Druiden - Edle Wilde oder finstere Zauberer?

Miraculix is known by every child. With his snow-white beard, golden sickle, and his legendary magic potion, the druid is the true figure of respect in the Gallic village of the comic heroes Asterix and Obelix. The romantic image of the mistletoe-cutting healer and seer has shaped this perception. But who were the druids really, and what was their status in Celtic society? There are no original Celtic texts to clarify these questions. Archaeological finds are also extremely sparse. The literary accounts of ancient Greek and Roman authors must serve as the basis. They describe the druids as nobles who enriched society not only as priests but also as learned philosophers, legal experts, astrologers, and magicians. As intellectuals and teachers, they advised princes, acted as peacemakers, and taught the immortals.