Drumanagh: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Lambayisland.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The island of Lambay is just off the [[County |
[[Image:Lambayisland.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The island of Lambay is just off the [[Dublin County]] coast where it is located Drumanagh. Some remains (Roman brooches and decorative metalware) were discovered in the island, which were thought to date to the 1st century AD. The nature of artefacts found there also demonstrated Romano British trading.]] |
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'''Drumanagh''', 20 km north of [[Dublin]], is a large (200,000 m²) site that was identified {{as of|1995|alt=in 1995}} as possibly [[Roman Empire|Roman]]. |
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'''Drumanagh''' ([[Irish language|Irish]] ''Droim Meánach'')<ref>[http://www.logainm.ie/Do.aspx?parentID=60&typeID=BF&placeID=16890 Placenames Database of Ireland], retrived 22 June 2009</ref> is a headland 20 km north of [[Dublin]], [[Ireland]]. It features a 19th century [[Martello tower]] and a large (200,000 m²) [[iron age]] [[promontory fort]] which has produced [[Roman Empire|Roman]] artefacts. Some [[archaeology|archaeologists]] have suggested the fort was a [[bridgehead]] for Roman military campaigns, while others suggest it was a Roman trading colony or a native Irish settlement that traded with [[Roman Britain]].<ref name="lat">Shawn Pogatchnik, [http://articles.latimes.com/1996-11-17/news/mn-65527_1_roman-coin "Experts Claim Romans May Have Established Colonies in Ireland"], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', 17 November 1996, retrieved 22 July 2009</ref> |
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The site is privately owned and is a Recorded Monument, protected under the Section 12 of the National Monuments (Amendment) Act, l994, and by a Preservation Order placed on it in 1977. Although its archaeological importance has been known since the 1950s, when ploughing turned up sherds of Roman [[samian ware]], it has not been subject to archaeological excavation, but numerous artefacts have been dug up by illegal metal detectorists. One such collector attempted to sell a trove of Roman coins and ornaments at [[Sotheby's]] in London in the 1980s, which was impounded and deposited in the [[National Museum of Ireland]]. Since then, a legal dispute over ownership has prevented the artefacts and their provenance from being discussed publicly.<ref name="byrne">John M. Byrne, [http://www.iol.ie/~archaeology/drumanagh.htm "Drumanagh Promontory Fort"], Archaeology News & Views website, 2003, retrieved 22 July 2009></ref><ref name="lat" /><ref name="babrief">[http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba12/BA12NEWS.HTML#inbrief "In Brief"], ''British Archaeology'' 12, March 1996, retrieved 22 July 2009</ref> |
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==Characteristics== |
==Characteristics== |
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Drumanagh is nearly 900 m. long and 190 m. wide. The area consists of a small peninsula defended by three rows of parallel ditches on the landward side. |
Drumanagh is nearly 900 m. long and 190 m. wide. The area consists of a small peninsula defended by three rows of parallel ditches on the landward side. |
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The site appears to have been a port or bridgehead in ancient [[Hibernia]]. <ref>[http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba14/BA14FEAT.HTML Romans in Ireland]</ref> |
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The peninsula could have even been a small [[Roman fort]], evidence of roman presence in [[Ireland]]. It is surrounded by the [[Irish sea]], showing huge erosion that could have reduced its size to the actual 44 acres and probably may have destroyed evidences of old roman structures. |
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==History== |
==History== |
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The root "ruman" in the name D(ruman)argh shows a clear reference to the Romans. |
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Barry Raftery<ref>Barry Raftery, ''Pagan Celtic Ireland'', Thames & Hudson Ltd, London, 1997</ref> and Gabriel Cooney<ref>Gabriel Cooney, "Ireland, the Romans and all that", ''Archaeology Ireland'', Spring 1996</ref> have suggested that the fort may have been used by [[Gnaeus Julius Agricola]], then Roman governor of Britain, for an invasion of Ireland in AD 82. The Roman historian [[Tacitus]] mentions that Agricola entertained an exiled Irish prince, thinking to use him as a pretext for a possible conquest of Ireland. Agricola, says Tacitus, "crossed in the first ship" and defeated peoples unknown to the Romans until then. He does not specify which body of water he crossed, although many scholars believe it was the Clyde or Forth; however, the rest of the chapter exclusively concerns [[Ireland]]. Agricola fortified the coast facing Ireland, and Tacitus recalls that his father-in-law often claimed the island could be conquered with a single [[Roman legion|legion]] and [[auxiliaries (Roman military)|auxiliaries]].<ref>Tacitus ''[[Agricola (book)|Agricola]]'' [[s:Agricola#24|24]]</ref> This conquest never happened, but some historians believe that the crossing referred to was in fact a military expedition to Ireland.<ref name="vdm">Vittorio di Martino (2003), ''Roman Ireland'', The Collins Press, London, 2003</ref> |
