Greek and Roman References to the Celts
Due to their close relationship (mostly antagonistic), it is only natural that the Greeks and Romans would write about their neighbors. These early writings on the various Celtic tribes, their culture and religion are quite illuminating, as the Celts left no writings of their own until several centuries after the introduction of Christianity. Some, like Tacitus, are somewhat sympathetic to their subject, while others, such as Pliny, regard them as barbarians with con-men for leaders. C'est la vive.
| Greek | English | |
| Anonymous (6th C BCE) | ||
| Massaliote Periplus (lost) | ||
| Hecataeus of Miletus (fl. 560 - 480 BC) | ||
| See Herodotus | ||
| Herodotus (~440 BCE) | ||
| Ιστοριαι | The Histories | |
| Plato (427-347 BCE) | ||
| Laws: On Drunkeness. | ||
| Pytheas of Massallia | ||
| Περί τού Ωκεανού | On the Ocean (lost) | |
| Aristotle (384 BC – March 7, 322 BC) | ||
| Eudemian Ethics | ||
| Nicomachean Ethics | ||
| Politics | ||
| Apollonius of Rhodes (3rd C BCE) | ||
| Argonautica: the Celtic Apollo | ||
| Polybius (~203 BC - 120 BC) | ||
| The Histories | ||
| Parthenius of Nicea (fl. 70 BCE) | ||
| Erotica Pathemata | Of the Sorrows of Love: How Herakles begot Celtus on Celtine. | |
| Diodorus Siculus (fl. 50 BCE) | Διόδωρος Σιズελιώτης | |
| Bibliotheka Historia | ||
| Dionysius of Halicarnassus (c.60 BC - after 7 BC) | ||
| Roman Antiquities: The Sack of Rome by Brennus and the Gauls | ||
| Strabo (~64/63 BCE - 24 CE) | ||
| Geography: Book Three: Iberia | ||
| Geography: Book Four: Celtica | ||
| Josephus (30 CE - 100) | ||
| Antiquitates Judaicae | The Antiquities of the Jews: On the Gauls | |
| Antiquitates Judaicae | The Antiquities of the Jews: Herod is given Gauls as guards | |
| De bello Judaico | The Wars of the Jews: on the rebellion of the Gauls | De bello Judaico | The Wars of the Jews: Gauls in Herod Antipas' funeral procession | De bello Judaico | The Wars of the Jews: Herod Agrippa's warning against rebellion |
| Contra Apionem | Against Apion: On Greek Ignorance | |
| Claudius Ptolemy (85 CE - 165) | ||
| Γεογραφια | Geography: | |
| Ίούερνία | Book II, Ch.1: Ireland | |
| Αλουιον | Book II, Ch. 2: Albion (Britain) | |
| Aquitania Gallia | ||
| Lugdunensis Gallia | ||
| Belgica Gallia | ||
| Narbonensis Gallia | ||
| Lucius Flavius Arrianus 'Xenophon' (ca. 86 - after 146) | ||
| Αλέξανδρου Αναβασις | Anabasis of Alexander | |
| Lucian of Samosata (120 CE - 180) | ||
| Introduction to Herakles: the description of Ogmios. | ||
| Cassius Dio Cocceianus (c. 155 – after 229) | ||
| Roman History: | ||
| Book VII: The Gaulish Invasion of Rome (with Zonaras' commentaries) | ||
| Book VIII: The Gaulish support for Carthage | ||
| Caesar's Gallic War and Invasion of Britain: Book XXXVIII, XXXIX, Book XL | ||
| Book LXII: Bodicca and the British Revolt | ||
| Book LXIII: Vindex and the Gaulish Revolt | ||
| Philostratus | ||
| Life of Apollodorus Tyanus: The Celts of Iberia | ||
| Pausianas (fl. 2nd C. CE) | ||
| The Description of Greece: The Sack of Delphi by Brennus and Bolgius | ||
| Polyaenus (mid 2nd C CE) | ||
| History 8.39 | ||
| Maximus of Tyre (late 2nd C CE) | ||
| Logoi | Dissertations: on the Celtic worship of Zeus | |
| Herodian of Syria (c. 170-240) | ||
| History of the Empire: On an appearance of Belenus at Aquileia | ||
| Athenaeus of Naucratis (fl. 200 AD) | ||
| Δειπνοσοφισταί | Deipnosophists: The Dinner Party | |
| Diogenes Laertius (fl. 230 CE) | ||
| The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers introduction | ||
| Dionysius Periegetes (fl. 275 CE) | ||
| Οίκουμένης περιήγησις | Orbis Terrae Descriptio | |
| Ephorus of Cymae (<350 CE) | ||
| Universal History | ||
| Zosimus (ca 450-510) | ||
| Historia Nova, Book VI.1-13 | ||
| Olympiodorus (fl. 412-425 AD) | ||
| Histories (extracted from Photius' Bibliotheka.) | ||
| Procopius (545 AD) | ||
| De Bellis | The Gothic Wars: On Britain & Brittia | |
| Latin | English | |
| Cicero (106-43 BC) | ||
| De Divinatione | On Divination | |
| Julius Caesar (July 13, 100 BC – March 15, 44 BC) | ||
| Commentarii de Bello Gallico | The Gallic Wars | |
| The Gallic Wars: selections from book six | ||
| Livy (~59 BCE - AD CE) | ||
| The History of Rome: Book Five: The Gauls destroy Rome. | ||
| Claudius (August 1, 10 BC – October 13, 54 CE) | ||
| Arcus Claudii | Arch of Claudius | |
