Druids were Sun worshippers according to the limited accounts which have survived. Their name means ‘Knowing the Oak Tree’ and the oak was a Druidic symbol of the sun. The ‘mighty oak’s’ claim to be the king of the forest is difficult to dismiss and its strength is legendary. Strength and kingly dignity are both key characteristics of the spirit of the Sun in astrology.

The association with the oak testifies to the forested nature of much of Britain and Gaul ( France) during this pre-Roman period but also to their fondness for the forest lore. The Druid months and the 20 letters of their alphabet were all named after trees and their veneration for mistletoe and its healing properties has survived in our custom of Christmas kissing.

The Druids were the learned priestly elite of their societies, credited with many roles including astrology and clairvoyance, healing and judging disputes. They seem to correspond strikingly with the Persian Magi.

Unfortunately all their lore and history was committed to memory, never written down but we do know that reincarnation was at the centre of their faith. There has been a great deal of speculation on the Druidic religion but in the main we have only Roman accounts, particularly that of Julius Caesar, on which to rely. There is every sign of a popular general’s attempt to translate Druidic gods and customs into familiar Roman language and it would be surprising if a degree of adverse propaganda did not colour his account.

However, Caesar has no hesitation in equating the Druids’ gods and goddesses with the astrological gods of Rome. It is difficult to doubt these accomplished priests, with their international connections, recognised the solar majesty worshipped throughout the ancient world, with his family of planetary divinities.