The Celts in the West. Germany and Gaul
THE GREATNESS AND DECLINE OF THE CELTS CHAPTER IV THE CELTS IN THE WEST. GERMANY AND GAUL I CELTS AND GERMANS IN the middle valley of the Danube the development of the Celtic settlements had been checked by the Getae and Dacians. The Boii advanced to the Theiss, but their sway extended no further. Beyond that there were doubtless Gauls in Transylvania, just as there were Saxons later. Celtic culture spread in this region, and the Dacians became Celticized. On the Black Sea, an inscription from Olbia [C.I.G., 2058. Cf. LXX, 3, pp. 441 ff.; CXLIX, 34, pp. 50 - 61; Pliny, iv, 97; Müllenhoff, CCCLXII, ii, pp. 110 ff.] records the appearance of the Sciri, who were probably Germans, in the company of the Galatians. But they were soon absorbed. In the same parts, at the same date, we find a much more important people, though of uncertain origin, the Bastarnae. [A. Bauer, in CXLIX, clxxxv, 2, 1918.] They are mentioned for the first time at the beginning of the second century, as newcomers on the Lower Danube. All these barbarians were employed as auxiliaries down to the time of the collision. In 182 Philip of Macedon sent them against the Dardanians. [Livy, 40, 57.] In 179 there was a great drive of the Bastarnae, with which the Macedonians had great difficulty in dealing. Some ancient writers, particularly Polybios, [Polyb., 26, 9; 29 ff.] who lived at the time of these events, regard the Bastarnae as Galatians. [Müllenhoff, op. cit., ii, p. 104.] Ptolemy, [Ptol., i, 3, 5, 19.] on the other hand, makes them Germans, and in this he is justified by the names found among them.
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