The Rev. W. Phelps in his The History and Antiquities of Somersetshire mentions that "...Druidism...is supposed to have been introduced into this country....from the East, by the Phoenicians, who held a commercial intercourse with Cornwall.."
He mentioned the writings of Tacitus, Diodorus and Caesar as references but it isn't clear if they made the Phoenician claim or it was later conjectures. The Rev. Phelps then references Godfrey, Higgins and his The Celtic Druids in which "the philosophers of the Phoenicians were the same as the Druids.." along with manners, religion and even language.
Little do I know about Phoenician religion and classic Druidism so this prompts a question as the claim goes beyond a statement such as "Phoenicians traded with the British Isles in order to procure tin and there was some cultural exchange".
Do you think the claim that the Phoenicians were a direct influence in the birth and practices of Druidism in the British Isles plausible or is it a case of wishful thinking in trying to tie ancient history back to the "Holy Land" similar to the Romans and Troy? Do you find similarities between Phoenician religion and Druidism that would make this claim plausible?
For those interested:
Link to The Celtic Druids .
https://archive.org/details/b22010294
I just discovered this, this morning so have not read it yet but it's on the list.
The History and Antiquities of Somersetshire https://ia601608.us.archive.org/14/items/historyandantiq00phelgoog/historyandantiq00phelgoog.pdf
Druidism originating with Phoenicians?
He mentioned the writings of Tacitus, Diodorus and Caesar as references but it isn't clear if they made the Phoenician claim or it was later conjectures. The Rev. Phelps then references Godfrey, Higgins and his The Celtic Druids in which "the philosophers of the Phoenicians were the same as the Druids.." along with manners, religion and even language.
Little do I know about Phoenician religion and classic Druidism so this prompts a question as the claim goes beyond a statement such as "Phoenicians traded with the British Isles in order to procure tin and there was some cultural exchange".
Do you think the claim that the Phoenicians were a direct influence in the birth and practices of Druidism in the British Isles plausible or is it a case of wishful thinking in trying to tie ancient history back to the "Holy Land" similar to the Romans and Troy? Do you find similarities between Phoenician religion and Druidism that would make this claim plausible?
For those interested:
Link to The Celtic Druids .
https://archive.org/details/b22010294
I just discovered this, this morning so have not read it yet but it's on the list.
The History and Antiquities of Somersetshire
https://ia601608.us.archive.org/14/items/historyandantiq00phelgoog/historyandantiq00phelgoog.pdf