Page 17 - The Flickering Cauldron Magazine - May 2022

Whilst we know the Romans were aware of many Druid strongholds, the area which we now refer to as Anglesey in Western Wales, was a particular focal point for them.
The onslaught of the Roman invasion of Europe would result in the end of the dominance of the Celtic way of life and its influence over the people of the continent.
Julius Caesar had conquered Gaul which consisted of what we now refer to as France, Belgium, (most of) Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, (parts of) Northern Italy, and Germany east of the Rhine by 50 BC.
His writings of the Celts and in particular the practises of the Druids, in which he claimed they made human sacrifices by way of creating a human effigy and burning victims within it alive, (hence the legend of the Wickerman), incensed the Romans.
Back to Anglesey, the island which was in ancient times known as Mona. The theory behind which is Mona in simple terms meant ‘high island’ based on the latin ‘mons’ for hill; but both theories disputed by dozen others so we will never really know.
To put things into perspective, it’s the largest Island of Wales, the largest island in the Irish sea and at the time of the Roman invasion would have been the most populated (today it’s second in population to the Isle of Man).
It was also thought to be the spiritual home of the nomadic Druids. So, when the Roman invasion of Britain started in 43 AD it was bound to be a seriously significant target for them.
When the Romans got to Mona they prepared. Such was their determination to take the island, we know they built special wide bottomed boats to mount an attack from the sea, enabling large numbers of men as well as cavalry to charge ashore quickly. After a great battle, Mona (Anglesey) was defeated in 60 AD.
It’s interesting that the Roman historian Tacitus, wrote quite a detailed account of the fall of Mona. In which he described the people as appearing ‘war-weary’. Was this indeed the last stand of the Druids?
We know the Celtic culture continued in Scotland and Ireland, but was the fall of Mona really the end of the Druids in Britain? We think it unlikely. Firstly because there are smaller islands off Anglesey that the Druids could and would have fled to.
Most importantly, the Romans had no time to take the other islands as they had to rapidly withdraw the vast majority of their forces to see off a revolt led by Queen Boudica who had burned Londinium; a much greater prize than Mona.
So despite the defeat of Anglesey (Mona) it’s highly likely that the Druids lived on.
Lyn Cerrig Bach, the west of Anglesey, the lake where the Druids gave all their last precious offerings to appease their gods before being massacred by the Romans
The Flickering Cauldron® Magazine - Anglesey Island | 17