Celtic Warriors: 400BC-AD1600

by Tim Newark

Looks at Celtic history in Great Britain and Europe, describes their armor, weapons, leaders, and culture, and recounts their battles against Germanic, Norse, and Roman conquerors.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Military History, Medieval, European History, Ancient History, Irish Literature

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy to read broad overview of this culture and people. Recommended

[Philip of Macedon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celtic Warriors by Tim Newark covers two thousand years of Celtic warfare and conquest across Europe and the British Isles. It offers detailed accounts of many significant battles, interesting character sketches of notable warriors and their conflicts, a terrific set of photos of ancient armaments and armor, and artistic renderings of historical events, and manages to be a very enjoyable and engaging read.

It’s not an academic history by any stretch, but its use of many quality primary sources, including the Annals of Ulster, Appian’s Roman History, Nennius, Caesar’s Conquest of Gaul, Gerald of Wales, various myths and poems from the times, and substantial secondary sources makes it a serious and worthwhile coverage. Newark spends little time on things extraneous to the narratives of battle, power, kingdoms at war, and the evolution of regional politics. It is a fast moving narrative that fills out its subject with considerable and colorful detail. Each era revolves around the tensions between peoples and the leadership and actions of particular heroes, real and fictitious, through Celtic history.

We start with the Golden Age, the years of antiquity, when the Celts were bands of Gauls fighting the Greeks and Romans. The Keltoi, or the Galli, as the Celts were known by the Romans and Greeks, respectively, are given various portrayals based on those of ancient historians, supplemented with what is known from other records and artifacts. Our pictures of the Celts during this time is blurred by myth, by pseudohistory, and by bias. Vercingetorix is given a brief limelight, his rebellion against Roman forces is detailed, and so is his demise.

Celtic Britain against the Anglo-Saxons in the next millennium takes the stage. Cu Chulainn of Irish epic is presented as the mythological hero of Ulster, his exploits and power and indomitability making him a tireless force of violence and protection against the rest of Ireland. King Arthur appears in the myth-history of Wales, a legendary hero who defeats the Saxons and holds them at bay, and stands as a symbol of strength and unity against the English. The complicated histories of the Irish and Welsh and the coming of the Saxons by way of England runs through this section. The Picts receive deserved attention, and we are treated to some fantastic artistic representations of what they may have looked like, and hear of their wars with Northumbria and Dal Riata.

There is a long look at the coming of the Vikings and later the Normans. The Viking onslaught was followed by colonization, and that colonization was followed by Irish, Welsh, and Scottish resistance. Resistance was ushered in by certain valiant leaders, such as the vicious Brian Boru in Ireland, and Rhodri Mawr in Wales. Macbeth of Scotland rises to power, his alliance with the northmen making him a fearless defender against Malcolm, son of Duncan’s ambitious attack on Scotland.

The Welsh and Scots rise up against the English. Llywelyn ap Gruffyd maintains Welsh strength and independence and exploits English weakness. William Wallace fights for a Scotland free of English control. Robert the Bruce achieves a sense of Celtic brotherhood and puts up a formidable defense against Scotland’s oppressors. Finally, the Irish and Scots against the Tudors in the late Middle Ages, with the many victories of the O’Neill dynasty stretching into the period of the Renaissance, sees the slow dissolution of the Celtic identity with the outlawing of the Gaelic languages and thereby an outlawing of that which unified the Celtic people.

Through out the book is a theme of Celtic unification and the uprising against those who hold them down, who tax them or wish to conquer them or outlaw their ways of life, be they Roman, English, Saxon, Viking, or Norman. The surveys of these numerous periods of history through which the Celtic people fought and strived against those more powerful than them are careful and attentive enough to bring each of these eras to life. Newark has an extensive knowledge of the weaponry and tactics and battlefields that set his history, and of the people and kingdoms and the dynamic, dramatic, often complicated ways all these things come together.

