Caesar's Druids: Story of an Ancient Priesthood

Description

Ancient chroniclers, including Julius Caesar himself, made the Druids and their sacred rituals infamous throughout the Western world. But in fact, as Miranda Aldhouse-Green shows in this fascinating book, the Druids’ day-to-day lives were far less lurid and much more significant. Exploring the various roles that Druids played in British and Gallic society during the first centuries B.C. and A.D.—not just as priests but as judges, healers, scientists, and power brokers—Aldhouse-Green argues that they were a highly complex, intellectual, and sophisticated group whose influence transcended religion and reached into the realms of secular power and politics. With deep analysis, fresh interpretations, and critical discussions, she gives the Druids a voice that resonates in our own time. No illustrations! "Rights were not granted to include illustrations in electronic media." Contents Figures Acknowledgements Preface CHAPTER 1 The Moon and the Mistletoe IN SEARCH OF ANCIENT DRUIDS CHAPTER 2 Noble Savages and Barbarous Enemies CHAPTER 3 Priests and Power CHAPTER 4 Blood, Thunder and Precious Gifts THE DRUIDS AND SACRIFICE CHAPTER 5 Druids, Oracles and Shamans CHAPTER 6 The Time Lords: Calendars, Festivals and Sacred Knowledge CHAPTER 7 Holy Ground SANCTUARIES AND SACRED LANDSCAPES CHAPTER 8 The Druids’ Toolkit REGALIA AND RITUAL EQUIPMENT CHAPTER 9 Druids and Doctrine EARTH, SPIRIT AND UNDERWORLD CHAPTER 10 Images and Tombs DRUIDS FACE TO FACE? CHAPTER 11 Gender Matters DRUIDS, DRUIDESSES AND GENDER-CROSSERS CHAPTER 12 Druids Underground REBELLION, RESISTANCE AND REVITALISATION IN THE WESTERN ROMAN PROVINCES Epilogue: Druid Afterlife Notes Bibliography Index