The Celts invaded Greece.

Between the 5th and 4th centuries BC, Celtic tribes moved to southern Europe in an attempt to seize land and wealth to support their expanding population. When these tribes began to cross the Alps, they clashed with the Romans and Greeks living around the Mediterranean. After Alexander the Great was destroyed by Greece (356-323 BC), it seemed like an easy target. The Celtic chiefs who moved forward had many opportunities to lead people to the Balkans, first Thrace and Illyria Macedonia.

In the Balkans, these tribes successfully conquered several armies of Greece, Illyria and Thrace, and expanded their territory in a short time. Under the leadership of a king named Brunas, the Celtic tribal alliance tried to invade Greece. In 279 BC, Brennes' army was finally defeated by the Greeks at Delphi and dispersed. Since then, the Celtic tribes who entered the Balkans suffered other failures, and many of them fled to Asia Minor. The Celtic expedition to Greece ended in the destruction of the Celtics, but they had a lasting influence on the politics of the Mediterranean and led to the establishment of the Celtic Galactic Kingdom. In the highlands of Anatolia.

Early interaction between Celts and Greeks

The description of the early Greek Celts is somewhat neutral and curious, and little attention is paid to the strange people living in the northern end of the Greek world. The Greeks were enthusiastic colonists. By the 7th century BC, Greek communities had developed rapidly in Asia Minor, North Africa and Western Europe.

The earliest surviving Celtics mentioned Hecataeus from Miletus, who described the Celtic village in northern Masalia.

Masalia (which eventually became Marseille) is such a colony, which was built around 600 BC. Located on the northwest coast of the Mediterranean, it is one of the earliest contact points between Celts and Greeks. The earliest surviving Celtics mentioned Hecataeus from Miletus, who described the Celtic village in northern Masalia. Archaeological evidence shows that there is extensive trade between the Greeks in Masalia and the nearby Celtic settlements, especially in a large fortified village near modern Vickers.

Celtic elites traded wine, wine vessels and other status symbols with merchants from Greece and Etruscan Italy. These exotic luxuries allowed Celtic leaders to show their status and generosity through extravagant banquets and gifts. In this way, the trade network between the Mediterranean and Central Europe helps to support the social hierarchy.

Scarcity and immigration in ancient Europe

Ancient writers consistently described the drastic changes that plagued western and central Europe at the end of the 4th century BC and the beginning of the 3rd century BC. Overpopulation and scarcity of resources are considered to be the reasons for this deprivation. Archaeological evidence shows that the population of Europe has begun to prosper at this time. The lack of resources may prompt some war leaders to attack places where food and wealth are increasing.

Barry Cunliffe believes that this is how the first wave of Celtic immigrants began, with the increasingly fierce long-distance attack in the 6th century BC. Eventually, as these migrating tribes built new villages, these long-range attacks turned into settlements. These groups are not just fighters; The number of women, children and the elderly is the same as theirs. These people represent serious efforts for settlements, not simple invading forces.

Yes, one day in the future, you will launch a * * * struggle with us. At that time, the titans will rise up against the savage sword of Greece and the Celtic war, flying from the westernmost like snowflakes, and the number is like the stars in the most dense sky; Fortresses (and villages in Rockria and Delphi highlands) and Krysa plains and valleys (on the mainland) can also be seen everywhere, and you will see the smoke of their burning neighbors, not just rumors; But the enemy's team has been seen next to the temple, and there are swords, cruel belts and hateful shields next to my tripod, all of which will lead to the evil journey of Galatians stupid tribe. (Callim。 , hymns, 4. 17 1- 185)

Most of these immigrant tribes moved to the south and east, where they found a more favorable climate and more wealth. Greek and Roman writers described that Celts wanted to travel to the south because luxury goods could be found around the Mediterranean. The commodities mentioned by these authors (grapes, figs, wine, olives) are very popular in Europe and are imported by Celts in large quantities.

