Celtic Castes and Totems

[treegod]

Recently been reading a few books on the Celts. The Celts had a caste system that seems quite well defined. Julius Ceaser called them druides, equites and plebes.

This is how I understand it so far, please correct or enlighten me further

Druides: sacerdotal caste fulfilling intellectual, judicial, political, medical and some artisic functions.

Equites: the warrior aristocrats.

Plebes: "the rest". Further divided into skilled members (craftsmen, artisans, also farmers) and menials/serfs/slaves. This may also include aboriginals (pre-Celtic), foreigners and criminals in some way.

Using this I placed the cards (excluding the dragons) into the caste that I thought fitted them best (which I'll share later). I thought that maybe some might have some difficulty fitting into any one caste but each animal was so clearly defined that I had little trouble figuring something out.

Could there be something to this? Are there totems that are specifically associated with a particular caste?

Also does oak, ash and thorn reflect this caste system too, reflecting druides, equites and plebes respectively?

[oaklight]

You may very well be onto something. That different professions have animal totems is quite common even today; teamsters have the horse, fire fighters have the Dalmatian, I was a submariner, and we have the dolphin (both the fish, also called Mahi-mahi, and the mammal). I think it would be odd indeed, if they didn't have their own totems.

[treegod]

Very true oaklight. Thanks for the examples.

Here are the castes with the animals that I worked out. There may be some subtleties that I've missed or glanced over, which can be discussed. Some had obvious references and others are guesswork. Some animals could easily be in other castes but I'll leave that to your contemplation. I'd love to hear other's ideas.

Druides: Hare, Crane, Hind, Adder, Hawk, Wren, Swan, Hind, Stag, Owl, Eagle, Salmon, Seal, Otter, Frog

Equites: Raven, Fox, Dog, Cat, Horse, Boar, Bull, Wolf, Bear

Plebes: Cow, Ram, Bee, Sow, Blackbird, Goose

I think what suprises me is that many of the animals slip into one category or another very easily, even though the author (CC PCG ) did not have any particular structure in mind, especially a caste structure!

Perhaps we can say that the underlying structure of Celtic society and cosmology could easily be reconstructed from some of the clues left behind. I also think that if one is to understand the Celts, their lifestyle and worldview, then the caste system/s they used should be understood.

[oaklight]

Very true oaklight. Thanks for the examples.

Here are the castes with the animals that I worked out. There may be some subtleties that I've missed or glanced over, which can be discussed. Some had obvious references and others are guesswork. Some animals could easily be in other castes but I'll leave that to your contemplation. I'd love to hear other's ideas.

Druides: Hare, Crane, Hind, Adder, Hawk, Wren, Swan, Hind, Stag, Owl, Eagle, Salmon, Seal, Otter, Frog

Equites: Raven, Fox, Dog, Cat, Horse, Boar, Bull, Wolf, Bear

Plebes: Cow, Ram, Bee, Sow, Blackbird, Goose

I think what suprises me is that many of the animals slip into one category or another very easily, even though the author (CC PCG ) did not have any particular structure in mind, especially a caste structure!

Perhaps we can say that the underlying structure of Celtic society and cosmology could easily be reconstructed from some of the clues left behind. I also think that if one is to understand the Celts, their lifestyle and worldview, then the caste system/s they used should be understood.

I like what you've done! I do wonder if the Owl (a hunter) and the otter (I've read that in old Irish it was called "water dog"), might be included in the list for the Equites. I think that some more clues might be found on shield artwork, at least for the Equites. I've never given this much thought before, but I'll be chewing on this for a while.

[treegod]

The Owl is a hunter, and may have played significance in warrior culture, but I think the emphasis is more on wisdom (of the night) than hunting or battle.

I think you're right with the Otter being more for the Equites. Reading up inn the animal oracle and it mentions something about Otter kings and monarchs, I think, were usually or always Equites. There's also mention of otter kings having invulnerability, a trait very important for warriors!

I like your idea about looking at the designs of shields, v good idea. I'm thinking also that tribes with totemic names may have had names more in line with their warrior caste, though I might be wrong.

[Corwen]

"Ask the wild bee what the Druid Knows..."

All living beings (and people) are equal in dignity IMO, I'm not sure Indo-European caste systems are the high point of the Druid Mysteries!

[Badger Bob]

I would be surprised to find such a rigidly defined class system in Britain which almost exactly parallels the Roman class system of Plebeian, Equestrian and Senatorial families. Such systems tend to be the outcome of a largely urbanised society or a political system which forces conformity such as feudalism. Everything I have come across has painted a picture of a largely tribal system with extended families and others having loyalty to a tribal head but being as egalitarian as a family can be beneath that head. Druids gave advice to commoners and kings rather than ruling themselves so they are really outside the class hierarchy, much like vicars today (but their word probably carried a lot more weight). The Brehon Laws stipulate many more than these three castes, dozens within various social groupings such as freemen, poets, priests etc. but these come from a later era and were largely for the convenience of legalities rather than assigning roles.

