In peace the Druids exercised the main functions of government.

They decided all controversies, civil and criminal.

To rebel against their decrees was punished by exclusion from the sacrifices--a most terrible excommunication, through which the criminal was cut off from all intercourse with his fellow-creatures.
With the Germans, the sovereignty resided in the great assembly of the people.

There were slaves, indeed, but in small number, consisting either of prisoners of war or of those unfortunates who had gambled away their liberty in games of chance.

Their chieftains, although called by the Romans princes and kings, were, in reality, generals, chosen by universal suffrage.