The Celts

Timeline Rome Collapses in the West: 476 Early Middle Ages: 500-1000 Medieval Fusion Germanic Celtic Conversion of the Irish to Christianity: 400-600 Irish convert the Anglo-Saxons: 600-800 High Middle Ages: 1000-1300 Late Middle Ages: 1300-1500

“The Empire” c. 500 CE

Raedwald A Germanic king who tomb was a ship buried in a mound His tomb had both pagan and Christian artefacts He or his ancestors may have come from Sweden

Beowulf Written c. 1000 Composed c. 750 Events c. 500

Discuss Beowulf What were the features of the society depicted in the first half of Beowulf? How did the story depict the king, Hrothgar and the warrior, Beowulf? What was the point of Hrothgar’s advice to Beowulf?

Discuss Beowulf What was Grendel? Why was Grendel’s mother an even more formidable foe? What benefit did Beowulf receive for ridding the Danes of Grendel and Mrs. Grendel?

Discuss Beowulf What social groups appear little or not at all in the poem? Who was the likely intended audience for such a poem?

What happened after Beowulf destroyed the beasts in Denmark? The Danes threw a party The Danish king distributed booty The Danish king gave a speech The Danish King allegedly considered adopting Beowulf All of the above

Which of the following is not one of the ways that the poem referred to King Hrothgar? As the grey haired treasure giver As the ring bearer As the protector of the Shieldings As the King of Bright-Danes The home land’s guardian

What were Beowulf’s shortcomings as a king? What factors contributed to the strengthening of kingship during the Early Middle Ages?

Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms c. 700

Laws of Aethelberht of Kent c. 600

Aethelbert of Kent Produced first vernacular legal code in England around 600 CE Germanic Chieftain who converted to Christianity

Discuss Laws of Aethelberht of Kent How did these laws resemble the Code of Hammurabi or the Twelves Tables? How did they differ? What kinds of crimes did they cover? How do these laws reinforce or contradict the image of Germanic society portrayed in Beowulf?

Ordeal by Fire

Features of Barbarian Culture Ruled by warrior elites, who embraced warrior values Honor and bravery Retribution Loyalty Generosity Weak kingship Strong kinship

Features of Christianity by 400 CE Asceticism, connected to preparation for afterlife Evangelical, duty to spread the faith Book religion, promoted literacy Martyrdom, related to asceticism Hierarchical, late addition, reflected in Church organizational structure

Celtic Settlements c. 200 BCE

Tribal Culture of Ancient Celts

Modern Celt An invention of the 18th century

The Celts were often prosperous even though they were politically divided

Hill Fort

Celtic and Roman soldiers c. 100 CE

The Dying Gaul third century BCE

Celtic Suicide c. 230 BCE

Celtic Torques

Animal Head, Oseberg ship burial, University of Oslo, Norway Purse cover from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, British Museum, London

Boudicca 60 CE

Celtic Settlements c. 200 BCE

Celtic Settlements c. 550 CE

St Patrick c. 380-450

Layout of an Irish Monastery

The Proliferation of Irish Monasticism 600-800 CE

Green Martyrdom: Suffering by separating from family

Celtic Metalwork

Celtic Cross

Tonsure & Identity

Roman Tonsure

Christian Evangelism among the English 550-700 CE

Pope Gregory the Great c. 600 author of the life of St. Benedict

Augustine of Canterbury c. 600

Synod of Whitby - 664

Monastic scribes

Illuminated Manuscript: Lion from the Book of Durrow c. 700

Lindisfarne Gospels c. 700 Cross page from the Lindisfarne Gospels, British Museum

Book of Kells c. 800 Artistic Revival

Illuminated Manuscript: The Book of Kells c. 800 CE

Codex Amiatinus c. 700

St. Boniface converts the continental Saxons c. 720

Alcuin of York in the Middle c. 790

Charlemagne r. 768-814

The End

Alleluia Victory c. 429

Monks at Prayer

Overview Background & Timeline Celtic Church Golden Age of Celtic Monasticism

Who were the Celts? Gauls, Britons, Cornish, Irish, Scots, and more European culture common language geographical dispersion no unified political structure male dominated but women had more freedom, higher social status than in Roman society Modern symbols of Celtic identity were mostly attributed to Celts in the 18th century bagpipes (middle eastern origin) kilts tartan

More about Ancient Celts Non-Germanic Fought naked and with abandon Ancient Celtic Religion Polytheistic Love of Natural Settings: groves, streams Priestly class of Druids 20 year apprenticeship studied law, history, magic, poetry, astronomy, divination may have been confined to Gaul and Britain Practiced human and animal sacrifice

Selective Timeline for Celtic History 370 BCE: Celts sack Rome 218 BCE: fight alongside Hannibal against Romans 50: BCE: Caesar’s Gallic Wars commence 43-54 CE: first Gallic aristocrats admitted to Roman Senate 314 CE: British Celts attend Council of Arles 435 CE: St. Patrick begins his conversion of the Irish 500 CE: legendary date of Arthur’s victory over Saxons 600-800 CE: Irish Golden Age 664 CE: Synod of Whitby 800 CE: Irish monks settle in Iceland

Celtic Art and Inventions chain mail barrels shipbuilding techniques Legionairies’ helmets Celtic Art (450-1100) between Roman and Romanesque periods curvilinear patters detailed metalwork illuminated manuscripts (Christian)

Celtic Church Not centrally organized Reflected the loose tribal organization of Celtic culture In place by Constantine’s conversion St Patrick (390?-461?) Born in western Britain Enslaved in Ireland from ages 16-21 escapes to Britain and is disillusioned with Christianity of his family Receives rudiments of Christian education Returns to Ireland to evangelize Converts many Irish who are impressed with his loyalty, courage, and hospitality

Celtic Church Out of touch with Roman Church 450-600 different customs develop conflict ensues St. Columba (521-597) St. Columbana (543-614) Potential Schism avoided (Synod of Whitby, 664) The principal inspiration for Irish Golden Age (600-800) preservation of ancient texts vernacular literature missionaries & monasteries artwork

Celtic Church Distinguishing features monasteries not under episcopal control private penance Celtic tonsure not as hierarchical as Roman model reflected familial, tribal, rural society double monasteries, often ruled by women abbots have authority over bishops the dating of Easter (457-768) encouraged missionaries penitential exile

Celtic Golden Age 600-800 CE Artistic revival in Ireland, Scotland, and Northumbria between 600-800 Illuminated manuscripts and metalwork Reflects both spiritual revival and socio-economic prosperity that accompanied the spread of monasticism Religious content and symbolism

Summary The Celts were a non-Germanic people who occupied a large portion of northern Europe by 200 BCE Their settlements were not united by a single political entity, such as the Roman Empire Instead the political structure was local and tribal Women probably occupied more prominent positions in Celtic society than in other barbarian societies Gradually, Roman and Germanic invasions overtook most Celtic settlements outside of the British Isles

Summary Although the Celtic Church was clearly in place by 300 CE, the large scale conversion of Irish Celts did not occur until the 5th century Following the missionary work of St. Patrick, Celts gravitated toward monasticism and were responsible for the proliferation of monasteries throughout much of Europe from 600 - 800 CE During the period, Celtic monks preserved many ancient texts and developed a distinctive Celtic Christian culture

The article that we read on Beowulf primarily addressed… The poet’s sense of history The poet’s crusading rhetoric The poet’s clear hatred of pagans Grendel’s family tree Grendel’s symbolic meaning

The reading in Hunt for today covered… The Merovingian Franks The Carolingian Franks The Celts The Anglo-Saxons .

Sutton Hoo Burial Mounds