Protohistory of Ireland
History of Ireland |
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The
Ireland in Classical literature
Early references
Classical writers occasionally refer to Ireland under a variety of names, but these references contain little reliable information. For example, Diodorus Siculus claims that the Prettanoi of the island of Iris eat human flesh.[1] Strabo, who calls the island Ierne, repeats the accusation, adding that they consider it honourable to eat their dead fathers, and openly have sex with their mothers and sisters (although he is sceptical about his sources).[2] Pomponius Mela calls it Iuverna and says that, although the climate is unfavourable for grain, grass grows so richly that cattle burst if unrestrained from eating it.[3] Julius Caesar, in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico, is the first to call the island Hibernia, describes it as about half the size of Britain, and correctly places it to the west of Britain[4] – unlike Strabo, who places it to the north.
Tacitus
Juvenal
The 2nd-century poet
Ptolemy
The 2nd-century Alexandrian Greek writer Ptolemy, one of the most important geographers, mathematicians and astronomers in the ancient world, refers to Ireland in two of his works. In the astronomical treatise known as the Almagest he gives the latitudes of an island he calls Mikra Brettania (Μικρὰ Βρεττανία) or "Little Britain" (the south of the island at 58 degrees, the north at 61 degrees). In his Geography, at the same latitudes, he places the Prettanic island Iwernia, next to its neighbour, the Prettanic island Albion (Great Britain). The Geography contains the most detailed account of Ireland in classical literature, giving the latitude and longitude of six promontories, fifteen river mouths, ten settlements and nine islands, and naming sixteen population groups.[8]
North coast
Ptolemy describes the northern coast of Ireland, from the Northern Promontory (possibly
West coast
The west coast is poorly represented compared to the other three, and identification of the names Ptolemy gives is speculative. He begins with the Northern Promontory (see above), and working north to south names the river Rhawiu (possibly the Erne); the town Magnata (a settlement of the Magnatai people, possibly somewhere in County Sligo); the mouth of the rivers Libniu (possibly Clew Bay), Ausoba (perhaps Galway Bay) Senu (probably the Shannon, although placed too far to the north), Dur (possibly Dingle Bay) and Iernu (possibly the Kenmare), and the Southern Promontory (any one of Slea Head, Bray Head, Dursey Head and Mizen Head). Peoples of this coast are: the Erdinoi near Donegal Bay; the Magnatai or Nagnatai of County Mayo and Sligo; the Auteinoi between County Galway and the Shannon, identifiable with the early medieval Uaithni; the Ganganoi, also known in north Wales, and the Wellaboroi in the far south-west.[8][9][10]
South coast
The south coast stretches from the Southern Promontory to the mouths of the rivers Dabrona (possibly the
East coast
From the Sacred Promontory in the south to the Rhobogdion promontory in the north, Ptolemy names the river Modonnu (possibly the Slaney, but more likely the Avoca), the town of Manapia (a settlement of the Manapii), the river Oboka (perhaps the Liffey; the river Avoca takes its modern name from a misinterpretation of Ptolemy's Oboka), the town of Eblana (a settlement of the Eblanoi, formerly mistakenly identified with Dublin), the river Buwinda (the Boyne), the promontory Isamnion, the river Winderios (possibly Carlingford Lough, Dundrum Bay or Strangford Lough), and the river Logia (Belfast Lough, Loch Laoigh in Irish). Peoples named, from south to north, are: the Koriondoi; the Manapioi, possibly related to the Menapii of Gaul; the Kaukoi, probably not related to the Germanic Chauci of the Low Countries; the Eblanoi; the Woluntioi, identifiable with the early medieval Ulaid; and the Darinoi.[8]
Later references
Roman sources mention raids on Britain by
See also
References
- ^ Diodorus Siculus, Historical Library 5.32
- ^ Strabo, Geographica 4.5.4
- ^ Pomponius Mela, De Chorographia 3.53
- ^ Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 5.13
- ^ a b Tacitus, Agricola 24
- ^ R. B. Warner, "Tuathal Techtmar: A Myth or Ancient Literary Evidence for a Roman Invasion?", Emania 13, 1995, pp. 23–32
- ^ Philip Freeman, Ireland and the Classical World, University of Texas Press, 2001, pp. 62-64
- ^ a b c d e f Philip Freeman, Ireland and the Classical World, University of Texas Press, 2001, pp. 64-84
- ^ a b T. F. O'Rahilly, Early Irish History and Mythology, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1946
- ^ Eoin MacNeill, "Early Irish population groups: their nomenclature, classification and chronology", Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy (C) 29, 1911, pp. 59–114
- ^ Charles-Edwards, pp. 158–160. Origins in the Hebrides have also been suggested for the Atacotti. The Late Roman army as recorded by the Notitia Dignitatum included auxilia palatina named for the Atacotti, the normal interpretation of such names being that they were recruited from prisoners of war.