Druids

A priestly caste in British tribal society. The Greek geographer Strabo accused them of mass human sacrifice. Although they are not specifically identified as the instigators of the slaughter which accompanied the capture of Camulodunum ( Colchester) by Boudicca's rebels, there can be little doubt that both Tacitus and Dio Cassius held them responsible for the atrocities. Pliny confirms the important role of sacred groves in druidic religion, particularly those of oak trees. He was also responsible for linking the druids to mistletoe, white robes, golden sickles, and herbal medicines.

A Dictionary of British History. Ed. John Cannon. Oxford University Press, 2001.