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Indeed the possible roman fort, according to Raftery <ref>Raftery Barry. ''Pagan Celtic Ireland''</ref> and Cooney <ref>Cooney, Gabriel. ''Ireland, the Romans and all that''</ref>, could have been used in 82 by Agricola for an expedition into Hibernia, as was called Ireland during the centuries of [[Roman Britain]]. |
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{{Quote|''"Warner believes that Ireland may have been invaded by a force composed of exiled Irish and British adventurers with the support of Roman weapons, training and organisation. This possible invasion and attempted colonization may have been led by a prominent historical figure called Tuathal Techmar. The size of the supposed fort (of Drumanagh) suggests the Romans attempted to control Irish internal politics during the period with a series of military campaigns designed to carve out kingdoms in the country for exiled Irish nobility. Furthermore Warner, it seems, believes that a further Roman military campaign '...led to the establishment of Cashel (from the latin 'castra'), now a key town in Tipperary.'."''<ref>[http://blather.net/blather/2002/07/roman_ireland_what_did_the_rom.html Possible roman fort in Ireland]</ref>}} |
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The Roman historian [[Tacitus]] mentions that [[Gnaeus Julius Agricola|Agricola]], while governor of [[Roman Britain]] (AD 78 - 84), entertained an exiled Irish prince (may be Tuathal), thinking to use him as a pretext for a possible conquest of Ireland.<ref>Tacitus ''[[Agricola (book)|Agricola]]'' [[s:Agricola#24|24]]</ref> Neither Agricola nor his successors ever conquered Ireland, but in recent years [[archaeology]] has challenged the belief that the Romans never set foot on the island. |
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[[Image:Gaius Cornelius Tacitus.jpg|200px|right|thumb|[[Tacitus]] wrote that the roman general Agricola in 82 crossed the sea (of Ireland?) from western Britain and conquered tribes unknown to Romans]] |
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Indeed, in 82 Agricola "crossed in the first ship" and defeated peoples unknown to the Romans until then. Tacitus, in Chapter 24 of ''Agricola'',<ref>''Agricola'' [[s:Agricola#24|24]]</ref> does not tell us what body of water he crossed, although many scholars believe it was the Clyde or Forth; however, the rest of the chapter exclusively concerns [[Ireland]]. |
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Agricola fortified the coast facing Ireland, and Tacitus recalls that his father-in-law often claimed the island could be conquered with a single [[Roman legion|legion]] and [[auxiliaries (Roman military)|auxiliaries]]. This conquest never happened, but some historians believe that the crossing referred to was in fact a small-scale exploratory expedition to Ireland.<ref>Vittorio di Martino (2003), ''Roman Ireland'', Chapter two</ref> |
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Vittorio De Martino <ref>Vittorio di Martino (2003), ''Roman Ireland'', The Collins Press</ref>, wrote that there has been a continuous interaction between [[Roman Britain]] and Hibernia since the times of [[Tuathal Techtmar]]: a group of burials on [[Lambay Island]], just off the coast where it is Drumanagh, contained Roman brooches and decorative metalware of a style also found in Roman Britain from the late first century. |
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| ⚫ | Indeed, some archeological discoveries inside Ireland, like roman jewelry and coins at [[[[Hill of Tara|Tara]] and [[Clogher]] not far away from Drumanagh, support this contacts related to a possible small invasion<ref>R. B. Warner (1995), "Tuathal Techtmar: a myth or ancient literary evidence for a Roman invasion?", ''Emania'' 13</ref>. |
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== Notes == |
== Notes == |
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<references /> |
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{{reflist}} |
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== Bibliography == |
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* Cooney, Gabriel. ''Ireland, the Romans and all that'' from Archaeology Ireland, Spring 1996. |
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* Di Martino, Vittorio. ''Roman Ireland'', The Collins Press. London, 2003. |
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* Raftery, Barry. ''Pagan Celtic Ireland''. Thames & Hudson Ltd. London, 1997. |
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==See also == |
==See also == |
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*[[Hibernia]] |
*[[Hibernia]] |
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*[[History of Ireland]] |
*[[History of Ireland]] |
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*[[Gnaeus Julius Agricola]] |
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*[[Tuathal Techtmar]] |
*[[Tuathal Techtmar]] |
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==External links == |
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*[http://www.iol.ie/~archaeology/drumanagh.htm Drumanagh (photo & map)] |
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[[Category:Ireland]] |
[[Category:Ireland]] |
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[[Category:Ancient Ireland]] |
[[Category:Ancient Ireland]] |
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[[de:Drumanagh]] |
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[[it:Drumanargh]] |
[[it:Drumanargh]] |
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Revision as of 15:10, 14 August 2009
Drumanagh, 20 km north of Dublin, is a large (200,000 m²) site that was identified in 1995[update] as possibly Roman.
