The Celtic And Roman Religions Essay - 1535 Words

The Religion of Celts Though there are records of deity names, and archaeological remains including altars, little is known about the specific religious beliefs of the Celts. Their burial practices included burying food, weapons, and ornaments with their dead, which suggests a belief in life after death. The druids, the early Celtic priesthood, were said by Caesar to have taught the doctrine of transmigration of souls along with astronomy and the nature and power of the gods. Transmigration is a philosophy of reincarnation incorporating the specific belief that after death, the soul of a living being is then transferred (or transmigrates) into another living form and thus takes birth again. The Irish believed in an Otherworld, which they†¦show more content†¦All instruction was given orally. According to Pomponius Mela the druidic instruction was secret and was carried on in caves and forests. The Druids were prohibited of writing down their knowledge, in order to prevent it from being stolen and learned by the others. The Bards were a professional hereditary cast of highly trained and learned poets, and their chief duty was that of composing and reciting verses on heroes and their deeds, and memorizing the genealogies of their patrons. They were the keepers of the history of their clan and tribes. Bards were masters of versecraft that used assonance, half rhyme and alliteration, and memorized vast numbers of poems. They were chroniclers and satirists. Their satires where seem as powerful curses upon the one being satirized. To run afoul of a poet was a dangerous thing for the Celts, who valued reputation and honor more than life itself. The Vates were the Celt ic prophets with skills of divination, healing, and geomancy. As specialists in the art of healing, the Vates applied natural law to the problems of the human body and mind. They used natural remedies, such as plants, herbs, spices and the derivatives of these. They combined these with solar, lunar, and stellar powers of healing. In order to foresee the future, the Vates usually observed the flight of birds, the movement of clouds and the stars. Also, when seeking knowledge of great importance,Show MoreRelatedHistory of Ancient Celtic Society Essay819 Words   |  4 Pages Ancient Celtic society was a little bit different from those of today. They were governed by a council of nobles; the king was not the law maker, but rather law applier. Their religion and believes also differ from those of today. They had a polytheistic religion which included the existence of more than one divine-being just like Greek or Norse mythology. Women were prominent in the society, they had mo re rights than that time Roman and Greek women did. They lived on better conditionsRead MoreThe Druids Essay771 Words   |  4 PagesThe Druids The Celtic people have a long history. 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The fact that religions are formed by societies, and individuals, using basically the same rules is a context that has persisted over the years, and bears some investigation. This paper examines two religions, ChristianityRead MoreAncient Celtic Mythology: a Vision of Gods and Goddesses2139 Words   |  9 Pagessupernatural reality that the Celts endured, it is necessary to somewhat overlook the myths to see what lies behind them. It is essential to find when and from where the myths originated and how true the storytellers, or narrators, really are. The Celtic gods and goddesses, in such an early mythological time defined as ‘a period when beings lived or events happened such as one no longer sees in our days (Sjoestedt 1994: 2), requ ire much analysis. A diverse collection of documents, literatureRead MoreHalloween from Its Beginning to Now1055 Words   |  4 Pagessense of the amount of time the sun is visible), the celtics thought that they had to â€Å"reinvigorate† the sun. 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