Theos-Talk Archives (August 1997 Message tl00674)

Discarding the Roman influence on Gallic tradition will be a great feat
indeed.  There are only two things that I might be able to throw in that
seemed very individualistic and common among the tribes.

The first was that both women and men were held with more or less equal
status.  Women and men battled side by side.  They both traded, although
the men fared better due to the less equal status of women in other
societies.  Women made weapons.  Men took care of children.  There weren't
any discriminatory duties "assigned" to one particular sex, however, most
women and men held to what we now call sexist ideals, simply because of
physical structure.

The fact that women fought along side men was considered a factor in
battles won.  Men of other nations were less likely to cut a woman's
throat.  Some nations, if I remember correctly from various readings,
wrote that such tactics were "unfair" and, that word again, "barbaric".

Another interesting tidbit is the tribes' attitude toward hermaphrodites.
Alexander the Great had the most influence on the conquer of Gallic tribes
simply because of his sex.  Not only was he a great man of compromise, but
he possessed something which the Gauls held dear.  Hermaphroditism.  Many
weapons fashioned after his conquer praise him greatly.  He was a hero in
many Gallic eyes, even though he was their conqueror.

These two points are the only things I can think of right now that didn't
appear to have any outside influence.  In fact, (I can't be sure, because
my historical timelines are folded like swords), the development of Hermes
the messenger, (he was the god of something else too, wasn't he?), may
have come after contact with the Gauls.  If not, perhaps migrating Gallic
peoples contributed this god before the Roman civilization rose to its
greatness.  Who knows.

---
Jaqi.