The Druid and Celt Religion and Culture
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B. C. Posidonius the philosopher-historian had traveled throughout Gaul during the time of the Druids and had written about them in his Histories written at the end of the second century B.C. Unfortunately these writings were lost out portions were later referred to by the historian Strabo (63 B.C. - A.D. 21). The best records by people who lived during the time of the Druids were Caesar's Conquest of Gaul and Natural History by Pliny the Elder who died in A.D. 79. By A.D. 37 Gaul and much of Britain were under Roman control and Rome prohibited Druidic practices. However Druidic beliefs and practices have been passed on though oral traditions within secret circles throughout Europe.

Within the Celtic culture was a brotherhood or perhaps a class of priests known as the Druids who served as the spiritual leaders and wise men of their day. Druid record-keeping of their spiritual practices and culture did not exist, so most of what is known about them comes from the records of their conquerors and the myths and legends of the Bards. The Romans considered the Druids to have been an established institution by the fourth century.

The influence of the Druids on the Celtic culture and on Western civilization has endured for thousands of years. Seasonal celebrations and festivals were adopted and adapted to the new Christianized cultures of Europe -- such as Christmas at the winter solstice and the Druid festival of Samhain or All Hallows Sabbath -- which we now call Halloween. Moreover Druid beliefs and customs such as kissing under the mistletoe have also been passed down to the present day. Wiccan groups appear to be heavily influenced by the Druids; however as any form of "pagan" worship was repressed in Christian societies such rituals were practiced very discreetly and little is known or available to the public. Thus to this day many Druid practices remain secret to the public.

In the latter part of the eighteenth century Druidic cults and societies appeared all over western Europe; one of the first was the Ancient Order of Druids which was founded by an Englishman Henry Hurle. Later the Ancient Order of Druids became more of a benefit society and some of the members who were more interested in the esoteric side of Druidism formed other orders. Other noted orders include The British Circle of the Universal Bond; The Order of Bards Ovates and Druids; and The Order of the Golden Dawn. Today there are numerous orders throughout Western societies; however most of the older traditional ones do not solicit or even admit members unfamiliar to them.

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