Hibernia
Hibernia, commonly associated with ancient Ireland, is a term that has historical roots tracing back to Greek and Roman accounts. The island was first documented by Greek sailors from Massalia, with notable mentions from figures like Pytheas, who explored the region around the 4th century BC. Ancient geographers such as Strabo and Mela provided varying descriptions of Hibernia and its inhabitants, often portraying them in a negative light while acknowledging the island's fertile pastures.
During the Roman period, Ireland was recognized for its internal divisions into four primary regions: Ulster, Munster, Leinster, and Connacht. Trade with Rome was limited, and while a few Roman artifacts have been discovered, little evidence of extensive interaction exists. The arrival of early Christian figures like Palladius and St. Patrick in the 5th century marked significant cultural shifts, with St. Patrick introducing Latin and the Roman ecclesiastical structure, although full adherence to Roman practices took centuries to establish. Hibernia's historical narrative is complex, reflecting both the external perceptions of its society and the internal developments of its people.
Subject Terms
Hibernia
Ierne (Ireland)
The island was first known to Greeks through sailors from Massalia (Marseille). Then their compatriot Pytheas, toward the end of the fourth century BC learned more about the country from his circumnavigation of Britain; so that the geographical account offered by Eratosthenes (c 275–194) was approximately correct. Strabo, on the other hand, placed Hibernia north of Britain. He describes its inhabitants as heavy eaters (or herb-eaters?), cannibalistic and incestuous. Mela agreed about their undesirable character, but praised their pastures.
An Irish prince took refuge with Cnaeus Julius Agricola, governor of Britain (cAD 82), who did not, however, employ this opportunity to cross over into Ireland—perhaps because his emperor, Domitian, would not let him: although subsequently Agricola was heard to say—with dubious accuracy—that it could have been conquered by a small force. Roman trade with Ireland remained small; few imported objects are found there, except coins. The island early showed signs of division into its historic four quarters (Ulster, Munster, Leinster and Connaught), of which the last named was the most important in Roman times, until superseded by Niall of the Nine Hostages (d. 405) at Tara in Meath (a separate central area bordering on each of the four main regions).
Numerous Irish emigrants, known as Scotti, began to settle in Wales, western England, and especially western Scotland (Dalriada), from at least the fourth century onward. Conversely, c 431, a Roman churchman named Palladius came from England for a brief stay in Ireland. Shortly afterward, St. Patrick too—apparently a single, historical individual, and not two or more different persons as has been suggested—came to Ireland from his home on the northwestern borders of England. He composed a Confession and a Letter (Corioticus), and is thus the only author of this date, working outside the western imperial frontiers, of whose writings examples have survived. St. Patrick introduced the Latin tongue and the Roman episcopal type of church to the Irish, although conformity to Rome was not effectively enforced for two and a half centuries to come.