Peasant
Group: Celtic Nation
Posts: 15
Joined: 24-Mar-2010
Zodiac: Hawthorn
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I came across this article and list of Celtic Tribes of Europe recently and thought it might help with research on the subject.
Some detail of the various tribes would be interesting if the researchers could add their findings.
History of the Celts
The story of the Celts begins in prehistory, the time before written records were kept. Originating in what is now Eastern Europe, the Celts appear to have moved west along the main trading arteries of the time, especially the river Danube, into modern Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. By the beginning of the classical period (about 500 BC), they were a large group of tribes and races spread over a wide area of Europe, from Scotland and Ireland in the north-west to Russia in the east, and to the Mediterranean in the south.
By the time the existence of the Celts was recorded by the Greek writer Ephorus in the fourth century B.C., they were so numerous that he named them as one of the four great barbarian peoples in the world. Their unity was not that of a nation or empire in the Greek or Roman sense, but was more cultural in nature, with no clear central authority. Celtic tribes dominated a huge area, and had their own individual identities, but they shared many common roots including similarities in language, religion, and lifestyle. They probably called themselves something similar to Celts, from which the Greeks got their word for 'stranger' - keltoi.
Much of what we know about the Celtic culture of this period comes from two great archeological sites - one near Lake Halstatt in Austria, and the other at La Tène on the river Thielle in Switzerland. These sites have been a rich source of artifacts, and have provided us with some of the most beautiful artistic works of the Pagan Celtic era.
It is around 800 BC, with the Halstatt culture, that we can see the emergence of a distinctive and highly developed culture of craft and decoration - the first Golden Age of Celtic art. The decorations on the jewelry and other artifacts found at Halstatt had already developed the characteristics that we associate with Celtic art - spirals, animal designs (zoomorphs), knotwork and fretwork were all in evidence. Styles developed rapidly as the tribes and their chieftains became richer, sometimes through conquest, but also through trade. One German chief of around 550 BC was buried wearing a silk cloak which must have come originally from China.
From 500 BC to 100 AD, in what we now know as the La Tène period, the rate of stylistic development and innovation slowed, while the number of decorated items being produced increased greatly. This implies a small number of innovators and a lot of copiers, as the style became more popular and the general population wealthier. Oddly, the majority of artifacts are weapons, though this was not a time of great wars. Many of those which have survived were offerings, thrown into sacred wells and other shrines. This may mean that the weapons were not needed for real wars, especially if offering them to the gods kept the peace.
La Tène culture was profoundly affected, and in some areas completely displaced, by the advance of the Roman Empire. But the Celtic tribes survived, and in some cases thrived, during the Roman occupation - while most tribes initially fought against the Roman incursion, most were quickly defeated, and their people assimilated into the new Roman society. But in the furthest reaches of the Empire, the Celtic tribes resisted more firmly, especially in western areas of Britain, France and Asia Minor, where the tribes retained much of their culture and independence. And despite subsequent invasions, occupations and population displacement, this continuity of Celtic culture is maintained right through to the present day by the Celtic languages, which are still spoken in these areas. This is why our modern perspective associates the term Celtic with Wales, Ireland, Scotland, western England, and Brittany. It is also a major reason why the later Christian flowering of Celtic art arose in the British Isles.
