Hibernia

• Hibernia is the Roman name for modern Ireland which appears in detail on a Roman map known as Ptolemy's Geographia (c.150 CE).
• It was never a Roman Province and was not a Client Kingdom but is included here because of its proximity to Britannia.

1. History

• Pre-Roman history:
  • Ireland’s Latin name was Hibernia.
  • Ireland’s Irish name was Erin, from Eireann, Eire, in Celtic, meaning Ireland.

• Acquisition by Rome:
  • Hibernia was never a Roman Province, but trade and diplomacy existed between Hibernia and Britannia and Gaul.
  • Very little was written about Ancient Ireland by Roman Historians except for a few historical references describing Britannia.
• Timeline of this Country:
• Under The Roman Republic:
  • Between 51-58 BCE, nearby Gaul came under Roman occupation.
• After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE):
  • In 43 CE, Britannia was occupied.
  • In 82 CE, Tacitus refers to an expedition to Hibernia by the Roman general Agricola. Agricola provided an Irish King, possibly Tuathal Techtmar, with protection after he had fled his country. Tacitus quotes Agricola, his father-in-law, as saying he could have conquered Hibernia with a single legion.
• After Diocletian’s Reforms of (297 CE):
  • Between 364-68 CE, the Attacotti, thought to be from southern Leinster, Ireland, conducted raids on Roman Britain, but were defeated by Count Theodosius in 368 CE.
• After Death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
  • c. 400 CE The Notitia Dignitatum refers to units of the Attacotti serving as Roman Auxiliaries in the Roman Army.
• Famous Persons from this Country:
  • St. Patrick.
• Chief Archeological Finds:
  • Newgrange: (c. 3,200 BCE)
    • This Monument is older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid of Giza.
  • Knowth Tomb, Hill of Tara.
  • Roman Hoards
    • The National Museum of Ireland, Dublin:
      • The Balline Hoard (c. 380 CE) found in Co. Limerick, consists of 4 Silver Ingots and 3 Pieces of silver plate.
    • Ulster Museum in Belfast:
      • The Coleraine Hoard (c. 410 CE), found near Londonderry (also in the British Museum, 1,701 silver roman coins, 1 silver bowl, 6kgs of silver ingots and hacksilver, dating after 410 CE and considered to be war booty.
• Historic Battle Sites:
• Main Historical Sources for this Province:
  • Tacitus in ‘Agricola’.
  • Ptolemy in his Geographia.

2. Geography

• Capital City:
  • The Hill of Tara
    • This was the political and spiritual capital of Ireland and seat of the High Kings of Ireland.
    • It is surrounded by a complex of Bronze Age Monuments including Newgrange and Knowth Tomb.
• Chief Cities:
• Location Today:
  • Ireland: It is the third largest Island in Europe, after Britannia and Iceland.
• Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Britannia, Caledonia, the Three Gauls.
• Climate and Temperature Today:
  • Temperate Oceanic Climate producing mild and most weather with frequent rainfall. The coasts experience more wind than inland.
  • Winters: mild due to warming by the Gulf Stream. Snow for 30 days on the hills and mountains, otherwise very rare.
  • Summers: warm, temperatures rarely reach 30°C.
• Main Geographical features:
  • Low central plains surrounded by a ring of coastal mountains.
• Main Rivers and Lakes:
  • R. Shannon (240 miles or 386km)
• Main Inlets:
• Main Peninsulars:
• Mountain Ranges:
  • Macgillycuddy’s Reeks (Carrauntoohil is the highest peak at 3,405 ft or (1,037m), Comeragh Mountains, Blackstairs Mountains, Wicklow Mountains, The Mournes, Glens of Antrim, Sperrin Mountains, Bluestack Mountains, Derryveagh Mountains, Ox Mountains, Nephinbeg Mountains, Twelve Bens- Maumturks Group.
  • Also the Galtee Mountains, the Silvermine and Slieve Bloom Mountains
• Islands: These divide into 5 Regions:
  • The Northwest: The Islands of Donegal
  • The Southwest: The Islands of Cork
  • The Southwest: The Islands of Kerry
  • The West: The Islands of Mayo and Galway
  • The Aran Islands of Galway
• Peninsulars:

3. Political Organisation

• Tribes and Population:
  • The High Kings of Tara were overlords of all the Irish tribal kingdoms.
• Language:
  • Q-Celtic.

