ere included among the
Druids or the nobles. In other words, the Druids constituted the learned
and the priestly class, and they were in addition the chief expounders
and guardians of the law. We are, however, informed by Diodorus and
Strabo that this class was composed of Druids, bards and soothsayers.
Hence Caesar seems to assign more extensive functions to the Druids than
they actually possessed. The substance of Caesar's account is as
follows. On those who refused to submit to their decisions they had the
power of inflicting severe penalties, of which excommunication from
society was the most dreaded. As they were not a hereditary caste and
enjoyed exemption from service in the field as well as from payment of
taxes, admission to the order was eagerly sought after by the youth of
Gaul. The course of training to which a novice had to submit was
protracted, extending sometimes over twenty years. All instruction was
communicated orally, but for ordinary purposes they had a written
language in which they used the Greek characters. The president of the
order, whose office was elective and who enjoyed the dignity for life,
had supreme authority among them. They taught that the soul was
immortal. Astrology, geography, physical science and natural theology
were their favourite studies.

Britain was the headquarters of Druidism, but once every year a general
assembly of the order was held within the territories of the Carnutes in
Gaul. The Gauls were accustomed to offer human sacrifices, usually
criminals. Cicero remarks on the existence among the Gauls of augurs or
soothsayers, known by the name of Druids, with one of whom, Divitiacus,
an Aeduan, he was acquainted. Diodorus informs us that a sacrifice
acceptable to the gods must be attended by a Druid, for they are the
intermediaries. Before a battle they often throw themselves between two
armies to bring about peace. They are said to have had a firm belief in
the immortality of the soul and in metempsychosis, a fact which led
several ancient writers to conclude that they had been influenced by the
teaching of the Greek philosopher Pythagoras.

A rescript of Augustus forbade Roman citizens to practise druidical
rites. In Strabo we find the Druids still acting as arbiters in public
and private matters, but they no longer deal with cases of murder. Under
Tiberius the Druids were suppressed by a decree of the senate, but this
had to be renewed by Claudius in A.D. 54. In Mela