The descriptions of these conflicts in Greece and Rome are the earliest Celtic written records, because the Celts themselves did not leave a written history. The violent nature of these early interactions helps to form the classic concept of Celtic as a militant and barbaric nation.

The early Celts migrated to southern Europe.

Roman historian Li Wei (59 BC-AD 17) claimed that Celtic tribes from Gaul began to settle south of the Alps in 600 BC. The earliest trip to Italy was probably carried out by smaller groups, which quickly evolved into a large-scale outflow of southern Gaul tribes in the 5th and 4th centuries BC.

Around 400 BC, groups of Celts settled in Gaul in the Alps and attacked Italian cities from there to intimidate their new neighbors. The situation in Italy reached its peak in 390 BC, when the Celtic chief, known as Brunas, defeated the Roman army on the Aria River and then went on to plunder Rome. This dramatic event left a hole in the collective memory of the Roman people and led to the escalation of the conflict between the Celts and the Romans. After this incident, Gauls continued to attack Italy, even reaching Puglia behind Italian boots. However, in a series of battles between 285 and 282 BC, Rome defeated the tribes living along the Adriatic Sea and firmly established its dominant position in the region.

Many Celtic soldiers who moved to the Mediterranean found new mercenaries.

Around the 4th century BC, Celts migrated eastward to the middle reaches of the Danube and established settlements in modern Romania and Hungary. The increasing invasion of Rome and the United Republic has brought new pressure to the Celtic tribes living around the Adriatic Sea, which may be the factor to push a new wave of immigrants into the Balkans. Celtic tribes began to invade Illyria, but the areas under Macedonian hegemony ruled by Philip II (383-336 BC) and Alexander the Great (356-323 BC)-Thrace, Greece and Macedonia-were basically avoided.

Many Celtic soldiers who moved to the Mediterranean found new mercenaries. By 385 BC, the Greek tyrant Dionysus I of Syracuse began to recruit Celts and Iberian mercenaries to use in Greece and Italy. Some of them were sent by Dionysus I to help Spartans against Thebes, where they won honors.

Celts and Iberians sailed from Sicily to Corinth, reaching 2,000 people, because they were sent by the tyrant Dionysus to form an alliance with the La Sedemons and were paid five months' wages. The Greeks brought them out to judge them; They proved their worth in hand-to-hand combat and battles, and many Vios and their allies were killed by them. Therefore, they have won a reputation with excellent dexterity and courage, and provided various services. They were rewarded by the Rademons and sent back to Sicily in late summer. (Diod。 This is the original text. , 15.70)

Celtic expansion in the era of Alexander the Great

In 323 BC, Alexander the Great died suddenly, leaving his huge empire leaderless, and a series of wars took place between Alexander's successors. Realizing that the Greeks were particularly vulnerable, several Celtic leaders took the opportunity to invade the Balkans and the Mediterranean.

Encouraged by success, they split up, some went to Greece, some went to Macedonia, and leveled everything in front of them with their swords. This is really the horror of Gaul's name. Even the king bought peace from them with a lot of money before being attacked. (Justin, 24.4.6-7)

Celtic tribes entered Thrace and Illyria, defeated the local tribes, and then pushed further south. In 280 BC, a grand alliance of about 85,000 Celts went to Macedonia and Greece. This figure includes women and children, because they are also tribal groups, not organized armies.

A Celtic leader named Borjos was sent to Macedonia with other troops. In 279 BC, Boregeaux plundered the Macedonian countryside and fought Ptolemy Krenosz (reigned in 28 1-279 BC), who had just seized the Macedonian throne. Ptolemy Kilanos was killed in the battle, and the Celtics put his head on a spear as a bloody trophy. This began a state of no * * * for about two years, because there was no strong * * * in the Balkans, and the Celts embarked on the road of war.

