Druids acted as knowledge-keepers in many barbarian societies. Afraid their secrets may fall into the wrong hands, they never wrote anything down and so all information was passed verbally. Stories were passed down from generation to generation through the medium of poetry, song and dance. Classical sources, including Strabo and Caesar, suggested that it could take up to twenty years for a druid to learn everything he was expected to know. This learning was not limited to folktales and rituals, as druids were also expected to memorise long and complex law codes in order to pass judgement on legal cases.
