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The Galatians: Celtic Invaders of Greece and Asia Minor
A historian of the ancient world examines the epic rise and fall of the Celtic tribes who invaded the Mediterranean and lands further east.The eastern Celtic tribes, known to the Greeks as Galatians, exploited the waning of Macedonian power after Alexander the Great’s death to launch increasingly ambitious raids and expeditions into the Balkans. In 279 BC they launched a major invasion, defeating and beheading the Macedonian king, Ptolemy Keraunos, before sacking the Greeks’ most sacred oracle at Delphi. Eventually forced to withdraw northwards, they were defeated by Antigonus Gonatus at Lysimachia in 277 BC but remained a threat.A large Galatian contingent was invited to cross to Asia to intervene in a war in Bithynia but they went on to seize much of central Anatolia for themselves, founding the state of Galatia. They remained a force in the region and their warriors served as mercenaries in many armies throughout the eastern Mediterranean. In this authoritative history, John Grainger explores the fortunes of these eastern Celts down to their eventual subjugation by the Romans, Galatia becoming a Roman province in 30 BC.
253 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 21, 2022
Its hard to write an entire narrative history of an often peripheral and illiterate people. Grainger manages to do it though. But I will be the first to admit my favorite parts was when my boy Mithradates VI comes into the narrative.
May 28, 2021
The common perception of the Celts comes from the fierce warrior barbarians that fought the Romans in Gaul and Britain. But another significant branch of that culture migrated east into the Balkan region then Asia Minor, settling in both areas in their tribal groups. These were collectively known as the Galatians. In this riveting book, John Grainger narrates the rise and fall of this fascinating people who proved a thorn in the side for all the great Hellenistic powers before succumbing to the almighty Romans.
According to Grainger, the Galatians were part of an expansion from a culture that spread across western and northern Europe, entering into the Balkans as the Scordisci. From there, they clashed with their neighbours in Macedon and Thrace. Grainger’s story begins with Philip II of Macedon who was the first ‘Greek’ to encounter the Galatians/Scordisci. His son Alexander also took note of them, but he had bigger fish to fry in the East. When he died, his Empire fragmented, and the Galatians consolidated their power to become a threat to Macedon and Greece. Serious incursions into both took place from 280 BCE, though they ended in defeat and the division of the Galatians.
A group of Galatians invaded Asia Minor as the situation in Thrace settled down in the 270s. They took Bithynia collectively then split into three tribes to continue their expansion. Grainger notes that they were not the overwhelming scourge that some sources posit – one tribe was defeated by Antigonus in the famous Elephant battle of 274 – but they were still more than a nuisance to their neighbours. Grainger also records how Galatians were employed as mercenaries across the Hellenistic world, enthusiastically at first but more reluctantly because they were considered untrustworthy and rebellious, or perhaps, as Grainger notes in his next chapter, they were not particularly good soldiers in pitched battles? As Galatia came into being in Asia Minor by the 260s, the three tribes had to fight their own wars. Grainger points out these were not raids as was commonly thought but military campaigns conducted by a properly organised State.
How the Galatians coped with Pergamon and Rome occupies Grainger next. Their use as mercenaries against Rome made them an enemy, which inevitably led to war. That was a one-sided affair and led to the steep decline of Galatia, first through domination by Pergamon then, after a spell of autonomy, under the pressure of Roman expansion. That said, the Scordisci back in the Balkans remained a force into the 1st century BCE before Rome defeated them followed by the rising Dacians. Roman annexation of the region was not too far behind. They annexed Galatia too, following another thread in Grainger’s story of Roman expansion, and made it into a successful Province. Indeed, notes Grainger in his appendix, Galatia furnished Rome with three Emperors.
The Galatians is a thoroughly enjoyable, well-written book on a people that are often overlooked amidst the great dynastic struggles of the Hellenistic world. Grainger wrings every drop out of his limited sources, both written and archaeological, and does so in a way that invites his readers into the conversation. He also works his way methodically through an often complex history, acknowledging at one point the ‘hyper-activity’ of the Roman Republic’s civil wars that he had to untangle. My one quibble is a lack of maps to help us follow the narrative, but other than that, this book will appeal to anyone interested in the Hellenistic world or just ancient history in general.