| Oratio ad senatum de iure honorum Gallis dando | Lyon Tablet: On Admitting Gauls as Citizens | |
| Pomponius Mela (fl. 40 CE) | ||
| De Situ Orbis: Galliae | ||
| Pliny the Elder (23 - 79 CE) | ||
| Natural History: selections | ||
| Senatus PopulusQue Romanus (52 CE) | ||
| Triumphal Arch of Claudius | Triumphal Arch of Claudius | |
| Lucan (November 3, AD 39 - April 30, 65) | ||
| Pharsalia: selections from book one | ||
| Valerius Flaccus (70 CE) | ||
| Argonautica | ||
| Titus Catius Silius Italicus (25 or 26 - 101 CE) | ||
| Punica, Book III. | ||
| Marcus Valerius Martialis (March 1 40 - ca 102 AD) | ||
| Epigrams | ||
| Dion Chrysostom (ca. 40–ca. 120) | ||
| Orations XLIX | ||
| Mestrius Plutarchus (c. 46- 127) | ||
| The Life of Camillus: The Sack of Rome by Brennus and the Gauls | ||
| Moralia | from Moralia: On the Bravery of Women: | |
| VI. The Celtic Women | ||
| XX. Camma | ||
| XXI. Stratonice | ||
| XXII. Chiomara | ||
| XXIII. a Woman of Pergamum | ||
| Decimus Iunius Iuvenalis | ||
| Satires | ||
| Marcus Valerius Martialis (March 1 40 - ca 102 AD) | ||
| Epigrams | ||
| Tacitus (c. 55–c. 117 CE) | ||
| The Life of Agricola | ||
| Annals: selections | ||
| History: selections from book four | ||
| Suetonius (75-160 CE) | ||
| Selections from The Lives of the Twelve Caesars: | ||
| Julius Caesar | ||
| Augustus | ||
| Caligula and Claudius | ||
| Nero | ||
| Lucius Apuleius Platonicus (c. AD 123/125-c. AD 180) | ||
| Metamorphoses: On a statue of Epona | The Golden Ass | |
| Tertullian (ca. 155 – 230) | ||
| De Anima | On Spirits: on oracles | |
| Apologeticus | Apologetics: on gods | |
| Ad Nationes | On Nations: on Epona and the worship of Asses | |
| Minucius Felix (ca. 166 - 198) | ||
| Octavius: on Epona | ||
| Claudius Aelianus (ca. 175–ca. 235) | ||
| De Natura Animalium | On Animals | |
| Book XII: On geese saving Rome from the Gauls | ||
| Book XVII: On Celts and Birds | ||
| Origen (185 - 254 CE) | ||
| Against Celus | ||
| Marcus Junianus Justinus (3rd C. CE) | ||
| Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus: on the Gallic sack of Delphi. | ||
| Clement of Alexandria (d. 211-216?) | ||
| The Stromata | ||
| Hippolytus, St. (d. 236 CE) | ||
| The Refution of All Heresies | ||
| Flavius Eutropius (ca. 370 CE) | ||
| Historiae Romanae Breviarium | ||
| Decimus Magnus Ausonius (c. 310-395 CE) | ||
| Attius Patera | Attius Patera | |
| To the Latin grammarians | To the Latin grammarians | |
| Prudentius | ||
| Apotheosis: on Epona | ||
| Ammianus Marcellinus (325/330-391+ CE) | ||
| Res Gestae Divi Augustae | Roman History: The Origin of the Gauls | |
| Jerome, St. (340/2 - Sept. 30, 420 CE) | ||
| Ad Iovinanus | Against Jovinanus: on Celtic cannibalism | |
| Paulus Orosius (385-420 CE) | ||
| Historium adversum paganos | ||
| Claudius Claudianus (f. 395-404) | ||
| de consulatu Stilichonis | On Stilicho's Consulship | |
| de bello Gothico | The Gothic War | |
| In Eutropium | Against Eutropius | |
| In Rufinus | Against Rufinus | |
| Marcellus Empiricus of Bordeaux (late 4th c.) | ||
| De medicamentis liber: excerpts | The "Gallic" Medical Book: excerpts | |
| De medicamentis liber: complete | The "Gallic" Medical Book | |
| Aelius Lampridius (late 4th century?) | ||
| The Life of Severus Alexander | ||
| Postumius Rufius Festus Avienus (4th century) | ||
| Ora Maritima | ||
| St. Augustine of Hippo (November 13, 354 – August 28, 430) | ||
| Civitate Dei | The City of God: on Gallic Demons | |
| Flavius Vopiscus (late 4th century?) | ||
| Historia Augusta | The Later Caesars: Diocletian and the Druidess | |
| Hermias Sozomenus (ca. 400 - 450) | ||
| Ecclessiastic History | ||
| Cyril of Alexandria (412-444 AD) | ||
| Contra Julianum 4 | ||
| Anonymous (ca. 420 CE) | ||
| Notitia Dignitatum | Register of Dignitaries | |
| Prosperi Tironis (fl. 433 - 455 CE) | ||
| Epitoma Chronicon | ||
| Anonymous (ca. 450 CE) | ||
| Narratio de imperatoribus domus Valentinianae et Theodosiane | ||
| Victorius of Aquitaine (fl. 457) | ||
| Cursus Paschalis | Cursus Paschalis | |
| Fulgentius (ca. 500) | ||
| On Semones and Epona | ||
| Saint Isidore of Seville (c. 560 – April 4, 636) | ||
| Etymologiae | Etymologies | |
| Anonymous | ||
| Maritime Itinerary of Antonius Augustus | ||
| Nomina provinciarum omnium | ||
| Orphic Argonautica | ||
| Panegyric on Constantine Augustus | ||
| Panegyric on Constantius Caesar | ||
| Anonymous (ca. 700 CE) | ||
| Ravenna Cosmography | ||