Chapter 3 - Celtic Society Flashcards
About how many tuath were there in Ireland?
There was about 150 tuath in Ireland.
Who ruled each tuath?
The rí and the dearbhfine ruled each tuath. A tániste was also chosen for if anything would happen to the rí, the tániste could take over. Next in line were the nobles, who were the landowners, warriors and Aos Dána. It was very common for the nobles to have labourers and slaves working for them.
Who were the warriors?
The warriors were trained fighters to protect the tuath. They also hunted wild animals such a boar and sometimes lead cattle raids against other tribes. Feasts were held to celebrate their victories at battle. The bravest warrior got to cut the best piece of meat which was called the hero’s portion. Warriors were known to cut is the heads of their enemies and hang them on their horses necks.
Who were the Aos Dána?
The Aos Dána were the skilled people. They include the brehons, who were judges, the druids, who were a type of priest and who were in charge if conducting ceremonies at Celtic festivals, the filí, who were poets, and the craftsmen, who included carpenters and metalworkers.
What did celtic women do in society?
The women played a very important role in society. They had the job of cooking, cleaning, and bringing up the children. Unlike Roman and Greek civilisations, noble women could own property.
