The oath and the breaking of oath as curse in the ancient Celtic world: The case of the encounter between the Celts and Alexander the Great on the Danube in 335 BC

Abstract

This small study aims at clarifying some aspects of the encounter between Alexander the Great and the Celts on the Danube in 335 BC and the possible oath sworn by the Celts in order to seal their treaty with Alexander. The main idea is that the breaking of the oath works on the wrongdoer as a curse and the elemental gods of the Universe will seek and succeed in bringing about the evildoer’s destruction.