WG Celtic Warriors as Galatians?

[bren]

You are quite right. The ethnonyn 'Celtic' does not denote the united people of a single state, but covers an innumerable population that inhabited vast regions of Europe, the demographic core of which manifests identical or similar culture-historical features during all the main periods of its existence.

For example Gaul, we all assume, was inhabited by 'Gauls'. In fact there were three different Celtic groups living there. Caesar tells us at the beginning of the Gallic Wars that - 'Gallia est omnis in partis tres, quarum incolunt Belgae, aliam Aquitaini, tertiam, qui ipsorum lingua Celtae, nostra Galli appellantur' i.e. - "All Gaul is divided into three parts, one of which the Belgae inhabit, the Aquitani another, those who in their own language are called Celts, in our Gauls, the third".

So within the umbrella term 'Celtic' there were very different ethnic branches or groups, who however shared similar 'Celtic' cultural traits - language, religion, material culture etc.

Hope that helps

[wargame_insomniac]

Hmmnn. After reading AMPW I have started flicking through WRG's Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. On page 117 it notes that "the Romans thought of the hexagonal shield as being typically German".

Then again if the Belgae are geographically between the Gallic and the German tribes, it would make sense that theyare influenced by both and use similar weapons, helmets and shields. So will go ahead and use them for Galatians- it is not as if have huge choice of shields in Celtic Warrior box set.

Cheers

James

[Phil]

Hmmnn. After reading AMPW I have started flicking through WRG's Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. On page 117 it notes that "the Romans thought of the hexagonal shield as being typically German".

Speaking personally James, I'd take almost anything said in 'Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome' with a large pinch of salt unless I had other evidence to back up what it's saying. I've no idea where the idea that "the Romans thought of the hexagonal shield as being typically German" comes from - I certainly don't remember reading it in Tacitus' Germania or any of the other original sources...

Not that I'm the world's greatest expert - I'm just naturally suspicious and have a bit of a nose for bulls**t!!

Cheers,
Phil

[wargame_insomniac]

Hmmnn. After reading AMPW I have started flicking through WRG's Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome. On page 117 it notes that "the Romans thought of the hexagonal shield as being typically German".

Speaking personally James, I'd take almost anything said in 'Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome' with a large pinch of salt unless I had other evidence to back up what it's saying. I've no idea where the idea that "the Romans thought of the hexagonal shield as being typically German" comes from - I certainly don't remember reading it in Tacitus' Germania or any of the other original sources...

Not that I'm the world's greatest expert - I'm just naturally suspicious and have a bit of a nose for bulls**t!!

Cheers,
Phil

Thanks Phil. So you would nt recommend buying the book then? I had thought it might be worth picking up a copy to read thoroughly.

Cheers

James

[bren]

This might help. This is a depiction of a Galatian shield on one of their own coins (Deiotarus 1c. BC):

GalDeiot.JPG (30.3 KiB) Viewed 1262 times

[Phil]

Thanks Phil. So you would nt recommend buying the book then? I had thought it might be worth picking up a copy to read thoroughly.

I'd save my money! It's 30+ years old, and it wasn't great when it was published. A lot has happened in ancient history and archaeology since those days too.

Phil

[wargame_insomniac]

Thanks Bren- that looks distinctly hexagonal which reinforces Phil's earlier point about veracity of WRG's Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome and the comment about hexagonal shields being typically German.

Thanks Phil- in which case I owe you a coffee out of the £30 that you have saved me!