Brennus

The Celtic Empire stretched across all of Europe. It began in the British Isles and concluded in modern day Turkey. Scholars believe that the origins of the empire are somewhere in the regions of the Eastern Empire. Throughout its time, making rare appearances in Greek and Latin texts, the Celts are known for striking into the heart of the Civilized Western World. One of the most intriguing characters in these attacks is Brennus.

Brennus as a Name

The origins of the name are skeptical. As we will see later Brennus is responsible for two major attacks in the Civilized Western World. The field of academia is torn between two theories. This first theory suggests that Brennus was merely a common name. This theory is easy to prove, with the evidence of two major leaders being named Brennus. However, the second theory is equally credible. It states that Brennus was a title, deriving from brenin, or king. This argument is less reliable because it is a theory based on unsubstantiated etymology.

Brennus in Rome

As stated earlier in this article, Brennus made several decisive vitories. The first of these victories was in the fourth century B.C.E. During this time a leader of the Celts, known as Brennus, arose to challenge the Roman Empire. He was not only able to conquer four legions of Romans but breach the city gates and capture the city, forcing all of the Romans to flee to the citadel. The Romans, in order to gain back their city, had to purchase it for twenty-four pounds of gold.

Brennus in Greece

In the third century B.C. a Celtic figure, also going by the name (or title) of Brennus arrives in historical texts. He appears just as militaristically inclined. It is important to understand that these are two different people. During this invasion, Brennus was able to conquer Greeks at Thermopylae using the same strategy as the Persians, one hundred years prior. This is incredible intriguing because it shows that Brennus, in this situation, had an understanding of Greek military history. The Celts eventually pushed onward into Greece, suffering a major defeat at Delphi, where a thunderstorm prevented orders to be carried by the Celts.

Conclusion

This article has proven that the etymology of Brennus provides a common ground for Celticists to argue and present their cases. Furthermore, it has shown the evidence of a Roman and Greek attack by the Celts. This would have been a major challenge to the Celtic Empire, but their confidence was so great that they lead many men to their deaths.

Sources

Livy, History of the Roman Empire

Parnassus, Guide to Greece

Dio, Roman History