Celtic
The Celts used beet juice to dye cloth red.
In approximately 60-61 CE, Boudica, Queen of the Iceni, a Celtic tribe, and known as the Warrior Queen led an uprising against the Romans harsh occupation of Briton. Upon her death, her people buried her in an unknown location which the Romans could never discover.
The Celts Loved To Trade
In around 600BC, the Greeks established the trading colony of Massalia (Marseilles) which paved the way for trading relations with the Celts. The ancient tribes finally got to sample exotic Greek goods such as olive oil and grapes but the most popular import at that time was wine. The Celts probably traded items such as furs, tin, salt and amber which were gratefully received by the Greeks as these items were rare in the Mediterranean.
They Were Excellent Warriors
We already know the Celts liked a fight but it is often assumed they were ill-disciplined compared to their Roman counterparts. However, the Celts were actually very well-trained and more than a match for any army they came across. Such was their reputation for fighting that King Ptolemy II of Egypt enlisted the help of Celtic mercenaries during the 3rd Century BC. However, they were a little bit too good for Ptolemy’s liking; he feared they would turn on him so he had them shipped to a deserted island in the Nile!
One of the reasons why the Celts ultimately lost to the Romans was due to a lack of unity as opposed to a lack of combat training. It was common for Celtic tribes to fight among themselves and this enabled the unified Romans to band together and defeat a dangerous foe.
Incidentally, the Celts did NOT fight naked! They actually used metal plates, chain mail and leather padding as armour.
The Celts Created A Road Network Before The Romans
The early Celts created a trading centre of their own near the source of the Danube river in 625BC. It was the most important trading location in the Celtic world for around 150 years; by 450BC, the Celts expanded they’re trading network throughout Europe and traded in luxury goods. At this time, the Celts created the famous Tin Road which began in Massalia and spread to Britain and the Amber Road through the Moravian Gate into modern day Danzig.
Yet this road building skill was not only used for long distance trade; historian Graham Robb analysed the positioning of Celtic towns in Ireland, France and Britain and found the Celts had positioned them deliberately to mirror the paths of their Sun God in what has now been called the ‘most accurate map in the ancient world’. The Romans probably based their road building on what the Celts did and with a lack of written language to outline their achievements, what they did was lost in the mists of time (and Roman propaganda!)
Sources… https://www.celtic-weddingrings.com/celtic-history/10-interesting-facts-about-the-celts.aspx