Another battle in Wenquanguan

The conquest of Philip II and Alexander the Great, and the subsequent war of successors, made Greece so weak that when the Celts entered Greece in 279 BC, nothing seemed to stop them. Their king Brennes (obviously known by the same person) was named the man who robbed Rome in 390 BC. The Greek polis and kingdom have been exhausted by years of war, and many people are unwilling to take up arms to defend the rest of Greece.

The name "Gaul" became popular very late. Because in ancient times, they and others called them Celts. One of their troops assembled and turned to the Ionian Sea, deprived all Illyrians who lived in Macedonia with Macedonians and occupied Thessaly. When they approached the hot spring pass, the Greeks generally didn't take any action to stop the barbarian invasion, because they had been defeated by Alexander and Philip before. In addition, Antipat and Cassandra later crushed the Greeks, making every country weak, regardless of their shame in any part of national defense. (pause. 1.4. 1)

Pausanias (C.110-C.180 CE) described in his description of Greece that the Athenians strengthened their leadership over the Celts in the Greek Union when they entered Greece. The Greeks decided to meet them in the narrow passage of Wenquanguan, where the Greek League fought the Persians in 480 BC. There, the Celtics have almost no advantage in numbers.

Realizing that he could not defeat the Greek army present, the Celtic king Brennes sent 40,000 soldiers to Etoria to plunder the city there. The city of Kalim in Etoria was destroyed and its citizens were slaughtered. When Ethiopians heard about it, they abandoned their comrades-in-arms to defend their homeland. The Celts were expelled; Only half of them survived and returned to Brunas.

The distraction of Ethiopians means that the strength of the Greek army is obviously weakened, and Brennus can find an alternative path to bypass the hot spring pass and enter Greece. After the hot springs bypassed the Greek army, Brennes led his army to Apollo, the holy city of Delphi.

Greek records claim that Brennes was attracted by the news of the luxurious treasures collected in the temple of Delphi, which may be enough. This time, the Greeks were lucky. Earthquakes and thunderstorms made it difficult for the Celts to besiege. Delphi soon joined their allies in Greece and managed to defeat the Celtics in Delphi. Brenner was seriously injured in the subsequent struggle, and later committed suicide because of the shame of failure.

The Celts were expelled from Greece

After the defeat of Brennas, the Celtics, who have no leaders now, have no fighting conditions. Injured or slow-moving comrades were left to die by fleeing comrades. They were chased and taken away by the Greeks and could not plunder supplies from the countryside.

The rest of the Celtic tribes who entered Greece were forced to flee to Asia Minor further east. The escape of the Celts in Anatolia led them to settle in a place called Galatia, which comes from Greek and means Celtic. The Galatians are undoubtedly the most enduring and striking group among Celtic expatriates. Galatians developed their own prosperous culture and lived with their neighbors in Greece and the Near East.

In the Battle of Pearl in 277 BC, Antioch II Gonatas (about 3 19-239 BC) ambushed and slaughtered18,000 Celts transferred from Thrace to Greece. This decisive victory ensured his right to rule Macedonia and established his reputation as a capable ruler. Surprisingly, Antigonus II himself was the first Greek monarch to rely on Celtic mercenaries. In 274 BC, when Pyrrhus Epirus (3 19-272 BC) invaded Macedonia, they were an important part of his army.

These events were a complete disaster for the Celtic tribes who invaded the Balkans. The Celts failed to establish any important communities in Greece or Macedonia. Although the Celtic tribal alliance completely collapsed after these failures, the Celtics continued to appear as mercenaries in the army of the Hellenistic kingdom formed by the ruins of Alexandria. Some of these mercenaries came from the remnants of tribes that invaded the Mediterranean, but others continued to come from Central and Western Europe further north.

The performance of the Celtic army in the battle with the Greeks won them reluctant respect. The persevering, respectable and simplified image of Celtic hero, a prototype of "noble barbarian", has become a popular theme in Greek art. In many ways, Celtic has filled the role left by Persians and been portrayed as a new enemy of Greek civilization.