s that those Druids belonged who
prophesied the world-empire of the Celts in 70 A.D.[1078] The fact that
Druids existed at this date shows that the proscription had not been
complete. But the complete Romanising of Gaul took away their
occupation, though even in the fourth century men still boasted of their
Druidic descent.[1079]

The insular Druids opposed the legions in Southern Britain, and in Mona
in 62 A.D. they made a last stand with the warriors against the Romans,
gesticulating and praying to the gods. But with the establishment of
Roman power in Britain their fate must have resembled that of the Druids
of Gaul. A recrudescence of Druidism is found, however, in the presence
of _magi_ (Druids) with Vortigern after the Roman withdrawal.[1080]
Outside the Roman pale the Druids were still rampant and practised their
rites as before, according to Pliny.[1081] Much later, in the sixth
century, they opposed Christian missionaries in Scotland, just as in
Ireland they opposed S. Patrick and his monks, who combated "the
hard-hearted Druids." Finally, Christianity was victorious and the
powers of the Druids passed in large measure to the Christian clergy or
remained to some extent with the _Filid_.[1082] In popular belief the
clerics had prevailed less by the persuasive power of the gospel, than
by successfully rivalling the magic of the Druids.

Classical writers speak of _Dryades_ or "Druidesses" in the third
century. One of them predicted his approaching death to Alexander
Severus, another promised the empire to Diocletian, others were
consulted by Aurelian.[1083] Thus they were divineresses, rather than
priestesses, and their name may be the result of misconception, unless
they assumed it when Druids no longer existed as a class. In Ireland
there were divineresses--_ban-filid_ or _ban-fathi_, probably a distinct
class with prophetic powers. Kings are warned against "pythonesses" as
well as Druids, and Dr. Joyce thinks these were Druidesses.[1084] S.
Patrick also armed himself against "the spells of women" and of
Druids.[1085] Women in Ireland had a knowledge of futurity, according to
Solinus, and the women who took part with the Druids like furies at
Mona, may have been divineresses.[1086] In Ireland it is possible that
such women were called "Druidesses," since the word _ban-drui_ is met
with, the women so called being also styled _ban-fili_, while the fact
that they belonged to the class of the _Filid_ brings them i