History glossary
Celtic
a broad label for related Iron Age peoples, languages, and cultures across parts of Europe.
- Category
- People and culture
- Region
- Western and central Europe
What it means
Celtic describes a range of societies rather than one unified nation. Celtic-speaking peoples lived across parts of modern France, Britain, Ireland, Spain, central Europe, and the Balkans before and during Roman expansion.
Related terms
Stories using this term
The Roman Republic
From the expulsion of Rome’s kings to the rise of Augustus, the Roman Republic built a powerful mixed constitution, expanded across the Mediterranean, and ultimately collapsed into civil war and one-man rule.
The Celtic World Before Rome
Celtic tribes spanned Europe, shaping culture, conflict, and a lasting legacy.
