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The isle of Mona
The druids of Britain were educated in a few places. Mona was such a place, the true centre of the Celtic religion. This was already thought by the druids and modern scientists proved that this was true. Not only the British-Celtic tribes sent their student druids to the island, but the continental Celts of Europe as well. Since Mona is an island, there was little influence from outside, so the pupil had twenty years to prepare him- or herself for the tasks that were waiting in the world. On the isle of Mona, the druids in charge controlled the trade in gold between Wales, Ireland and Europe. They also had the power to unite the tribes, like Boudicca did, besides that was Mona the last place that resisted the Romans. That is why the Roman legions marched to the island to destroy its inhabitants. The Romans crossed after a short but bloody battle near the strait, plundered the island and killed many druids and their pupils. Meanwhile however, several tribes under the leadership of queen Boudicca, who was a druid, revolted. The Romans realised that it was impossible to both oppress Mona and keep the tribes quiet and they withdrew, for it was more important to hold the whole land than conquer this small island.
Julius Agricola, the new governor of Britain, was appointed in 78 AD. He started a new punitive expedition to Mona and its inhabitants and his invasion was larger and more devastating than the previous. The greater part of the inhabitants was killed in a bloody way, but some druids could escape and continued their religion in the mountains and forests of Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
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Mona,
Ynys Mon or Anglesey, like the island is called nowadays, was the Celtic
centre of economy, religion and politics. It is situated on the trade
route between England and Ireland and it had a magical kind of energy
for the Celts. Every river, hill, cairn or well was a portal to the
Other World and, according to the legend, the port to Avalon could be
found here.
The
druids were therefore not exterminated yet, Mona was left alone in
relative peace for almost a generation long. The inhabitants slowly
returned and built up their lives again. The social structure however,
was entirely vanished, for it was forbidden to practice the druidic
religion.