NAME- LOCATION(S) Aduatuci- L Meuse River. Aeduii- Mid-France, between Loire and Saône Rivers. Allartes Allobroges- SE France near Lake Geneva Ambarri- Mid-France kinsmen of Aedui Ambiani- N France, near Amiens Ambiliati- Allies of Veneti Ambisontes- Alps Ambivareti Subtribe of Aedui Ambivariti- N of Meuse R. Ambrones- Denmark, France, Central Europe Anacalites- SE England Anari- S. Po Anartes- near Danube Andes- N lower Loire R. Aquitani- Aquitania S of Loire Aremorican- Brittany Arevacians- N Spain Arvaci Arverni- S France (Auvergne Mts.) Atrebates- S England, N France Atuatuci- France Aulerci- S France Ausci- Aquitanian tribe Batavi- Rhine delta Belgae- SW England, Belgium Belli Bellovaci- N France Bibroci- SE England Bigerriones- S France Biturges- Mid-France, Bourges Boii- M France, N Italy, Austria, S Germany Breuci- Yugoslavia Brigantes- N England Britons (Britanni)- S England Cadurci- SW France Caereni- N Scotland Caeroesi- Germanic Caledones- N Scotland, Pictish Caletes- NE France Cantabri- N Spain coast Carnuni- Alps Carnutes- Mid France, SW of Paris, Orleáns Cassi- SE England Catalauni- N France Caturiges- N Italy Catuvellani- Mid-England Celtae- Latin plural for Celts Celtiberi- N Spain Celtiberians- Group of tribes in Portugal & Spain Cenimagni- SE England Cenomani- Verona Ceutrones- N Italy Cimbri (Cimmerians?)- Denmark, Black Sea, France, Asia Minor Cocosates- Aquitanian tribe Condrusi- Germanic Coritani- E England Cornovii- N Scotland, Mid-England, Cornwall Cotini- Czech Republic Creones- W Scotland Curiosolites- French W coast Daci- Mid Balkans Daesitiates- Yugoslavia Damnonians- West Ireland Damnonii- S Scotland De Danann- Denmark, Ireland Dardani- S Danube Deceangli- N Wales Decumates- S Germany Delmatae- Yugoslavia Demetae- W Wales Diablintes- Veneti allies Dorians- Celt like, Greece Dumnonii- Cornwall, England Durotiges- SE England Eburones- Namur, France Eburovices- N France Elusates- Aquitanian tribe Epidii- W Scotland Eravisci- Hungary Esubii- France W coast Gabali- Near Averni Gaesatae- N Italy Galatians- Gallacia, Turkey not a tribe a general term Galacians- Galacia, Spain perhaps the same as next Gallaeci- Gallacia, Spain Garumni- Aqutianian tribe Gates- Geidumni- Nervii Subtribe Graiceli- Grudii- Nervii subtribe Harudes- Denmark, Central Europe ? Germanic Helvetii- Switzerland Helvii- Switzerland Heraclids- Celt like, Greece Iceni- E England Insubres- N Italy, Milan Laii- N Po Latovici- Switzerland Lemovices- North of Limoges, France Lepontii- N Italy Leuci- SE France Levaci- Nervii subtribe Lexovii- Normandy Libici- N Po Ligurians- N Italy, assimilated Lingones- SE France, E Italy Lusitanians- Portugal, Celtiberians Lusones Maeatae- Scotland Mandubii- NW France Marcomanni- Austria ? Germanic Mediomatrices- Alps Meldi- E Paris Melisians- Ireland Menapii- Belgium, France Morini- NE France, Artois Namnetes- Brittany, France Nantuates- Alps Nemetes- S Germany ? Germanic Nervii- Belgium, France Nitiobriges- SW France Nonii Norici Novantae- England Ordovices- Wales Osismi- Brittany, France Pannonii- Hungary Parisii- Mid-England; Paris, France Peledoni Picts- W Scotland Pictones- Western France Pirustae- near Illyria Pleumoxii- Nervii subtribe Prausians Pretani- England Ptainii- Aquitanian tribe Quadii Raurici- Salzburg area Redones- Brittany, France Regni- SE