May, another good modern source to check out other than the ones previously mentioned is Dr. Miranda J. Green. In her book, The World of the Druids, she discusses the role women played as druidesses and wise women and in Celtic society.

All three categories of evidence - the testimony of Classical authors, archaeology and the vernacular myths - suggest that high ranking Celtic women enjoyed a power which was at least comparable o that of their male peers. Both Mediterranean documentary sources and the archaeological evidence imply that extremely powerful and influential women could and did exist in pagan Celtic Europe between the 5th century BC and the 1st century AD. Such women were few but that they were acceptable within Celtic society is important; this is not the case in the contemporary world of Greece and Rome.

As examples of this, she lists Medb of Connacht (though there is no evidence she existed as a historical figure) the ladies of Vix and Reinheim, Boudica, Cartimandua, and the druidess who scolded Diocletian. Apparently she scolded him for being mean when he was paying his tab in a Celtic tavern when he serving in the ranks of the Roman army. He jokingly told her that when he was emperor, he’d be a bit more free with his money. She predicted (quite correctly) that he would indeed become emperor after he’d slain the boar or ‘aper’ in Latin. The head of the Praetorian Guard’s name was Aper....

Fergus Kelly in A Guide to Early Irish Law reminds us that while it is true that women did feature quite prominently in early Irish literature and did enjoy more freedoms, it would be wrong to exaggerate the degree of power and freedom enjoyed by women in early Irish society. A woman did not enjoy the legal capacity of a male. She could not normally act as witness, make a contract without the permission of her superior (usually her husband) or make a sale or transaction without his approval.

I say normally because she could give pledges of property she owned, such as her work bag or clothing for others as she saw fit but couldn’t give pledges of cattle, horses, silver, gold, copper or iron without her husband’s approval.