The Druids and the Massacre at Mona

Active learning helps students grasp the Druids' complex roles and the resistance at Mona by moving beyond abstract facts. Students engage with sources, maps, and debates to see how Druids shaped Celtic society and why the Romans targeted them, making history tangible through role-play and collaboration.

• Year 4
• History
• 4 activities
• 30 min–45 min

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the multifaceted roles of Druids within Celtic society, including their religious, judicial, and advisory functions.
2. Analyze Roman accounts to identify specific reasons why Roman leaders perceived Druids as a political and military threat.
3. Evaluate the impact of the Roman attack on Anglesey (Mona) on the cohesion of Celtic resistance and the progress of the Roman conquest.
4. Compare and contrast the perspectives of Roman historians and Celtic society regarding the Druids and their practices.

Gallery Walk

⏱ 45 min·Small Groups

Role-Play: Druid Council Meeting

Assign roles as Druids, tribal leaders, and Roman spies. Groups discuss resistance strategies based on simplified Tacitus sources, then present decisions to the class. Conclude with a vote on alliance against Rome.

Prepare & details

Explain the significant role Druids played in Celtic society and religion.

Facilitation Tip: During the Druid Council Meeting role-play, assign roles before the activity so students can prepare their arguments based on evidence from the provided sources.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Concept Mapping

⏱ 30 min·Pairs

Concept Mapping: Roman Assault on Mona

Provide outline maps of Britain. Students mark Celtic territories, Mona location, and Roman advance routes using coloured pencils. Add annotations on Druid roles and battle outcomes from class notes.

Prepare & details

Analyze why the Romans viewed the Druids as a political and military threat.

Facilitation Tip: For the Roman Assault on Mona mapping activity, provide blank maps and colored pencils to help students visualize terrain and defense strategies.

Setup: Tables with large paper, or wall space

Materials: Concept cards or sticky notes, Large paper, Markers, Example concept map

• Understand
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Awareness
• Self-Management

Gallery Walk

⏱ 40 min·Whole Class

Source Debate: Roman vs Celtic Views

Distribute adapted excerpts from Tacitus and Celtic legends. Pairs analyse bias, then debate in whole class: 'Were Druids heroes or threats?' Teacher facilitates with prompt cards.

Prepare & details

Assess how the attack on Anglesey (Mona) changed the course of the Roman conquest.

Facilitation Tip: In the Source Debate, divide students into Roman and Celtic groups and give each team a set of source cards to reference during the discussion.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Gallery Walk

⏱ 35 min·Small Groups

Timeline Build: Druids to Boudicca

Each student researches one event on cards. In small groups, sequence them on a class timeline string, adding drawings of Druids and Mona battle. Discuss links to conquest.

Prepare & details

Explain the significant role Druids played in Celtic society and religion.

Facilitation Tip: While building the Timeline from Druids to Boudicca, provide a mix of dates and events for students to sequence, ensuring they include key figures like Boudicca and Druid leaders.

Setup: Wall space or tables arranged around room perimeter

Materials: Large paper/poster boards, Markers, Sticky notes for feedback

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Teaching This Topic

Experienced teachers approach this topic by balancing myth and history, using role-play to confront misconceptions about Druids as fantasy figures. They prioritize source analysis to help students evaluate conflicting accounts, like Roman and Celtic narratives of the Massacre at Mona. Research shows that collaborative discussions and hands-on mapping deepen understanding of resistance and geography in ancient conflicts.

What to Expect

Students will demonstrate understanding by connecting Druids' spiritual, political, and educational roles to the Massacre at Mona. They will analyze sources, debate perspectives, and map events to explain how this moment united Celtic tribes against Rome.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Role-Play: Druid Council Meeting, watch for students who treat Druids as magical characters rather than historical leaders.

What to Teach Instead

Provide a script or card with clear roles and responsibilities for each Druid character based on historical evidence, such as their roles as priests, judges, and advisors, to redirect students toward realistic portrayals.

Common Misconception

During the Mapping: Roman Assault on Mona activity, watch for students who assume the Romans easily overcame Celtic defenses.

What to Teach Instead

Highlight the role of geography in the map, such as the location of Anglesey and its tidal waters, and ask students to mark potential defensive positions to correct the idea of a one-sided victory.

Common Misconception

During the Group Discussion of Celtic Society Structures, watch for students who oversimplify Druids as only religious figures.

What to Teach Instead

Use the collaborative list of Druid influences as a visual anchor, prompting students to add political and educational roles from the activity materials to counter oversimplification.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

After the Role-Play: Druid Council Meeting, ask students to write two sentences explaining why the Romans feared the Druids and one sentence describing the significance of the attack on Anglesey, using evidence from the role-play.

Discussion Prompt

During the Source Debate: Roman vs Celtic Views, pose the question: 'If you were a Celtic tribal leader in AD 60, would you trust the Druids to lead resistance against Rome, or would you fear their influence?' Listen for students to justify their answers using roles and evidence from the debate.

Quick Check

After the Timeline Build: Druids to Boudicca, present students with three short statements about Druids and Roman actions. Ask them to label each statement as 'True' or 'False' and provide a brief justification based on the timeline they created.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge: Ask students to write a journal entry from the perspective of a Druid or Roman soldier during the Massacre at Mona, including at least three historical details.
• Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters for the Source Debate, such as 'As a Roman, I believe... because...' to guide students in structuring their arguments.
• Deeper exploration: Have students research modern Druidic traditions and compare them to ancient practices, presenting findings to the class.

Key Vocabulary

Druid	Religious leaders, teachers, and judges in Celtic societies who held significant influence over tribal decisions and spiritual practices.
Sacred Grove	A natural area, often a forest, considered holy by the Celts and used by Druids for religious rituals and ceremonies.
Oral Tradition	The method by which knowledge, history, and laws were passed down through generations by speaking, rather than writing, a primary method for Druids.
Anglesey (Mona)	An island off the coast of Wales, considered a major stronghold and spiritual center for the Druids, targeted by the Romans.
Suetonius Paulinus	The Roman governor who led the military campaign that resulted in the destruction of the Druid stronghold on Anglesey.