Description
The Celtic client system meant that a 'freeman' was given opportunities by the tribal hierarchy. He had to serve the noble classes, but he could also earn prestige in his own right. A freeman inevitably became the follower of an aristocrat, working on the land and raising livestock. However he also had the right to bear arms and fight alongside the nobles during times of war. In combat, a Celt could prove his worth, making a reputation for himself. This system caused an appetite for battle amongst the ambitious lower classes. This did not mean that their armies were ill-disciplined or haphazard: their cavalry used 'trimarcisia', where each rider went into battle with a pair of freeman servants, ready to supply fresh mounts or replace a warrior who fell.
