Celtic Command Military Figures Set 1/72 Scale Plastic Model Kit HaT 8138

The Celts are a group of Indo-European peoples, the birthplace of which was probably the area of today's southern Germany and Bohemia, and central-western France. The greatest expansion of the Celts reached the so-called the La Tene period, the beginning of which is dated around 450-400 BC and the end of which is 150-100 BC. During this period, the Celts conquered all of today's France, the British Isles, a large part of Spain, but also reached the Balkans and even Asia Minor! It is worth adding that the Celts developed a high-standing culture, with an extensive religious system, with extensive defensive settlements (oppida), the area of which sometimes covered several hundred hectares, but also with highly developed iron processing. This, of course, influenced the Celtic military. First of all, it should be said that the Celts were often perceived as very brave warriors, ready to make considerable sacrifices on the battlefield. At the time of entering into military contacts with Rome, i.e. in the 4th century BC, during the conquest of northern Italy in the 3rd century BC and during Caesar's battles in Gaul (58-52 BC), the foot Celtic warriors were armed with spears and shields - most often made of wood, sometimes reinforced with iron and decorated. The richer ones also used very good-quality iron swords. Often, helmets are also appropriate as a defensive weapon. It is almost certain that the Celts did not have an army as organized as the Romans, and their army - especially the infantry - was called up to arms by family clans and by social class and financial capacity of a single warriorAfter the end of the First Punic War (264-241 BC) and the conquest of Sicily and - shortly later Corsica and Sardinia - the Roman state turned its attention to the area of today's northern Italy, which at that time was inhabited by the Celts. In the course of several military campaigns conducted in the period from about 240 to about 220 BC, Rome had great difficulty, but managed to take control of these areas - especially the fertile Po plain. At the same time, however, the captured area was potentially prone to rebellion and the shedding of Roman rule. This was perfectly used by the Carthaginian commander Hannibal Barkas, who, after crossing the Alps in 218-217 BC, recruited soldiers from the Celts living in these areas for his army. These warriors were mostly light infantry, often equipped with wooden, rectangular shields, swords, and spears or javelins. By Hannibal himself, the Celts were often treated as "cannon fodder", but were nevertheless a very important element of his army. It is assumed that at Cannae in 216 BC they constituted perhaps even about 30% of his army. They also played a significant role in the Carthaginian successes at Lake Trasimeno (217 BC) and at Cannae (216 BC)..