17. The Romans and Greeks saw the Celtic Character as rowdy and warlike
These encounters with the Celts formed a stereotypical Celtic character in the Mediterranean mind. The geographer Strabo, writing in the first century BC described the Celts as dramatic, high spirited and boastful, ‘extolling themselves and diminishing the status of others.’Another writer remarked how Celts were touchy and “wont to be moved by chance remarks to wordy disputes and after a challenge to fight in single combat.” Such incidents usually occurred during feasts after too much to drink — another Celtic bad habit. The whole Celtic race was also said to be “madly fond of war, high spirited and quick to battle.”
However, it wasn’t all bad. Strabo also describes the Celts as ‘frank’ and others praised their quick minds and natural ability to learn. Despite their boastfulness and fighting, Celts were also felt to be “straightforward and not of evil character.”