I am interested in Caesar's take on things, does the book mention whereabouts he said it? I assume it will be in the Gallic Wars somewhere but it is a long time since I read it.

[oaklight]

"Ask the wild bee what the Druid Knows..."

All living beings (and people) are equal in dignity IMO, I'm not sure Indo-European caste systems are the high point of the Druid Mysteries!

He's engaging in a harmless intellectual exercise, and I believe the quote is: "All living beings are equal in honor, if not in privilege." I'm not sure, but I believe that was Nuinn.

Beannacht leat!

[Hennie]

And everything Nuinn said was written in stone I guess; not to be disputed by us, simple minds?

[oaklight]

And everything Nuinn said was written in stone I guess; not to be disputed by us, simple minds?

You are, of course, free to do as you please; it was simply a quote.

[treegod]

"Ask the wild bee what the Druid Knows..."

All living beings (and people) are equal in dignity IMO, I'm not sure Indo-European caste systems are the high point of the Druid Mysteries!

Equal in dignity, yes definately. But certainly not equal in function, which is something known by any ecologist. It makes sense that each animal would be associated with particular functions in society and be used to represent those too. Without loss of dignity, well at least fro you and me, don't know the Celts' opinion on that!

And yes, a caste system is not the the high point of any mysteries, though perhaps ancient Celts might have said that the Druid mysteries are the high point of their caste system! I'd imagine that attitude would differ from region to region, perhaps even from tribe to tribe.

My approach to this subject is mainly academic, a study of history really. Personally I feel I cannot limit my "function" to a caste. I think human nature, represented in one individual, transcends becoming limited to one role. I find myself doing things that might be considered "plebes" and "druides" in one day.

If you have any more information on the way Celts organised their society I'd be happy to hear it.

I would be surprised to find such a rigidly defined class system in Britain which almost exactly parallels the Roman class system of Plebeian, Equestrian and Senatorial families. Such systems tend to be the outcome of a largely urbanised society or a political system which forces conformity such as feudalism. Everything I have come across has painted a picture of a largely tribal system with extended families and others having loyalty to a tribal head but being as egalitarian as a family can be beneath that head.

That makes more sense to me too. I can imagine in a small(ish) tribe some functions would have to be shared by others too. Could some Druids have appeared in armies as woad covered warriors or helped in the gathering of the harvest? What did the warrior "caste" do in times of peace? Wouldn't they have taken part in the running of society, as herders or artesans? Might some serfs have actually become skilled warriors or be trained in Druid schools?

Whether rigid or fluid there was a structure within Celtic society, and most individual probably could be identified as being from one or another (saw one reference that serfs could only wear one or two colours and kings six!). Just how egalitarian that might have been I don't know.

Druids gave advice to commoners and kings rather than ruling themselves so they are really outside the class hierarchy, much like vicars today (but their word probably carried a lot more weight).

Jean Markale seems to be under the impression that Druids had a lot of power. Kings would make the decisions but they were under strict geas that meant they couldn't diverge too much from the advice given by the Druids. What Druids would decide theoretically, kings would put into action. I imagine it like the British monarchy today; the Queen has a legal rigth to have an audience and advice the Prime Minister on matters of government. Although the Prime Minister has no obligation or geasa to make him do what the Queen thinks is best, so she apparently has less power than Druids! Perhaps Druids might have been a more than ceremonial Head of State with their kings being Head of Government.

In the east their's a saying "Energy follows consciousness." The energy of the kings followed the consciousness of the Druids. But only Jean Markale has so far mentioned that sort of organisation and I'm not sure where his theory comes from.

The Brehon Laws stipulate many more than these three castes, dozens within various social groupings such as freemen, poets, priests etc. but these come from a later era and were largely for the convenience of legalities rather than assigning roles.

Ah yes, I saw a reference to this somewhere, as I was looking for info in connection with this subject. It didn't say much on Druids, so this must have come after Christian influence.

One thing is where do artisans fit in? Blacksmiths, carpenters etc. They were revered for having important skills (well the blacksmiths were), so were they a type of Druid? Were these skills that the Equites have when they're not fighting? Or is the caste of Plebes more complicated and further split into different functions and sub-castes?

I am interested in Caesar's take on things, does the book mention whereabouts he said it? I assume it will be in the Gallic Wars somewhere but it is a long time since I read it.

I'll have a look. I've seen several references to it and he was talking about the Gauls, which can be equated with other Celtic cultures since we can presume their social structure to be similar. But not sure about Caesar's perspective, which may not have fully understood the subtleties of Celtic culture.

[Badger Bob]

But not sure about Caesar's perspective, which may not have fully understood the subtleties of Celtic culture.