4. Military Organisation

• Legions:
• Navy:
• Defensive Works:
• Main Threats:
• Attacotti:
  • Between 364-68 CE, the Attacotti, thought to be from southern Leinster, Ireland, conducted raids on Roman Britain, but were defeated by Count Theodosius in 368 CE.
  • By c. 400 CE The Notitia Dignitatum refers to units of the Attacotti serving as Roman Auxiliaries in the Roman Army.

5. Economy

• Chief Exports:
• Hunting Dogs:
  • In 391 CE, the Consul, Quintus Aurelius Symmachus, received a gift of seven ‘canes scotici’ for use in the arena against wild animals. (The Scoti referred initially to the Celts in Ireland, but later came to include Scotland).
• Agriculture and Fishing:
• Manufacturing:
• Mines:
• Mints:

6. Transport

• Roads:
• Waterways:
• Ports:
• Ancient Trade Routes:
• Number of Days taken to travel to Rome:

7. Relationship with Rome

• Roman writers referred to Ireland as Hibernia, but very little is known about Irish-Roman relations as no Irish ancient works refer to the Romans.
• Tacitus
  • The Roman historian Tacitus refers to an expedition to Hibernia in 82 BCE by the Roman general Agricola. Agricola provided an Irish King, possibly Tuathal Techtmar, with protection after he had fled his country. Tacitus quotes Agricola, his father-in-law, as saying he could have conquered Hibernia with a single legion.
• Ptolemy
  • The Roman Geographer Ptolemy accurately described Hibernia in his Geographia.

8. History of Christianity

• St. Patrick
  • St. Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland.
  • He brought Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century CE, first as a Missionary, then as Bishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland.
  • His dates are uncertain. He was born either in c. 372 CE or in 387 CE at Kilpatrick, Dumbarton, Scotland.
  • In c. 461 CE he returned as a Missionary to Ireland. Legend has it that he banished all the snakes from Ireland.
  • He died March 17th 493 CE (St. Patrick’s Day), according to Medieval tradition at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland.
  • The alternate dates for his death are 440, 460, or 461 CE, the differences are due to conflicting sources.

9. Roman Authors describing Hibernia

• Pytheas of Massilia
  • The Greek explorer, referred to Ireland as ‘Ierne’ in c.320 BCE.
• Tacitus
  • In ‘Agricola’, Tacitus referred to Ireland as ‘Hibernia’ c.98 CE.
• Ptolemy
  • In his ‘Geographia’ Ptolemy referred to Ireland as ‘Iouernia’ in c.150 CE.
  • Ptolemy’s work contains detailed references to rivers, mountains and tribes, showing Ireland to be familiar to Roman Merchants.
• Solinus
  • In his ‘De Mirabilibus Mundi’ meaning ‘The Wonders of the World’ (3rd century CE), he observed that there were no snakes in Ireland. Legend has it that St. Patrick banished all the snakes from Ireland.

10. Reference Works

• Annals of the Four Masters
  •  The ‘Annals of the Four Masters’ are 7 volumes covering the period from the Deluge, dated as 2,242 years after Creation to 1616 CE.
• Lebor Gabala Erenn
  • The Lebor Gabala Erenn is an ancient Irish Book that means ‘The Book of the Taking of Ireland’ or ‘Book of Invasions’.
  • It consists of ten books containing the history of Ireland from the Creation to the Medieval Period, and is written in a similar style to The Bible. The Book does not mention the Romans.

Ireland