According to Grainger, the Galatians were part of an expansion from a culture that spread across western and northern Europe, entering into the Balkans as the Scordisci. From there, they clashed with their neighbours in Macedon and Thrace. Grainger’s story begins with Philip II of Macedon who was the first ‘Greek’ to encounter the Galatians/Scordisci. His son Alexander also took note of them, but he had bigger fish to fry in the East. When he died, his Empire fragmented, and the Galatians consolidated their power to become a threat to Macedon and Greece. Serious incursions into both took place from 280 BCE, though they ended in defeat and the division of the Galatians.
A group of Galatians invaded Asia Minor as the situation in Thrace settled down in the 270s. They took Bithynia collectively then split into three tribes to continue their expansion. Grainger notes that they were not the overwhelming scourge that some sources posit – one tribe was defeated by Antigonus in the famous Elephant battle of 274 – but they were still more than a nuisance to their neighbours. Grainger also records how Galatians were employed as mercenaries across the Hellenistic world, enthusiastically at first but more reluctantly because they were considered untrustworthy and rebellious, or perhaps, as Grainger notes in his next chapter, they were not particularly good soldiers in pitched battles? As Galatia came into being in Asia Minor by the 260s, the three tribes had to fight their own wars. Grainger points out these were not raids as was commonly thought but military campaigns conducted by a properly organised State.
How the Galatians coped with Pergamon and Rome occupies Grainger next. Their use as mercenaries against Rome made them an enemy, which inevitably led to war. That was a one-sided affair and led to the steep decline of Galatia, first through domination by Pergamon then, after a spell of autonomy, under the pressure of Roman expansion. That said, the Scordisci back in the Balkans remained a force into the 1st century BCE before Rome defeated them followed by the rising Dacians. Roman annexation of the region was not too far behind. They annexed Galatia too, following another thread in Grainger’s story of Roman expansion, and made it into a successful Province. Indeed, notes Grainger in his appendix, Galatia furnished Rome with three Emperors.
The Galatians is a thoroughly enjoyable, well-written book on a people that are often overlooked amidst the great dynastic struggles of the Hellenistic world. Grainger wrings every drop out of his limited sources, both written and archaeological, and does so in a way that invites his readers into the conversation. He also works his way methodically through an often complex history, acknowledging at one point the ‘hyper-activity’ of the Roman Republic’s civil wars that he had to untangle. My one quibble is a lack of maps to help us follow the narrative, but other than that, this book will appeal to anyone interested in the Hellenistic world or just ancient history in general.
November 23, 2021
Grainger's work on the Galatians is an enjoyable little study on the biblically famous people who found themselves a long way from Gaul in the heart of one of the busiest spots of the Ancient World.
Charting their origins from central Europe, Grainger shows how the Galatians originally formed part of the Scordisci tribe but splintered from them in the early third century BC likely due to population pressure. Over the course of these movements would emerge the Tolistobogii, Tektosages and the Trokmoi who were then invited as mercenaries by the Hellenistic Kings of Asia Minor, notably Nikomedes I of Bythinia, and given land in return. Eventually they were settled in the heart of Asia Minor, to which they gave its name, Galatia, and it is here they would remain.
Grainger does much to re-evaluate the Galatians, who leave little of their own voices to history, indeed on the lower levels their 'Celtic' culture is all but absent in the archaeological record. Regarded as the worst of the Barbarians by ancient historians; raiders, oath breakers and outright savages, they are immortalized Pergamene sculptures immortalizing their defeat at the hands of Attalos I.
Grainger argues that they were not 'noble savages' passed down through history but were in fact more sophisticated than they are given credit. He argues that aside from their cavalry, the Galatians were themselves not competent fighters, indeed they were the last choice for even the most desperate ruler to hire, and as such did not engage in mass raiding, as often attributed to Celtic tribal groups, but rather were quit settled.
The three tribes seemed to have a semi-federal structure with a ruling council and their leaders were aware very early on of the complex geo-political culture of Asia Minor, adapting to it readily as well as ruling their new subjects. They engaged in trade and peace treaties and in fact honored their oaths and treaties with the kings in most cases and over extended periods, whilst making no attempt to expand the territory assigned to them via conquest. Indeed this warrior nation would linger on until being quietly annexed by Rome in the late first century BC, their identity remembered primarily due to the biblical letter addressed to them.
It is a worthy addition for an classical scholars library.
