Greco-Celtic?

[Figment99]

I was wondering if there was any historical or lore based evidence for a Greco-Celtic religion or practice?

I know that the Celts and Greeks did come into contact in Galatia. I was wondering if there is any other evidence or history of the two cultures meeting?



Also do you know of anyone who practices such a faith?

I know some Hellenisic people don't like to talk about syncretism, I do not wish to offend, I really am just curious.

[RandallS]

I know that the Celts and Greeks did come into contact in Galatia. I was wondering if there is any other evidence or history of the two cultures meeting?

I'm not aware of much religious influence, but the Celts did not arrive under the third century BCE and that's after the classical period my focus is on.

[Seren]

I was wondering if there was any historical or lore based evidence for a Greco-Celtic religion or practice?

I know that the Celts and Greeks did come into contact in Galatia. I was wondering if there is any other evidence or history of the two cultures meeting?

Also do you know of anyone who practices such a faith?

I know some Hellenisic people don't like to talk about syncretism, I do not wish to offend, I really am just curious.

The Greeks had an outpost in Massilia - the modern day Marseilles in France. The Gaulish tribes around them were quite heavily influenced by them in terms of architecture and the like, you might try searching for the Celto-Ligurians. As far as I'm aware there wasn't any syncretism between Greek and Ligurian deities, beliefs and practices, but their temples were heavily influenced by Greek architecture in terms of their layout.

Quite a large portion of Gaul traded with Greece and Rome even before the Romans conquered Gaul, and the Gauls often copied their styles of architecture (which weren't always practical in more northern climes). The only syncretisms I'm aware of in general are from after the Roman occupation, and while Greek was widely spoken in the Roman empire, it was very much a Roman influence that prevailed.

[Figment99]

The Greeks had an outpost in Massilia - the modern day Marseilles in France. The Gaulish tribes around them were quite heavily influenced by them in terms of architecture and the like, you might try searching for the Celto-Ligurians. As far as I'm aware there wasn't any syncretism between Greek and Ligurian deities, beliefs and practices, but their temples were heavily influenced by Greek architecture in terms of their layout.

Thank you. I looked up the Celto-Ligurians and there is some very interesting history there.

[Micheál]

I was wondering if there was any historical or lore based evidence for a Greco-Celtic religion or practice?

I know that the Celts and Greeks did come into contact in Galatia. I was wondering if there is any other evidence or history of the two cultures meeting?

Also do you know of anyone who practices such a faith?

I know some Hellenisic people don't like to talk about syncretism, I do not wish to offend, I really am just curious.

It could be quite possible because other sorts of such syncretism did occur, regardless of who doesn't like talking about it, however I don't know of any examples that would indicate so.

The religious beliefs were pretty diverse, as we can tell from the Celts believing it humorous of the Greeks to have statues&images of their deities at the sacking of Delphi, but they were indeed influenced by them. Such beliefs such as the location of the otherworlds, and even some mythological themes are suspected to be influenced from contact with the Greeks at the trading colony at Marseilles, but that's about as far as it goes.

The images that we do have from Romano-Celtic temples could be called a form of syncreticism, as they came about do to state politics imposing attempts to formalise traditions&worship, but this takes us away from the interested time period. All the best in your searches!

[Malkin]

I know that the Celts and Greeks did come into contact in Galatia. I was wondering if there is any other evidence or history of the two cultures meeting?

The Iberian Celts were known for using a sword called a falcata that is supposed to have been borrowed from the Greeks.

Also - and I'm not totally certain that I didn't make this up - I seem to remember reading somewhere that a common term for "foreigner" in Old Irish literally means "Greek."