Who were the Druids?
While religion was a major element in the social and
political structure of the Celts it constituted only one aspect of the pan-Celtic
association known as the priesthood of the Druids. This society succeeded in uniting many
scattered Celtic tribes into a cohesive people through similarity of beliefs and laws.
The Druids formed a large clergy which had many diverse
and specialized functions. They are known to us by long passages in the works of the Greek
and Latin historians and polygraphers: Caesar, Diodoros, Strabo, and Ammianaus
Marcellinus, who enumerated their functions and powers. These writers, however, owe most
of their information to Poseidonios and Timagenes. ( Being unfamiliar with Latin and Greek
myself, I must rely on the translations of true scholars such as Joyce, Dobie, Rhys, and
others.)
A great number of Irish epic texts speak of the Druids.
There are also many legal texts regarding the functions and powers of the “Fili”
(poets and men of letters), who formed a corporation parallel and to some extent rivaling
that of the Druids. The two bodies, however, lived side by side, were complementary to
each other and, in earlier times, were associated in their organizations and privileges.
Even so, Christianity spared the Fili but wrought total havoc with the Druids.
Where are the Druids from?
There is historical evidence of Druids in Ireland, Britain,
and Gaul. Although we have no direct confirmation of Druids in the Celtic settlements of
Spain, Italy, Galatia, and the Danube valley, there seems no reason for denying that they
existed among those branches of the race. The travels and meetings of the Druids cemented
the union of the Celtic peoples and encouraged a sense of kinship which might have given
birth to unity.
Some students believe that Druidism had its origin west
of the Celtic counties. These scholars have said that Druidism is not Celtic at all but
originated with those peoples whom the Celts found established in the west of Europe, the
builders of the megalithic monuments. Caesar tells us that Druidism first started in
Britain, and that the Druids of Gaul used to go to Britain to visit famous schools and
sanctuaries. British Druidism had an equally high reputation in Ireland, and the Irish
Druids went to Britain to complete their education.
The Gauls of Italy had among them persons described as
"Vates" (a word borrowed from the Celtic), who were similar to the Druids and
organized like them. A comparative study of the Druidic institution shows that it was
indeed pan-Celtic and an essential part of the organization of Celtic society.
History shows clearly enough that Druidism emerged as an
element of resistance to the Romans in Gaul and Britain and to Christianity in Ireland. It
was assailed as an enemy with attacks taking the form of persecution in Gaul ( as
evidenced by the campaigns of the Roman generals against sanctuaries in Britain ) and by a
kind of degradation in Ireland. It becomes apparent, then, that Druidism was an element of
resistance because it was an element of cohesion. This fact lends further credence to the
notion that Druidism transcended both geographic boundaries and clan or tribal
delineation.
The literature and law of Ireland was not written down
until after the advent of Christianity. This work was performed by the Fili who,
therefore, appear in a more favorable light than the Druids. However, if we boldly fill in
the gaps in our knowledge of the Druids using what is known of the Fili, we get a picture
of the Druids of Ireland which corresponds at every point to that of the Druids of Gaul.
From this we obtain a check on the accuracy of both portraits and a strong presumption
that we are dealing with a common institution dating from the most distant past of the two
peoples.
Note: The Welsh Druids are an archaeological revival; as are the
affectations of the more recent neo-pagan Druids.