Charting their origins from central Europe, Grainger shows how the Galatians originally formed part of the Scordisci tribe but splintered from them in the early third century BC likely due to population pressure. Over the course of these movements would emerge the Tolistobogii, Tektosages and the Trokmoi who were then invited as mercenaries by the Hellenistic Kings of Asia Minor, notably Nikomedes I of Bythinia, and given land in return. Eventually they were settled in the heart of Asia Minor, to which they gave its name, Galatia, and it is here they would remain.
Grainger does much to re-evaluate the Galatians, who leave little of their own voices to history, indeed on the lower levels their 'Celtic' culture is all but absent in the archaeological record. Regarded as the worst of the Barbarians by ancient historians; raiders, oath breakers and outright savages, they are immortalized Pergamene sculptures immortalizing their defeat at the hands of Attalos I.
Grainger argues that they were not 'noble savages' passed down through history but were in fact more sophisticated than they are given credit. He argues that aside from their cavalry, the Galatians were themselves not competent fighters, indeed they were the last choice for even the most desperate ruler to hire, and as such did not engage in mass raiding, as often attributed to Celtic tribal groups, but rather were quit settled.
The three tribes seemed to have a semi-federal structure with a ruling council and their leaders were aware very early on of the complex geo-political culture of Asia Minor, adapting to it readily as well as ruling their new subjects. They engaged in trade and peace treaties and in fact honored their oaths and treaties with the kings in most cases and over extended periods, whilst making no attempt to expand the territory assigned to them via conquest. Indeed this warrior nation would linger on until being quietly annexed by Rome in the late first century BC, their identity remembered primarily due to the biblical letter addressed to them.
It is a worthy addition for an classical scholars library.
January 22, 2023
Excellent overview and thoroughly referenced which makes further reading much easier.
October 12, 2023
I happened upon a positive friend's review at the same time this went on sale, and picked it up. I'm glad I did, it is a good book.
The name "Galatians" doesn't mean much to anyone who has not spent a fair amount of time reading about the ancient world. They're best loosely thought of as 'eastern Gauls'. Which is to say they're a Celtic people who went east and encountered Greeks instead of Romans. They had a short-lived kingdom in the middle of Asia Minor early in the Successors period, which is part of why they don't get talked about as much, the Macedonian Soap Opera was going on around them.
Also, that's not the best period for general knowledge, which tends to skip from Alexander straight to Rome. And the previous is also about the limit of what I knew. So, a lot of this book was new to me, going into what is known about their initial emergence into Greek knowledge around the Banat region of Serbia, some serious raids into Greece, and then the eventual settling into Asia Minor.
That last is the bulk of the book, because there's a bit more known, and they were active for a good chunk of time before becoming a Roman province. A lot is still uncertain here, as there's little in the way of records from them, causing everything to be from the viewpoint of looking into something of a blind spot in history.
So, even at its best, there's not a lot of detail or certainty to be had here. So Grainger has done a fine job with the materials to hand, making everything as coherent as possible, and presenting everything quite clearly. It's a bit of a niche subject, but it's handled well, and adds a bit of perspective to things that get hinted at in other books.
The name "Galatians" doesn't mean much to anyone who has not spent a fair amount of time reading about the ancient world. They're best loosely thought of as 'eastern Gauls'. Which is to say they're a Celtic people who went east and encountered Greeks instead of Romans. They had a short-lived kingdom in the middle of Asia Minor early in the Successors period, which is part of why they don't get talked about as much, the Macedonian Soap Opera was going on around them.
Also, that's not the best period for general knowledge, which tends to skip from Alexander straight to Rome. And the previous is also about the limit of what I knew. So, a lot of this book was new to me, going into what is known about their initial emergence into Greek knowledge around the Banat region of Serbia, some serious raids into Greece, and then the eventual settling into Asia Minor.
That last is the bulk of the book, because there's a bit more known, and they were active for a good chunk of time before becoming a Roman province. A lot is still uncertain here, as there's little in the way of records from them, causing everything to be from the viewpoint of looking into something of a blind spot in history.
So, even at its best, there's not a lot of detail or certainty to be had here. So Grainger has done a fine job with the materials to hand, making everything as coherent as possible, and presenting everything quite clearly. It's a bit of a niche subject, but it's handled well, and adds a bit of perspective to things that get hinted at in other books.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews