|
|
Post by Ross Broadstock on Sept 3, 2019 9:49:09 GMT
This article is packed with information. I wouldnt agree with some of the dating and more explanation that the British Druids were not related in any way to the French Celtic religions. The Roman writers that described Druidism had not been to Britain and the descriptions do not apply. The key areas of Druidism appear to be one God, a trinity and a soul that will reincarnate. Thanks to Lenny Bee on the Facebook group for finding this.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter on Sept 26, 2019 17:02:41 GMT
With acknowledgement to Natalia Klimczak, posted in Ancient Origins, Sep, 2019. www.ancient-origins.net/history/female-druids-forgotten-priestesses-celts-005910?fbclid=IwAR1cnvc83LI7jp7PgbmNp3R_q_oLvl9yDEglPkgV6ROROCy0dSMYU7O4WYAFemale Druids, the Forgotten Priestesses of the CeltsIn medieval Irish legends they were called Banduri or Bandorai. Their existence was confirmed by ancient Greek and Roman writers. But who were the legendary female Druids? The Druids were the ancient religious leaders, scientists and researchers of the Celtic society. For centuries, there was a common misconception that Druids were only male. However, numerous historical records attest to the fact that there were in fact women among their ranks.
The Wise Ones of Celtic society
The term "Druid", comes from the Indo-European word "deru”, which means "the truth" or "true". This word has evolved into the Greek term "drus", meaning "oak".
The Druids were the intellectual elite. Being a Druid was a tribal function, but they were also poets, astronomers, magicians, and astrologers. It took them 19 years to gain the necessary knowledge and skills in alchemy, medicine, law, the sciences, and more. They organized intellectual life, judicial processes, had skills to heal people, and were involved in developing strategies for war. They were an oasis of wisdom and highly respected in their society.
"The Druidess", oil on canvas, by French painter Alexandre Cabanel (1823–1890) ( Public Domain )
Roman Accounts of the Druidesses
Gaius Julius Caesar was fascinated with the Druids. He wrote that they were scientists, theologians, and philosophers, and acquired knowledge that was extraordinary. According to experts in Caesar's writings, the great Roman leader was well aware of the female Druids. Unfortunately, most of the Roman writers ignored women in general, so it is not easy to find reference to them in historical texts. However, Strabo wrote about a group of religious women who lived on an island near the Loir River. In ‘Historia’, Augusta is a description of Diocletian, Alexander Severus and Aurelian, who discussed their problems with the female Druids.
|
|
