Ireland and the Classical World

by Philip Freeman

On the boundary of what the ancient Greeks and Romans considered the habitable world, Ireland was a land of myth and mystery in classical times. Classical authors frequently portrayed its people as savages—even as cannibals and devotees of incest—and evinced occasional uncertainty as to the island's shape, size, and actual location. Unlike neighboring Britain, Ireland never knew Roman occupation, yet literary and archaeological evidence prove that Iuverna was more than simply terra incognita in classical antiquity. In this book, Philip Freeman explores the relations between ancient Ireland and the classical world through a comprehensive survey of all Greek and Latin literary sources that mention Ireland. He analyzes passages (given in both the original language and English) from over thirty authors, including Julius Caesar, Strabo, Tacitus, Ptolemy, and St. Jerome. To amplify the literary sources, he also briefly reviews the archaeological and linguistic evidence for contact between Ireland and the Mediterranean world. Freeman's analysis of all these sources reveals that Ireland was known to the Greeks and Romans for hundreds of years and that Mediterranean goods and even travelers found their way to Ireland, while the Irish at least occasionally visited, traded, and raided in Roman lands. Everyone interested in ancient Irish history or Classics, whether scholar or enthusiast, will learn much from this pioneering book.

Genres: History, Ireland, Nonfiction, Academic

168 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

I teach Classics and Celtic studies at Luther College in the beautiful little town of Decorah, Iowa. I did my doctoral work at Harvard and taught at Boston University and Washington University in St. Louis before coming to Luther to help run the Classics department. I love teaching and see my writing as an extension of my work in the classroom. I hope you enjoy the books as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Reviews

[Judyta Szacillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a true gem of a book! It contains a comprehensive summary of all mentions of Ireland and her inhabitants in Classical sources, both Greek and Roman, and the original quotes are given along with the English translations. Each entry is accompanied by a concise commentary that helps the reader understand the historical context and the millieux of the writers. A lot has been written on this subject, but this is the most reliable work of all I have seen so far.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freeman examines every mention of Ireland in Classical writers from s. VI ex and s. V in B.C. 'hypothetical sources' of Avienus (s. IV A.D.) through Stephanus of Byzantium (s. VI A.D.). He provides both the original text + translation. He makes what could be a difficult read into a pleasurable, if challenging read.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please Read my review at Celtic Scholar