Don't forget that Comentarii de Bello Gallico was in effect an attempt to produce popular support for his decision to carry on a war that had effectively achieved it's aims in the early stages. Caesar was justifying the money he spent on the pacification of Gaul and the lacklustre campaign in Britain and so he needed to give the Roman public their opinion of Gallic society and why it needed to be romanised. He had to show Gallic society as being similar but inferior to the Roman way, not so different that they could not be assimilated into the Roman Republic but in need of Roman organisation and civilisation. This is why I think he shows the Gauls as being divided into the traditional three-tier oversimplification often used to describe the republic.

PS Treegod, I am not pooh-pooh-ing your idea of categorising animal totems into three tiers, if it works then please let us know your findings. I am studying this era at the moment and finding all kinds of political machinations in things that I previously took for granted. Fascinating isn't it!

[mwyalchen]

Also does oak, ash and thorn reflect this caste system too, reflecting druides, equites and plebes respectively?

You could take a look at the sections of the old Irish law about trees.

Trees were certainly classified by status - thus there were chieftain trees, and scrub trees, with penalties for wrongly felling a chieftain tree.

So, worth a look.

[treegod]

But not sure about Caesar's perspective, which may not have fully understood the subtleties of Celtic culture.

Don't forget that Comentarii de Bello Gallico was in effect an attempt to produce popular support for his decision to carry on a war that had effectively achieved it's aims in the early stages. Caesar was justifying the money he spent on the pacification of Gaul and the lacklustre campaign in Britain and so he needed to give the Roman public their opinion of Gallic society and why it needed to be romanised. He had to show Gallic society as being similar but inferior to the Roman way, not so different that they could not be assimilated into the Roman Republic but in need of Roman organisation and civilisation. This is why I think he shows the Gauls as being divided into the traditional three-tier oversimplification often used to describe the republic.

I think a lot of the reports written are definately biased and facts are manipulated, it can't be trusted 100%. But do you think that Caesar just made the whole thing about druides, equites & plebes up from nothing? I suspect, even if his reports are biased to his opinion and he manipulated the facts, that it does reflect a basic organisation of Celtic (Gaulish) society, which certainly doesn't mean it was strictly divided along those lines.

If I imagine what a Celtic army may have looked like along the lines of these three then I'd imagine this; the Druids would have taken up positions from which to curse the enemy and cheer the army. They may have had weapons but it wasn't necessary that they take part in the fighting. Then the warrior aristocrats, professional soldiers with their own warrior culture consisting of strutting around as proud as cockerels, naked and covered in woad with white erect hair. Also, the word equites reflects a horse culture (equine) so some or all may have gone to battle on horseback. These would have been supported by a ragged assortment of plebes, which were not part of the main warrior culture and may not have done things like go to war naked and painted in woad, and certainly not on horseback. The richer and more revered among them (farm managers and craftsmen) would have access to good weaponry and armour, and these soldiers would be mixed among the labourers and serfs with some only armed with tools from the farm and the clothes on their back. A hypothesis is all, but maybe from these distinctions on the battlefield Caeser drew his conculsions on their society's structure. That and he was probably given at least basic insights from his alleged Druid friend.

So maybe we can't talk about a strict three tiered system but we can talk about structure can't we? Some individuals may have fulfilled a role and be specialised in some type of work for Celtic society. Perhaps this structure differed from tribe to tribe so Caesar could only generalise and compare it to his own society. So far everything I've read about the Celts reflects a very structured society, and not just from Caesar's point of view either. And then of course the Druids themselves were highly organised and structured, with many functions and "ranks" within those functions.

Add to this that some animal totems probably would have had closer relationships with some societal roles than others (i.e. horses with equites) we can then make a tentative picture of how each animal fits into such a structure, starting with what was described by Caesar.

PS Treegod, I am not pooh-pooh-ing your idea of categorising animal totems into three tiers, if it works then please let us know your findings. I am studying this era at the moment and finding all kinds of political machinations in things that I previously took for granted. Fascinating isn't it!

I didn't think you were pooh-pooh-ing anything In fact you're helping me clarify my view of the Celts, so thank you!
And yes, all the ins and outs, ups and downs of human society is very interesting.

[treegod]

Also does oak, ash and thorn reflect this caste system too, reflecting druides, equites and plebes respectively?

You could take a look at the sections of the old Irish law about trees.

Trees were certainly classified by status - thus there were chieftain trees, and scrub trees, with penalties for wrongly felling a chieftain tree.

So, worth a look.

Thanks for that, I knew there was something about that. I'll go have a look in my Ogham books, I think it may have something there. If not there's always the Internet

[treegod]

I'm reading Celtic Heritage by Alwyn Rees and Brinley Rees. Some interesting stuff about there being "five functions"! I don't know how its historical rigour is but it draws some interesting comparisons with Indian tradition and Irelands divisions.
Functions
1. Priests, intellectuals, judiciary
2. Warriors, governmental
3. Providers, farmers
4. Serfs, craftsmen, entertainers, artesans
5. Aboriginal, pre-Celtic, original people

These were even corresponded with the five peoples of Ireland; Tuatha De Danaan, Fir Bolg, Nemed, Partholon, Cessair, respectively. this could get complicated lol