Who are The Galatians?

The terms “Galatians” came to be used by the Greeks for the three Celtic peoples of Anatolia: the Tectosages, the Trocmii, and the Tolistobogii.

By the 1st century BC, the Celts had become so Hellenized that some Greek writers called them Hellenogalatai (Ἑλληνογαλάται).

The Romans called them Gallograeci. Though the Celts had, to a large extent, integrated into Hellenistic Asia Minor, they preserved their linguistic and ethnic identity.

For several years, a federation of Hellespontine cities, including Byzantion and Chalkedon, prevented the Celts from entering Asia Minor.

During the course of the power struggle between Nikomedes I of Bithynia and his brother Zipoetes, the former hired 20,000 Galatian mercenaries. The Galatians split into two groups headed by Leonnorius and Lutarius respectively, which crossed the Bosporus and the Hellespont respectively.

In 277 BC, when the hostilities had ended the Galatians came out of Nikomedes’ control and began raiding Greek cities in Asia Minor while Antiochus was solidifying his rule in Syria.

The Galatians looted Cyzikus, Ilion, Didyma, Priene, Thyatira and Laodicea on the Lycus, while the citizens of Erythras paid them ransom. Either in 275 or 269 BC, Antiochus’ army faced the Galatians somewhere on the plain of Sardis in the Battle of Elephants. In the aftermath of the battle, the Celts then settled in northern Phrygia, a region that eventually came to be known as Galatia.

The territory of Celtic Galatia included the cities of Ancyra (present day Ankara), Pessinus, Tavium, and Gordion.

While there is no direct historical link between Galatia and Ireland, both regions share a common Celtic heritage. The Celts were a diverse group of tribes spread across Europe during ancient times. The Galatians and the inhabitants of Ireland were part of this broader Celtic cultural and linguistic group.

The Galatians originated from Gaul (modern-day France), whereas the Celtic tribes that settled in Ireland were known as the Gaels. The migrations of these Celtic tribes occurred at different times and followed separate routes. The Galatians migrated eastward through the Balkans and settled in Anatolia (Turkey), while the Gaels migrated westward to the British Isles, including Ireland.

Despite the geographic distance and different migration paths, the Galatians and the Gaels shared some common cultural traits, such as language, art, and mythology, which can be attributed to their Celtic heritage. Both groups had distinct social structures, warrior traditions, and religious beliefs.

It is worth noting that Celtic culture as a whole exhibited certain similarities across different regions, including linguistic connections and shared cultural practices. However, the specific connections between the Galatians and the Gaels are less defined due to the limited historical records and the vast time and geographic gaps between their respective settlements.

In summary, while there is no direct link between Galatia and Ireland, both regions were inhabited by Celtic tribes and shared a broader Celtic cultural background. The Galatians and the Gaels were part of the diverse tapestry of Celtic civilizations that flourished across Europe during ancient times.