Who Were Ovates?

Ovates or Vates, as they are also often referred, were the young students who were in the first stage of the Druidic philosophical priesthood. Vates were given the symbolic color of earth, Green, which signified the period of youth years. Vates were to focus mainly on their powers of observation to take notice the effects nature had upon life and matter, thus the Vate became a student of the natural sciences.

We know from Strabo that Vates were the interpreters of sacrifices and were natural philosophers. Vates, who followed the Irish pantheon, were known to carry out divinations. We can assume that Vates were the ones responsible for the calendar of Coligny, which is described as a solar/lunar predictor. It would also be safe to assume that they would have been the astronomers and astrologers as well. Some were known as writers of prose and music; however, that role was typically reserved by Bards.