What happened to the Druids

conquest of the druids refers to the Roman campaign against the druid stronghold on the island of Anglesey (Mona) in 60-61 AD and their subsequent final subjugation by Gnaeus Julius Agricola in 78 AD, which effectively ended the druids as a significant political and religious power in Roman Britain. While the Romans focused their conquest on Anglesey in Wales, they also encountered druidic practices in Gaul and Ireland, but the Anglesey campaign was their most direct and decisive attempt to eliminate druidism. 

The Roman Invasion of Anglesey (60-61 AD)

• Targeting Druidism:

  The Roman governor, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, targeted the island of Anglesey because it was a major druidic center. 

• The Battle:

  Roman soldiers encountered druids and women dressed as furies on the shores of Anglesey, chanting and creating a terrifying spectacle that initially intimidated the Roman troops. 

• Destruction of Sacred Sites:

  The Roman army eventually overcame their fear and routed the defenders. Paulinus then ordered the destruction of the sacred groves (nemeta), where he believed inhumane superstitions, including human sacrifice, took place. 

• Interruption and Completion:

  News of Boudica's revolt interrupted Paulinus's conquest, but the island was finally brought into the Roman Empire by Gnaeus Julius Agricola in 78 AD. 

Broader Context and Later Developments

• Roman Suppression Elsewhere:

  The Roman government had suppressed druid orders in Gaul earlier, and druids disappeared from the written record by the 2nd century. 

• Christianity and Druids in Ireland and Scotland:

  While the Roman conquest focused on Britain, druidic practices likely also existed in Ireland and Scotland.However, by the time Irish monks began to write about them, often portraying druids as opponents of Christianity, the actual druidic traditions had long vanished. 

• English Isles Context:

  The term "English Isles" typically refers to the later Anglo-Norman conquest of the British Isles starting in the 12th century, which was a separate, later process aimed at consolidating English control over Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The conquest of the druids by the Romans was an earlier event in the Roman conquest of Britain.

Druids in ancient Celtic societies were versatile figures serving as priests, teachers, judges, political advisors, and healers, holding significant power and influence. They were spiritual leaders overseeing religious practices, responsible for transmitting vast amounts of oral lore and philosophy. They also acted as healers and medicinal experts, using nature and possibly mistletoe for their remedies. As teachers and judges, they educated the youth, adjudicated conflicts, and advised rulers, making them integral to the social and political order of their communities.  

Role as Spiritual Leaders and Teachers

• Priests and Ritual Experts:

  Druids officiated at religious ceremonies and sacrifices, playing a central role in the spiritual life of Celtic communities. 

• Lorekeepers and Philosophers:

  They preserved and taught an extensive oral tradition, including astronomy, natural philosophy, and the beliefs about the afterlife, such as reincarnation. 

• Educators:

  The education of children was a significant part of the Druidic role, involving a long period of study to learn the vast oral teachings by heart. 

Role as Healers

• Doctors and Potions:

  Druids were recognized as medical professionals who made potions and medicines from natural ingredients. 

• Ritualistic Gatherings:

  They had deep reverence for nature, using specific plants like mistletoe for healing purposes. 

Other Key Roles

• Judges and Arbitrators:

  They presided over courts of justice and mediated community disputes, holding great authority in their decisions. 

• Political Advisors:

  Druids offered counsel to rulers and chieftains, sometimes even acting to pacify warring tribes and ensure peace. 

• Guardians of Knowledge:

  In their roles as lorekeepers and judges, they helped maintain the social and political order through their wisdom and impartiality. 

Sources of Information 

• Due to Druids' oral tradition, our understanding comes primarily from the accounts of their contemporaries, such as the Greeks and Romans, including writers like Julius Caesar and Pliny the Elder.