The Origins of Celtic people
- The historical Celtics were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age Europe
- Dated from 750 BC to 12 BC the Celts were the most powerful civilisation to rule in central and northern Europe
- Celtic culture formed in the Early Iron Age in Central Europe. By the later Iron Age (La Tene Period), Celts had expanded over a wide range of lands: as far west as Ireland, and as far east as Turkey
- The Celts lived across most of Europe during the Iron Age
- Several hundred years before Julius Caesar, they occupied many parts of central and western Europe, especially what are now Austria, Switzerland, southern France and Spain.
- The Celtic languages form a branch of the larger Indo-European family.
- By the time speakers of Celtic languages enter history around 400 BCE, they were already split into several language groups, and spread over much of central Europe.