Play the World First Mistake!! (Already)

[Thuloid]

Anybody here realize that King Brennus, the name they gave in the press release for the (assumed) Celtic leader, likely wasn't a human being at all?

Brennus is the name that Livy gives to the Gaulish chief who sacked Rome in about 390 b.c Bear in mind that Livy wrote that WAY after the fact (nearly 400 years), and that 'Brennos' is a name reported by the Greeks as the 'leader' of the Gaulish invasion of Macedonia in the 3rd century B.C. Brennos in that case is most likely a Celtic raven god, not a human at all. Bran, Brennos, Brennus, etc. means 'raven,' and the name is too widely reported as a mythological leader (an Irish hero, a welsh king, likely a Celtic god on the continent) for 'King Brennus' to be a reliable name for a historic figure.

It's a bit like if the Crusades had happened much longer ago and all that was remembered today was that the Crusaders had been led by someone named 'Christ.' We might, mistakenly, assume this to be a historic king who led the armies.

I wonder if Infogrames has any idea of this, or whether they just pulled a name out of some book which didn't really tell the whole story.

 

[Kilroy]

You say Jupiter, I say Zeus.

 

[CurtSibling]

I say historical reference,
Firaxis says; "bleh!"

Well spotted, Kilroy.

Mistakes when making a history based game are inexcusable.

 

[Crimson Sunrise]

It's only slightly based on history. Any historical accuracy goes out the window when Egypt has Germany to its west and the Vikings to the south. Live with it.

 

[Thunderfall]

Firaxis probably should just use the same leader name for the Celts as Civ2 to avoid trouble. In Civ2, Celts' leader is Cunobelin (of Hippo).

 

[CurtSibling]

Originally posted by Primeval Dragon
It's only slightly based on history. Any historical accuracy goes out the window when Egypt has Germany to its west and the Vikings to the south. Live with it.

I'm living with it, matey.

It's just that when picking a leader they should at least use
someone convincing, as TF stated, what's wrong with Cunobelin?

 

[JoeM]

Originally posted by Thunderfall
Firaxis probably should just use the same leader name for the Celts as Civ2 to avoid trouble. In Civ2, Celts' leader is Cunobelin (of Hippo).

Checking out Cunobelin and BRennus on Google I found this link to Hippotion Brennus:

http://www-staff.mcs.uts.edu.au/~don/larvae/sphi/brennus.html

Could this lead to a Brennus of Hippo!?

 

[Thuloid]

I can't really complain. After all, if I object too badly, I can just change the name in all my games. It isn't as if the animation won't do for pretty much any Celt I stick in as leader.

I just thought it funny that, with all the historic figures out there, they landed on a mythological one.

Reminds me of St. Christopher, the patron saint of people who happen not to exist.

 

[allhailIndia]

Since most of the egomaniacs who play this game, name the leaders after themselves, it makes big difference

I wonder if Boudicca will be a Great Leader for the Celts.

 

[Exsanguination]

kinda the same way alexander the great is Greece's leader and Cleopatra is Egypt's or Joan of Arc is France's. They just chose the most recognizable leader possible.

BTW... does anyone else find it odd that Bismarck is Germany's leader, although he was never the absolute ruler of Germany? I think he should be a great leader...

 

[CrazyScientist]

and anyway, aren't most mythical figures based (at least loosely)on real people anyway? Some guy wins a battle and his exploits get spread and exaggerated until he becomes a suprehero, then finally is deified? This is especially true in societies with a strong oral tradition. I don't know very much about the history or mythology of the Celts, but isn't it possible, or even likely that this Brennus character really did exist at some point?

 

[Thuloid]

Possible that he existed, but the name means 'raven.' I doubt that if he existed, that was his given name.

For anyone in England, the story about the ravens of the Tower of London originates from this figure. His head was supposedly buried there (on tower hill) and provided protection to the site. Hence, the legend that everything will be just dandy as long as there are ravens inhabiting the Tower environs.