is also provided.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

97 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 15, 2016

Reviews

[José Luis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tinha uma curiosidade de conhecer a história dos Celtas, desde que fomos à República da Irlanda e Irlanda do Norte. A língua é bonita, as tradições são bonitas, um povo alegre, prestativo, simpático. Recentemente, vi uma indicação deste livro por um autor que sigo, e resolvi ler. Muito bom livro, esclareceu minha curiosidade. A influência do povo celta em toda a Europa é incrível, a marca deles está em tudo. Até o Vercingetorix, aquele guerreiro que aparece nos livros do Asterix, era celta. Apesar de a impressão ser a de que a influência celta mais forte foi na Irlanda, na verdade foi na Escócia, que é berço de dois povos celtas, cultura misturada. O livro é curto, fácil e bom de ler. Recomendo.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pokes holes in many of our modern day beliefs about the Celts. Excellent builders, metalsmiths, tacticians and warriors. Pretty good politicians, too. Not an easy read, but packed with facts.
Minor complaint, you can tell it was proofread by a computer and not a person. All spelling is correct, but in cases where a word was misplaced or misused, it's still there. Form for from, though for though, that sort of thing.

[Marjorie T Reinsch THOMAS Reinsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview

I have an affinity for the Celtic peoples, and having married one of Scottish descent helps. It's enlightening to know more of their history.

[Harel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bloody hell. After reading this book, I realize we all have wrong ideas.
I don't believe what some Christian people say about they being Satan followers but, as a pagan, I can't believe that what we know about druids rituals is not accurate. God and Goddess! We know nothing about their religion and still, for we pagans, Celtic traditions are essential part of our religious life.