Galatians (280 - 25 BC)
(DBA 45)
The Galatians (from the Greek "Galatae" or "Gauls") were Celts who migrated southward across the Danubian plains through Illyricum and Pannonia to settle in central asia minor (i.e. modern Turkey). Perhaps due to this migration through open country, they were known to fight in tighter formations than their western counterparts, which made them vulnerable in bad going.
The Galatian army list begins properly in 279 BC, when the Galatian host stopped its migration in northern Macedonia and debated whether to continue west or move south into Greece. A faction under the chieftain Brennus split off and headed south to sack the temple at Delphi before being driven back with heavy losses. The remnants rejoined the other division of Galatians under Leonorius and Luterius who had moved into Thrace. In 278 B.C., two groups of 20,000 Galatians crossed over into Asia
Minor where they were engaged in service to King Nicomedes I of Bithynia, helping to suppress a rebellion by his younger brother. As a reward for their services, the Galatians receved a large tract of land in central Asia minor (in modern Turkey) known henceforth as Galatia.
At this point, the Galatians consisted of three tribes centered around three towns: the Tolistboboii (Pessinus), the Tectosages (Ancyra, or modern Ankara) and the Trocmi (Tavium). Each tribe divided its territory into canton-like tetrarchies, ruled by a tetrarch supported by a judge and a general. Until the imposition of Roman-supported Kings, Galatia was ruled by a council of tetrarchs and by a 300 man Senate that met periodically at Drynemeton, near Ancyra.
Once firmly established, the Galatians commenced a series of marauding expeditions in all directions that made them the scourge of Asia Minor. Antiochus, the Macedonian successor king of Syria earned the title "Soter" (Savior) by repelling Galatian raiders. King Attlaus I of Pergaman (with Roman encouragement) was able to confine them to Galatia proper in a series of campaigns in 235-232 AD.
Thereafter, the warlike Galatians increasingly sought outlets through service as mercenaries. At Magnesia (180 BC) Galatians fought for King Antiochus of Syria against the Romans. Following the Roman victory, a Republican army under the Consul Manlius entered Galatia, defeating them in two battles (see Livy, XXXVIII, xvi. and I Mach., viii.). In 64 BC, the tetrarch Deiotarus fought for Rome against King Mithrades I of Pontus, and was rewarded by being named King of the Galatians by the Romans. Deiotarus later raised two immitation legions of Galatians who fought for Cicero in Roman service in Cilicia in 51 BC. In the Civil War, the Galatians supported Pompey with troops at the battle of Pharsala (48 BC).
Following Pompey's defeat, Mark Anthony placed the tetrarch Amyntas on the throne of Galatia, which by that time included not only Galatia proper, but also portions of Lyesonia, Pamphylia, Pisidia and Phyrgia (including the towns of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe). A Galatian legion under command of the Roman Domitius was routed in battle against the army of Pharnaces of Pontus in the Alexandrian War (40 BC). A Galatian contingent joined Anthony at Actium (31 BC), but they changed sides at a critical point, offering their allegiance to Octavian (Augustus Caesar). As a reward, Amyntas continued as king of the Galatians until he was ambushed and killed in 25 BC. At that point, Galatia was officially absorbed as a Roman province, ending this DBA army list.
Enemies
The Galatians fought the Thracians (#27), Macedonian Early Successors (#40), Early and Later Seleucids (#40a&b), Pergamene (#48), and Pontic (#58).
Missing from the list are the Polybian Romans (#46b) representing the invading army of the Consul Gnaeus Manlius Vulso, following Magnesia.
Army composition
| 2x LCh and 1x SCh or 2x 4Bd and 1Ps |
Galatian leaders and retainers on Light Chariots, along with a four horse scythed chariot in the early period . Alternatively, Galatian foot armed and equipped with captured armor as imitation legionaries in the later period. Two legions of imitation legionaries were combined and enrolled as Legio XXII Deitariana when Galatia was absorbed by Rome in 25 BC. |
| 2 x 3Cv |
Athenian and Thessalian cavalry who allied with the Galatians during their invasion of northern Greece in 279 BC. May be represented as mounted Galatian leaders and retainers in the later period. |
| 7 x 4Wb |
Galatian warband, who were noted for their fanatical fervor, indifference to wounds, and distain for armour. Nude Galatians were recorded fighting with the Seleucids against Rome as late as 189 BC. |
Not reflected in the list are Greek, Cappadocian and/or Paphlagonian slingers and light infantry (i.e. psiloi) who fought with the Galatians in the earlier period, but not in association with later 1st Century BC armies that contained imitation legionaries.
Tactics
A warband army with cavalry and optional blades makes an interesting combination. The traditional warband tactic is to charge home against enemy foot and worry about the flanks later. But with cavalry and light chariots, the early Galatians have plenty of mobility to protect the flanks, or can use their mounted troops to prepare the way for a warband charge. The scythed chariot provides an interesting weapon to throw against the Macedonian sucessor phalanx. Alternatively, the imitation blades can force enemy pikes into double ranks, exposing their shortened lines to overlaps and flanks.
One thing is clear, this is not a rough terrain army. With only one optional element of Psiloi, the Galatians lack troops capable of contesting the bad going with Thracian peltasts, Seleucid thureophoroi and other light troops. The best bet is to stick to the good going as much as possible.
Miniature Sources
The standard Galatian army can be pieced together from various miniature sources through careful selections from their Gallic/Celtic ranges.
Essex offers a Galatian DBA army pack (using figures from their Ancient British/Gallic range) consisting of 2 Light Chariots (AGB1 and AGB1a w/chieftain), 1 Psiloi (ABG7- slingers), 2 Cavalry (ABG3), and 7 Warband (AGB5 & 6). Note that this is not a "legal" DBA 1.2 army, since the army list provides for only one psiloi and then only in conjunction with imitation legionaries. Also, given the reputation of Galatians as fanatics, who fought naked like the Gallic gaestati as late as 189 AD, it is somewhat surprising that ABG4 (Fanatics) was not employed.
Other Resources
Forthcoming.
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Last Updated: Sept. 1, 1999
Comments, questions or suggested additions to this page can be sent to Chris Brantley, brant@erols.com.
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