Daithi O'Hogain's Celtic Warriors

Reviewed By Paul Rice

Celtic Warriors: The Armies of First Great Peoples of Europe, Daithi O'Hogain, (Dunn Books, May 1999). 128 pages, hardcover.

There are dozens of books about the Celts, but this is only the second I've found which focuses almost entirely on Celtic military history. If you're looking for a book which discuses Celtic pottery, metal working, agriculture, burial rituals, mythology, buildings, relics, and other elements of culture, look elsewhere. Imagine a book on Roman military history, giving a mostly chronological and slightly geographical history of the Roman military. That's what this book is for the Celts.

As the Celts had little written culture, almost all the sources are from non-Celtic cultures. O'Hogain, PhD of Irish folklore in Dublin, seems to have integrated every ancient source which mentions the Celts into a nearly cohesive history. Perhaps most unusual was reading about the Punic Wars from the Celtic point of view!

Like almost every book on Irish history I've seen, this one is slightly biased, and even contains a few anti-Roman derogatory comments, although it seems pointless to hold a grudge after two millennia. O'Hogain mentions about 200 sub tribes of Celts. For DBA players the Celtic tribes apply to: Gauls, Galatians, Celtiberians, ancient British, and Caledonian and Picts; and by referencing enemies, includes various Romans and Greeks, as well as Illyrians, Dacians, and Germans.

The book has approximately 100 full color photographs and illustrations, mostly of archaeological artifacts or ruins, and several 18th -20th century paintings of ancient times. The book has too few maps and could use more. He packs a tremendous amount of information in a small book.

Chapter 1: Who Were the Celts?

General background. Early history, and military techniques the various tribes had in common. Just barely touches on Celtic society, behavior, religion, and culture. Author introduces us to his usage of -- and reliance on -- linguistics.

Chapter 2: The Celts in Italy

As the title of the chapter states, this is the history of the Celts in Italy. The author describes the 388 BCE sacking of Roma by Brennos in some detail [note that different sources give different dates for this event]. He covers the almost continuous wars between the various peoples of Italy until the Romans eventually united them. O'Hogain gives two instances of Celt leaders challenging Romans to single combat before a major engagement, and in each case the Roman won, which had to be very embarrassing to the Celt soldiers watching. (Titus Manlius over an unnamed Celt in 361 BCE, Marcus Valerius over an unnamed Celt in 348 BCE. In chapter 4 he mentions Consul Marcus Claudius Marcellus defeated Insubres chieftain Virdomarus in single combat.) Chapter concludes with Roman expansion into Celtic territory.

Chapter 3: The Thrust to the East

Covers the Celtic invasion of Greece in 278 by Brennos (presumably a different Brennos but O'Hogain doesn't clarify this), with considerable emphasis on the sacking of Delphi. Also discusses the Galati expansion into Asia minor, and various campaigns of Celts in Greece and Asia minor.

Chapter 4: Soldiers of Fortune

O'Hogain addresses the use of Celt mercenaries in the Peloponessan War, armies of Pyrhhus, First Punic War, and the subsequent Carthaginian-Mercenary War following it. He discusses the Gaesatae (javelin-men), and then goes into more of the seemingly endless campaigns and battles in Italy between various tribes and Romans, bringing us to the start of the Second Punic War. Chapter 4 ends with the close of the Third Punic War.

Chapter 5: Struggles by the Mediterranean

This chapter details the 2nd century. Covers more campaigns and battles between Rome and Celts in Cisalpine Gaul, Liguria, and Massilia. Discusses more battles of Romans against the Galatians, emphasizing the battles of Mount Olympus and Mount Magaba. A large part of the chapter addresses the various wars and revolts in Hispania (Iberia), Lusitania, and the actions of the Celtiberians, emphasizing the battle of Numantia.

Chapter 6: The Collapse of Gaul

Chapter 6 starts in the mid second century, taking us through the turn of the century and Marius's battles, the Celts' role in the Spartacus slave revolt, some quick references to Sulla, Sertorius's revolt in Spain, and then we move along to Caesar's conquest of Gaul. The latter includes the various interactions with German tribes and leaders, Caesar's playing of one tribe off another, and eventually his expedition into Britain (Albion).

Chapter 7: Survival in the West

This chapter mostly details the history of Celtic Britain, covering the Roman invasion of 43 CE, with various battles and revolts, leading to Boudicca's revolt ca. 61. The story then jumps across the channel to the Rhine and Gaul and the Roman civil war and general mess from 68-70. Back we go to Albion for battles against the Caledonians and Picts and Scottish ancestry.

You may recall the Pagan Celtic Ireland book by Barry Raftery, and the question of whether the original Irish were Celts or were wiped out by the Celts. O'Hogain throws in his two cents: "Ireland had been untouched by the Roman legions, and a Celtic culture flourished there. It is not clear when the Bronze Age inhabitants of Ireland had been conquered or assimilated by the Celts in their westward expansion, but all the evidence is that the country had been fully Celticised from the late centuries BC."

The Irish sail eastward and invade across the Irish Sea. "As the Roman control of Britain weakened, Irish groups began to settle in western Scotland and in the Isle of Man, thus bringing the dialect of Celtic to these areas."

Brittany was founded by Celtic "refugees from the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain in the 5th and 6th Centuries, which brought a Celtic language back to the Continent. This language, Breton, was to be the only variant of Celtic to survive on the whole Continental land-mass."

O'Hogain wraps the book up with a bit of Celtic mythology.

All in all, a good book if you are interested in Celtic military history and not concerned with Celtic culture.

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