England Remi- N France, Belgium Ruteni- S France Saluvii- S France Santones- W France Scordisci- Yugoslavia Seduni- upper Rhône Segontiaci- SE England Segusiavi- Lyons Selgovae- N England Senones- Mid - France, N Italy Sequani- SE France Sibuzates- Aquitanian tribe Silures- S Wales Sontiates- SW France Suessiones- N France Suetri- Alps Suevi not a tribe, a sacral association of Celts (Langbards, Macromanni, Quadii and Senones) Sugambri- France Taezali- E Scotland Tarrbelli- Aquitanian tribe Tarusates- Aquitanian tribe Taurini- Piedmont Taurisci- Yugoslavia Tectosages- Galatia, Turkey, Toulouse Tencteri- France ? Germanic Teutani- Another name for Teutones Teutones- Denmark, Central Europe -Cimbri, France Tevrisci- Slovakia Tigurini- Bordeaux Titti Tolistobogii- Galatia, Turkey Tolosates- N Italy Treveri- S Germany, Belgium Trinovantes- S England Tricasses- N France Trocini Trocmi- Galatia, Turkey Trumpilini- Alps Tulingi- NE of Helvetii Turones- Near Tours, France Ubii- N Rhine, France Umbrians- Apennine peninsula, Mid Italy Usipetes- France ? Germanic Vangianes- France - Germanic Veliocasses- Lower Seine R. Velnani- Alps Vendelici- S Germany Venelli- Normandy Venetii- Brittany, France Venicones- E Scotland Venoti- Alps Veragri- Alps Vindelici- Manching Viromandui- NE France Virusii- Alps Vaccaei- Portugal, Celtiberians Vocates- S France Voconti- SE France Volcae- S France Volcae Arecomici- SE France Volcae Tectosages- Czech Republic Votadini- S Scotland
Celtic Tribes In Ireland Amalgado - Killala area, Mayo Baiscin - W. Clare Cairpre Gabra ? Mide Cairpre Dromma Cliab ? Carbury Calraige - Ardagh, Carbury, Ballymote Carbri Riada - Antrim & Alba (Dal Riada) Carbris - NE Sligo, N Leitrim Cenél Maine - Lough Forbes Cenél Fiachach ? Durrow Chera - Castlebar, Mayo Ciarraige - N River Suck Ciarraige Airtig - W Lough Gara Clann Cholmáin ? Mide Colla DaCrioch - Colla Uais - Colla Maen - Conmaicne Cúile Tolad - E Lough Mask Conmaicne Mara ? Connemara Conmaicne Réin - Carrick-on-Shannon Corca Mruad ? Burren Corco Moga - W River Suck Corco Fir Thri - W Lough Arrow Cuircni - E Lough Ree Dagda ? Inishowen Dal Cais - Previoulsy known as Deisi, Dalcassians ? Thormond De Danann - Deagades - Subtribe of Earnaan ? Munster Delbna Bethra ? Clonmacnoise Delbna Nuadat - W Lough Ree Delbna - Iar Connacht Earnaan - Lough Erne, Kerry Eberians - South Ireland Eremonians - North Ireland Fir Bolg - Fir Domnann, Domnanians ? Erris Gailenga - Bohola, Mayo Gamanrad - Glenamoy, Mayo Grecraige - N Lough Gara Ithians - Locha - Iar Connacht Luighe - W Cork Luigni ? Sligo Máenmag - S Lough Rea Mag Réin - E Lough Bofin Mag nAi ? Baslick Mag nAirtig - S Lough Gara Mag Luirg - S Lough Key Medraige - Clarinbridge, Galway Melisian - All of Ireland Musciri - Mruadh - Muiresc - Inniscrone, Sligo Nemedians Osraige ? Munster Partaige - S Lough Mask Partholonian - Rudricians ? Ulster Sodhan - Ui Maine country Sogain - Tethbae- E River Suck Ui Briuin Breifne ? Leitrim Ui Ailello ? Boyle Ui Briuin Sinna - W Lough Ree Ui Failgi ? Offaly Ui Neill ? Ulster Ui Fiachrach Mauide - N Lough Conn Ui Briuin Umaill - Between Westport and Newport, Mayo Ui Fiachrach Aidne ? Kiltartan Ui Briuin Seóla - Belclare, Galway Ui Maine - S Connacht Ui Briuin Ai - Central Connacht Ultach - Umorians
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