Introduction
After the spread of „Ossian” by Macpherson, all the tribes who lived in the Carpathian Basin were considered as Celtic. It was a romantic poem and the romatic and idealized way we see the Celts developed as a result. But this theory did not distinguished the various tribes of the Celts, so it was a romantic all-Celts theory: the Celtic culture is one and complete and impartible.
The first research in Hungary started in the 1930s. The first publication was by Lajos Márton (1933) and little later by Ilona Hunyady (1942). Ilona Hunyady compiled all the Celtic foundings in the area, so her work is still precious (some of the foundings are lost, some of them were destroyed in the WWI &WWII). The early research was followed by the the dating system developed by J. Filip (Bohemian researcher) both in Slovakia, Serbia and Romania. Later it turned out, that his timeline wasn't working, but that was a turning point in the Celtic research in the Carpathian Basin. This occured in 1990, paralel with political changes. Aero archaeology developed at that time, and it helped much in the new disoveries. Before that time foundings are sporadic and the locations are not accurately located.
So this is a quite young science in Hungary! New motorway constructions accelerated research. But we stil don't have an accurate numismatic dating, so there are still a lot to do, but knowledge thrives from day to day.
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| Celtic wild boar found in Báta |
Who were these Celts?
They entered the Carpathian Basin in the La Téne Age, at the time of the 4th and 3rd century BC. What a suprise, they were not really well known! Coeval Greeks said that they are some kind of Barbarians (ask the Greeks, who it is not!), the same as the Scythians. Modern Linguists says that all of the Celts spoke some kind of Celtic languge, even if they do not know the used language of the Eastern Celts.
The earliest tracks of the Celts in the Carpathian Basin is from the end of the Iron Age. The „Western” Celts, custodians of the La Téne culture lived in Western Europe. Some of them due to the overpopulation migrated to East, they became a branch what we call Eastern Celts. They entered the area of the modern Hungary across the Alps. Here they found IMMANES SILVAE (see the memories of Caesar), a huge forrest. Maybe this can be the Hercynia-forrest, we don't know exactly how far it covered. According to the Historians the Danube divided into two branches at the location of the North Balkan: one flows into the Adriatic Sea and the other to the Balck Sea. So they didn't know this area, it was TERRA INCOGITA for them. But that did not deter them from writing about it.
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| late Iron Age statue from Rákos |
The area of the Middle-Danube had very little connection with the Greeks. All the Greek originated foundings came here through trade. And who lived in the Carpathian Basin before the Celts? A good question, what we really don't know. According to a theory maybe Illyrs or Thracians. But no proof, just theory.
The River Danube forms a sharp boundary line. On the west side lives the descendants of the Hallstatt culture, on the east side peoples from the Steppe. And that culture is similar to the nomad culture living at the area of the Black Sea. And don't forget, that Hungary doesn't mean the country you see in the map right now! Over the millennia of history borders densely changed. Accordig to Herodotus the east side of the Danube was populated by Iranian tribes (Agathyrsoi ans Sigynnoi).
And here comes the Scythans. They must have been a very interesting people, because all nations love tham as their own. Yes, we Hungarians both says that we are realted to them. Perheaps. At the end of the Iron Age we find here an other interesting tribe: the Pannoni. We do not know for sure who they are. But the Romans named this provincia after them, PANNONIA PROVINCIA. And later at the age of the Emperors the guards from Pannonia prooved to be strong and powerful. So the Romans came, conquered and found Celtic tribes here with complex and rich cities, like the Eravisci tribe in the location of Budapest, Gellért Hill, the CIVITAS ERAVISCORUM, but inspite of this, they named the provincia after an other tribe. Pannonia is still the name of this area, but already as a Roman province lives in the public consciousness. According to the archaeological research, these two tribes mingled with each other.
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| La Téne pottery in Hungary |
Celts in the Carpathian Basin
According to Pompeius Trogus the Celts have to migrate here because of overgowth, the large population indicated migration. The occupation of the areas of the Pannonii certainly involved warfare, it was unlikely to have taken place peacefully. Acient Historians calls Celts both „Celts” or „Galatans”, so it is not easy to find out who were they thinking of. The comparation of archaeological findings and the reports of the historians are permanent.
In the 2nd century BC Romans organized Gallia Narbonensis, what indicates the migration of the Cimbri.
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| La Téne pottery in Hungary |
Here comes the Romans
Again, there is no consensus about this topic, how it happened. The military occupation of West-Pannonia might have happened in 15-16 BC. The occupation of the river Drava-Sava area might have happened in 13-9 BC. And finally the ingestion on Nort Pannonia sometime in the 1st century AD. The first period is really the organization of Noricum, after the victory of P. Silius Nerva. The area of the Amber Road was organized under Emperor Claudius. Between the river Danube and Tisza Romans relocated Iazyges, to seaparate Romans from the Daci (maybe because they seemed more dangerous). We met the Iazyges at Tacitus (Germania 43.), he mentions them as the neighbours of the Cotini.
In 16 BC an other threat appears, called Maroboduus, the King of the Marcomanni. A year later Tiberius sent Drusus to fight the Marcomanni. He won the battle and made new kings loyal to him: Catualda and Vannius later. But don't forget about the most powerful „enemies” of the Romans: the tribes of the Daci. Their leader Bourebista was an important character in History.
This is the official end of the Celtic History in the Carpathian Basin, but you know, a new story has just begun. The Celts became Romanized, learned the Latin language, but kept their tradition and religion long. Women wore traditional Celtic dress and ornaments and they kept their Celtic name. Men learnt the new culture quicker, but there are so many foundings that they kept their religion despite their new Roman skin. Chariot burials are found and so many Celtic ornaments and weapons.
If you have a look at their screwd tendrils and characteristic torques you will know that they are true Celts deep in their heart.
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| Celtic statue of a man made of bronze from Nyergesújfalu |
All the pictures are from the book 'A Kárpát-medence ősi kincsei'.
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