In the 1st century BC, Strabo wrote of the Celts: 'The whole race... is madly fond of war, high-spirited and quick to battle... and on whatever pretext you stir them up, you will have them ready to face danger, even if they have nothing on their side but their own strength and courage'. This book gives an insight into the life of the Celtic warrior, and his experience of battle – on foot, on horseback, and as a charioteer. It also details Celtic society and studies the vital ritual nature of Celtic warfare, from the naked gaesatae to the woad-painted warriors.

To the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome, the Celtic warrior of the late Iron Age was the archetypal barbarian: savage, undisciplined, and bloodthirsty. In a clash of cultures that lasted almost 500 years, the rich and vibrant society in which he lived, fought, and died was virtually destroyed, becoming the stuff of myth and legend. Covering the period from the first mention of the Celts by ancient Greek writers to the Roman conquest of Britain, this book examines the Celtic warrior, his society and his place within it, and the conflicts that would eventually destroy his world. Beautifully illustrated with many examples of Celtic art and craftsmanship, this book provides a fascinating insight into a culture whose legacy has endured to the present day.

A curse has been cast over Emain Macha, the Boreal land of Ireland, laying all but one man into a deep sleep. Cu Chulainn stands as its lone protector, as an army of 10,000 men set off on a 40 day quest across Ireland in order to claim Eumain Macha for their own. Along the way the army comes across five separate markers, in the five most spectacular locations of Ireland. These markers, left by Cu Chulainn serve as warnings to the advancing army of his prowess each area: courage, strength, skill, love, and knowledge."

Sometimes touching and sometimes horrifying, here is the definitive guide to the history of Celtic wars and their warriors. 170 photos, maps, and charts.

The Celtic tribes were no match for the Roman legions. It took the courage of one woman--Boudica--to unite them and challenge the might of the Roman Empire.

An illustrated study of the British tribal warriors and Roman auxiliaries who fought in three epic battles for control of Britain in the 1st century AD. Following the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43, the tribes of the west and north resisted the establishment of a 'Roman peace', led in particular by the chieftain Caratacus. Even in the south-east, resentment of Roman occupation remained, exploding into the revolt of Boudicca's Iceni in AD 60. Roman auxiliaries from two particular peoples are known to have taken part in the invasion of Britain: the Tungrians, from what is now Belgium, and the Batavians, from the delta of the River Rhine in the modern Netherlands. From the late 80s AD, units of both the Batavians and the Tungrians were garrisoned at a fort at Vindolanda in northern Britain. The so called 'Vindolanda tablets' provide an unparalleled body of material with which to reconstruct the lives of these auxiliary soldiers in Britain. Featuring full-colour maps and specially commissioned battlescene and figure artwork plates, this book examines how both the British warriors and the Roman auxiliaries experienced the decades of conflict that followed the invasion. Their recruitment, training, leadership, motivation, culture and beliefs are compared alongside an assessment of three particular battles: the final defeat of Caratacus in the hills of Wales in AD 50; the Roman assault on the island of Mona (Anglesey) in AD 60; and the battle of Mons Graupius in Scotland in AD 83.

The Irish boxer recounts his life and career in the ring

After arriving in Roman Britannia, Valeria is captured by savages. She prays the Romans will find her-but it's Taran, a Pict warrior, who comes to Valeria's rescue and ignites an unquenchable flame of passion that fills her soul. Highborn and privileged, Valeria has never known life outside her father's Roman fortress. But when Hadrian's Wall falls, Valeria's world shatters. Ripped from her bed, she's captured by savages. Terrified, she prays her betrothed will mount a rescue. But it is the enemy, a Pict with Celtic tattoos and hair of fire who wields his sword and fights for her freedom. When she seeks refuge in the warrior's stronghold, the Picts eye her with distrust and force her to earn her keep as a commoner. But the longer Valeria remains, the more agonizing it becomes to conceal her burning love for the Celtic warrior.

Since earliest times the strategy and tactics of the Celts in battle has exhibited a continuity over the centuries that is quite surprising. This book provides a comprehensive study of the way in which the Celtic people fought and the weapons that they used. After an introduction which sets the background, the book concentrates on the Irish Wars, the civil war in Scotland, the campaigns of Graham of Claverhouse, Bonnie Dundee, the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 and 1745, and the North American War against the French and the Indians. Battles which are analyzed in detail include Clontibret, Yellow Ford, Moyry Pass, Kinsale, Tippermuir, Aberdeen, Inverlochy, Auldearn, Kilsyth, Killiecrankie, Preston, Sheriffmuir, Prestonpans, Falkirk, and Culloden. The author of this volume provides a sound, factual, and analytical base that identifies the continuity in Gaelic warfare from the 1590s to the 1760s which will interest all concerned with the study of the military history of Ireland, Scotland, England, and North America.