Their homeland was known as Gaul Gallia. They spoke Gaulish , a continental Celtic language. They reached the peak of their power in the 3rd century BC. These latter Gauls eventually settled in Anatolia contemporary Turkey , becoming known as Galatians. After the end of the First Punic War , the rising Roman Republic increasingly put pressure on the Gallic sphere of influence. Gaul was never united under a single ruler or government, but the Gallic tribes were capable of uniting their armies in large-scale military operations , such as those led by Brennus and Vercingetorix.
They followed an ancient Celtic religion overseen by druids. The Gauls produced the Coligny calendar. Old Breton gal 'power, ability', Irish gal 'bravery, courage'. Middle Welsh gallu , Middle Breton gallout 'to be able', Cornish gallos 'power'.
According to Caesar mid-1st c. Gaulish culture developed over the first millennium BC. The Urnfield culture c. The Greek and Etruscan civilizations and colonies began to influence the Gauls, especially in the Mediterranean area. Gauls under Brennus invaded Rome circa BC. In the early 3rd century BC, the Gauls attempted an eastward expansion , toward the Balkan peninsula.
At that time, it was a Greek province. The Gauls' intent was to reach and loot the rich Greek city-states of the Greek mainland. However, the Greeks exterminated the majority of the Gallic army, and the few survivors were forced to flee. Many Gauls were recorded as serving in the armies of Carthage during the Punic Wars. One of the leading rebel leaders of the Mercenary War , Autaritus , was of Gallic origin. At the end of the second expedition, the Gallic raiders had been repelled by the coalition armies of the various Greek city-states and were forced to retreat to Illyria and Thrace , but the Greeks were forced to grant safe passage to the Gauls who then made their way to Asia Minor and settled in Central Anatolia.
The Gallic area of settlement in Asia Minor was called Galatia ; there they created widespread havoc. They were checked through the use of war elephants and skirmishers by the Greek Seleucid king Antiochus I in BC, after which they served as mercenaries across the whole Hellenistic Eastern Mediterranean , including Ptolemaic Egypt , where they, under Ptolemy II Philadelphus — BC , attempted to seize control of the kingdom.