Characteristics
Drumanagh is nearly 900 m. long and 190 m. wide. The area consists of a small peninsula defended by three rows of parallel ditches on the landward side.
The site appears to have been a port or bridgehead in ancient Hibernia. [1]
The peninsula could have even been a small Roman fort, evidence of roman presence in Ireland. It is surrounded by the Irish sea, showing huge erosion that could have reduced its size to the actual 44 acres and probably may have destroyed evidences of old roman structures.
History
The root "ruman" in the name D(ruman)argh shows a clear reference to the Romans.
Indeed the possible roman fort, according to Raftery [2] and Cooney [3], could have been used in 82 by Agricola for an expedition into Hibernia, as was called Ireland during the centuries of Roman Britain.
"Warner believes that Ireland may have been invaded by a force composed of exiled Irish and British adventurers with the support of Roman weapons, training and organisation. This possible invasion and attempted colonization may have been led by a prominent historical figure called Tuathal Techmar. The size of the supposed fort (of Drumanagh) suggests the Romans attempted to control Irish internal politics during the period with a series of military campaigns designed to carve out kingdoms in the country for exiled Irish nobility. Furthermore Warner, it seems, believes that a further Roman military campaign '...led to the establishment of Cashel (from the latin 'castra'), now a key town in Tipperary.'."[4]
The Roman historian Tacitus mentions that Agricola, while governor of Roman Britain (AD 78 - 84), entertained an exiled Irish prince (may be Tuathal), thinking to use him as a pretext for a possible conquest of Ireland.[5] Neither Agricola nor his successors ever conquered Ireland, but in recent years archaeology has challenged the belief that the Romans never set foot on the island.
Indeed, in 82 Agricola "crossed in the first ship" and defeated peoples unknown to the Romans until then. Tacitus, in Chapter 24 of Agricola,[6] does not tell us what body of water he crossed, although many scholars believe it was the Clyde or Forth; however, the rest of the chapter exclusively concerns Ireland.
Agricola fortified the coast facing Ireland, and Tacitus recalls that his father-in-law often claimed the island could be conquered with a single legion and auxiliaries. This conquest never happened, but some historians believe that the crossing referred to was in fact a small-scale exploratory expedition to Ireland.[7]
Vittorio De Martino [8], wrote that there has been a continuous interaction between Roman Britain and Hibernia since the times of Tuathal Techtmar: a group of burials on Lambay Island, just off the coast where it is Drumanagh, contained Roman brooches and decorative metalware of a style also found in Roman Britain from the late first century.
Indeed, some archeological discoveries inside Ireland, like roman jewelry and coins at [[Tara and Clogher not far away from Drumanagh, support this contacts related to a possible small invasion[9].
Notes
- ^ Romans in Ireland
- ^ Raftery Barry. Pagan Celtic Ireland
- ^ Cooney, Gabriel. Ireland, the Romans and all that
- ^ Possible roman fort in Ireland
- ^ Tacitus Agricola 24
- ^ Agricola 24
- ^ Vittorio di Martino (2003), Roman Ireland, Chapter two
- ^ Vittorio di Martino (2003), Roman Ireland, The Collins Press
- ^ R. B. Warner (1995), "Tuathal Techtmar: a myth or ancient literary evidence for a Roman invasion?", Emania 13
Bibliography
- Cooney, Gabriel. Ireland, the Romans and all that from Archaeology Ireland, Spring 1996.
- Di Martino, Vittorio. Roman Ireland, The Collins Press. London, 2003.
- Raftery, Barry. Pagan Celtic Ireland. Thames & Hudson Ltd. London, 1997.
