England

1. England The evolution of a country & its language

2. Influences on Early Britain • Celts: the indigenous peoples (ancestors of the Irish, Scots, Welsh, Cornish, and Bretons • The Romans • Anglo Saxons • The Norse • (know this order)

3. Migration of the Celts

4. The original “naked white people” Often painted themselves with chalk before going into battle Sometimes fought naked The original “naked blue people” Often painted themselves with woad Sometimes fought naked Savage people of lower Scotland Celts vs. Picts

6. A description from the Romans: Their aspect is terrifying...They are very tall in stature, with rippling muscles under clear white skin. Their hair is blond, but not naturally so: they bleach it, to this day, artificially, washing it in lime and combing it back from their foreheads. They look like wood-demons, their hair thick and shaggy like a horse's mane. . . . [M]ost content themselves with the weapons nature gave them: they go naked into battle...Weird, discordant horns were sounded, [they shouted in chorus with their] deep and harsh voices, they beat their swords rythmically against their shields.

7. Celtic Religion--Pantheism • Pagans who worshiped gods of nature—over 400 different gods! They believed the spirits were everywhere and in everything.

8. Celtic Religion--Pantheism • Worshiped in nature—woods, bogs, mouths of rivers, stone circles, chalk mounds. • Main gods: earth mother (fertility), horned gods, tribal father • Annual sacrifice of a human in the stead of the horned god to shed his blood on the land to ensure fertility.

9. Ancient Celtic Religion • Druids:wise men, healers, teachers, musicians • Keepers of knowledge who memorized all teachings—ORAL CULTURE • Believed that their souls did not die, but passed to another body.

10. Cultural Note • Some believe that a druidic figure may be the inspiration for MERLIN in the Arthur legends. • Merlin dictating his poems, as illustrated in a French book from the 13th century

11. Human Sacrifice • Tacitus, the Roman author, writes about burning people alive in man-shaped wicker figuresCautionary note: Writing horrible things about one’s enemies helps one’s cause.

12. Stone Circles & Chalk Hills • Found all over Britain • Used in religious ceremonies

13. Stonehenge—Used but not built by the Celts

14. Avebury Stone Circle

15. Silbury Hill

18. Queen Boudicca (Boadicea) c. 61 A. D. • Celtic warrior queen • Led fight against Romans after they flogged & raped her and her daughters • Tacitus & other Romans write about her

20. The Romans • The Greek author Pytheas called them the "Pretanic Isles" which derived from the inhabitants name for them, Pritani. • RomansCalled the Celts BritonsCalled the island “Brittania”@45 B.C. through 449 A.D.THIS IS LONGER THAN THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN SETTLED BY EUROPEANS!

21. The Romans • The Romans never made it to the Northern part of the island – the Picts and Scots were too fierce. • They built Hadrian’s wall to keep these warrior tribes out. It still stands today.

24. Roman Amphitheater--Chester

25. Roman Lighthouse, Dover Castle

26. The Romans • The Romans integrated their own culture with Celtic culture. *** • They often intermarried with the Celts and Celts could become citizens.

27. Romano-Celtic Religion • Mithras was the sun god. • On December 25th, the Romanized Celts celebrated Mithras’s victory in the battle against the night.

28. Bath • Originally a shrine to Aquae Sulis, a water goddess • Considered a Holy Place by the Celts • Became a popular resort in the 17th & 18th century

29. Bath

30. The Romans • The Romans left to defend the homeland from invading Germanic tribes. • This left the Celts defenseless against the Picts and Scots attacking from the North and West.

31. Vortigern’s Invitation @449 A.D. • King Vortigern sent for help from the Anglo-Saxon tribes across the sea. • They came to help, liked the climate, and stayed. • The Anglo-Saxons subjugated the native Celts.

32. Arturius • Legendary Celtic war chieftain who led his people to a victory over the Saxons at the Battle of Badon Hill (early 500’s A.D.) • May be start of King Arthur legends

33. The SaxonTribes • Angles • Saxons • Jutes • Frisians

34. Migration Routes of Germanic Tribes

35. Anglo-Saxons • Angla-land • became England

36. Anglo-Saxons • Saxons are responsible for the British traits of :MelancholyNostalgiaLove of RitualStoicism

37. Structure of Anglo-Saxon society** • Eorls (earls)--noble classes(warriors, kings) • Cheorls (churls)--farmers, craftsmen

38. Wergild – The “Man price” • “Heirs are under the obligation to take up both the feuds and the friendship of a father or kinsman. But feuds do not continue forever unreconciled. Even homicide can be atoned for by a fixed number of cattle or sheep.” • The price was determined by rank in society.

39. Anglo-Saxon Culture • Warrior society • Thane and his followersBond between them was paramountCOMITATUS PRINCIPLE*** • Consequences of deserting your lord on battlefield—exile.

40. The Germania • Retainers expect things in return“They are always making demands on the generosity of their chief, asking for a coveted war-horse or a spear stained with the blood of a defeated enemy.”

41. The Germania, Tacitus • Kings chosen for noble birth—power not absolute or arbitrary. • Leaders chosen for valour—lead by example rather than authority of rank. • Followers usually men of one clan—united by blood as well as battle. • A polemic aimed at improving the moral standards of imperial Rome. Second or third-hand account. Sadly, where Germans got ideas about their superiority.

42. The Boar-Ferocious fighter Symbol of hospitality, protective symbol on shields, charging boar=royalty or extreme military prowess, put on graves of nobles for strength in the afterlife.

43. Anglo-Saxon belief system:**** • Importance of physical and moral courage • Loyalty above all • Power of fate—”wyrd”Believed that you could not control what happened to you. The measure of a man was HOW he responded to his destiny.

44. The Germania – Cultural Connections Baritus: • Battle chant to kindle courage by terrifying their foes. • “a unison of valour”

45. The Germania – Women • “[A]rmies already wavering on the point of collapse have been rallied by the women, pleading heroically with their men, thrusting forward their bared bosoms, and making them realize the imminent prospect of enslavement.”

46. The Germania • “They bring back the bodies of the fallen even when a battle hangs in the balance.” • “To throw away one’s shield is the supreme disgrace, and the man [who does this] is debarred from attendance at sacrifice or assembly.”

47. The Germania • “Traitors and deserters are hanged on trees; cowards, shirkers. . . are pressed down under a wicker hurdle into the slimy mud of a bog.”

48. Tollund Man

49. Uncle/Nephew Relationship • “The sons of sisters are as highly honoured by their uncles as by their own fathers. Some tribes even consider the former tie the closer and more sacred of the two.”

50. Other Germanic values: • Hospitality is paramount—always hospitable to strangers and visitors. • The more family connections and allegiances a man can command, the higher his status.(Epithets: Hygelac’s thane, or Hrothgar’s son) • Better to die in battle than to grow old and weak.