The Ancient Romans were once the most powerful empire in the world. Their borders stretched Rome all the way to northern Europe, the United Kingdom, and much of northern Africa. Their trade routes were long, complex, and extremely profitable, and it allowed the Romans to create an empire that last almost 2000 years in total.
They were also formidable warriors, and much of Rome’s successes can be attributed to the well-fed and well-trained armies that marched across much of the earth for hundreds of years. When they encountered the ancient Celts, it turned into all-out war, and it’s something that baffled historians for a long time.
Some Context Of Roman Conquering
The Romans under the reign of Emperor Claudius has invaded the British Isles during the first century. They were met with Celtic warriors, who became known for their tenacity, courage, and fierce resistance. Despite how well they fought, they would eventually fall to the well-trained Roman armies. The Romans took over and began to expand their empire, but not everyone was happy with the invasion, and small groups of opposition began to spring up throughout much of northern Britain and Scotland.
One of the most prominent groups were the Druids, who were ruthlessly targeted by the Romans.
The Druids
The Druids represented the priesthood of the Celtic. They were the soothsayers, judges, poets, teachers, and the healers, and would also provide advice to the leaders and chiefs of the Celts. Their roles varied greatly, but they all generally upheld the heritage and belief systems of the Celts. The Druids of ancient Britain were the first that the Romans had come across, and Caesar himself has encountered Druids during the Roman Conquest of Gaul.
What has puzzled many is why the Romans felt the need to persecute the Druids at every turn. It’s not believed to have been because of religious differences; the Romans were quite accepting of other religions, and a large part of the conquest was based on adoption rather than violence.
The Druids were different, and the Romans had no intention of peacefully accepting their beliefs and allowing them to join the empire. Many philosophers, historians, poets, thinkers, and writers at the time expressed their respect for the Druids, as they were essentially the philosophers, poets, and writers of the Celtic world, and why their likeness has been used in many forms of media, ranging from shows, bookies, and even Australian pokies online.
Who Was To Blame?
It’s ultimately believed that it was the Druids themselves that were a part of the resistance to becoming a part of the empire. The Druids were an important part of the rebellions that the Romans faced and were linked to several resistance movements and even battles.
The Druids never wanted to accepted Roman rule and worked hard to try and halt their invasion and disrupt their plants as much as they could. The Romans were not the sole reason for the decline and disappearance of the Romans, but their invasion changed the Druids forever.
