Celtic Warfare in Ireland: A Logistical Perspective
Abstract
The study of warfare in Pre-Norman Ireland has focused almost to exclusion on the political ramifications of campaigns and violent actions. Scholars have avoided detailed studies of the mechanics of violence in this Celtic society due to a paucity of the documentation commonly used by military historians. By combining the study of literary and ecclesiastical sources as well as archaeological evidence with modem United States Army logistical doctrine, the general logistical practices employed by the pre-Norman Irish kings emerges. The study continues on by examining certain critical elements of this practice: specifically the assembly of armies, methods of movement, and the provisioning of the force. After developing a model for Irish logistical practices, this thesis examines Latin and European influences on the Irish from the seventh through the eleventh centuries and their impact in Ire land. This methodology sheds new light on the incredible success of the kingdom of Dal Cais in the late tenth and early eleventh centuries. By refusing to conform to traditional logistical practices, and instead adapting the methods that had proven successful in Wessex and West Francia, Brian Borumha revolutionized warfare in The land.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA363119
Entities
People
- David B. Beougher
Organizations
- Pennsylvania State University