19. Celts warriors developed such a fearsome reputation they began hiring themselves out as mercenaries.
Although Brennus’s invasion of Greece failed, Celtic warriors were soon in demand. Greek noblemen began to lure Celts into their armies with offers of wealth, and the Celts eagerly took up their offers. However, it wasn’t just the Greeks who were after Celtic mercenaries. King Nicomedes I of Bithynia in Asia Minor decided Gaulish mercenaries were the perfect addition to the armies he was unleashing on the Greeks. Unlike his Greek counterparts, Nicomedes found the ideal way to control his Gaulish troops, appeasing them with land instead of inflaming them with booty. Nicomedes settled his Celts near Ankara in Turkey. The region became known as Galatia, deriving its name from “Gaul”. Its inhabitants became known as the Galatians, who became famous through St Paul’s letters to them.