One can’t talk about this book without giving some praise to Angus McBride’s brilliant illustrations of Celtic warriors through the ages, or of the dozens of well-chosen photos and old historical drawings by Peter Newark and from collections of the museums of Wales and Scotland of weapons, battles, castles and fortresses, and symbols of royalty and power. The visual component of the book is very well done, perfectly complementing the writing.

[Aerik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this for $4 at a used book store because it's relevant to my ancestry, and has great artwork. Turns out it's an informative quick read, too. Finished it in two sittings. I now have a better mental timeline of events in my ancestral homelands to aid in crafting a coherent worldview. It's rather sad that there has been so much conflict among such similar peoples, and that we've all been so willing to destroy each other's and our own cultures. It takes a more focused book than this to answer why that happens, but I'm certain it has a lot to do with the skilled targeting of our people by foreigners with weaponized ideology/religion.

We need to know three things to live forever: who we are, who our enemy is, and that the first thing is essential to guarding against the second. Celts didn't know.

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book that starts in Celtic/Gaelic/Gallic Europe, where the Celts/Gauls Tribes live all over Holland, Belgium, France, Spain, Ireland, Britain and Northern Italy- but ends in a world where "Celtic" applies to part of the population of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. But its a great ride, Tim Newark mixing myth, lore and history to tell the tale. As part of a Series with a book on Romans, Barbarians, these Celtics and another on Medieval WarLords, these are great resources for the Gamer/Modeller/Ancient Warfare reader- especially with their 8 amazing Colour plates by the Incredible Angus McBride- the real stars of the show.

The Celts/Gaels/Gauls start as opponents of Republican and early Imperial Rome, but are effectively taken in to the Empire within a few hundred years, favoured Romano-Gallic Auxiliary troops. There is a resurgence in the Dark ages- but that brings the Angles/Saxons/Jutes to be dealt with - and then the Vikings. By the end Gaelic is only spoken in different ways in Ireland, Scotland and Wales- all being stalked and assailed by the English Kingdom's ascendance. It's great stuff- and the reader will be able to understand the warfare of at least four distinct eras- Ancient, Dark Ages, Medieval and Renaissance. It's not definitive- this was first published in 1986- but its a really good start.

With its storytelling style and little graphic gore, this book is fine for any Junior reader over about 11- a good choice if the kid is motivated by their own genealogy (so many Americans, north and south can claim Irish or Scottish heritage). For the Gamer/Modeller/Ancient Warfare Enthusiast, this is a great resource. It's a good starting place all in one- and a great sort of single book you can give a Sci-Fi/Fantasy player in your club and bring them up to date for an Ancients Campaign/Tourney. A strong rec, especially for those great colour plates!

[Andrew McAuley · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read, although I found that the author used a few legends, such as the 12 battles of King Arthur, and included these as fact. I also felt that the inclusion of the Viking conquest and Edward I & II's wars in Wales/Scotland were slightly pushing the limits of what could be considered celtic conflict. I was rather expecting a focus on earlier warlords, both in Britain and in Europe, although the author focuses entirely on Britain and Ireland.

I enjoyed all of five sections: most particularly the Irish and Scots against the Tudors, as it's a period my knowledge is lacking in. The 30 or so pages devoted to each section are enough to give a brief overview for the uninitiated, but are likely to contain little for those well versed in the histories, as there are is seemingly no new research included or new theories, just a presentation of accumulated and condensed knowledge - which is fine and clearly within the intended scope of the book.

The colour illustrations are all good. As with the previous book, the 19th century line drawings are somewhat out of place (to my mind) and probably included just because they are 'free'. We do have some medieval manuscript illustrations which fit nicely in with the text. Newark's work is quite accessible for those of secondary school age and beyond - he doesn't quote latin throughout as many historians like to do or make regular use of long words. On the other hand, there are no footnotes (it's not that type of book).

I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a basic overview on medieval England's conflicts with neighbouring Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

[T. O'Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book on this topic! Recently picked it up again.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covering 2,000 years of Celtic military history Celtic Warriors discusses tactics, leaders, and conflicts. There are some nice illustrations. The work is informative and easy to read.