Why didn't Rome Conquer Ireland? (Short Animated Documentary)

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In this episode we'll discuss why the Roman Empire never bothered to conquer Ireland. I mean it was right there.

[HistoryMatters]

Hi all, sorry there wasn't a video on Wednesday. I'm in the process of moving so it's been a bit of pain.


Next weeks episodes will be:


How did Liechtenstein Survive?
Why didn't Turkey join WW2?

[johnmcdonagh]

That was the longest "I don't know" I've ever heard. Well done.

[MultiAlanR]

As an Irishman I'm insulted if they didn't think we were worth invading. I'll make that known when I visit Italy.

[fraclarke]

I’m from Ireland, and it only rained twice here last week, once for 3 days, and once for 4 days, 😁

[MRGENERATIONADD]

I think the Romans were like "we'll invade when it stops raining." There still waiting...

[playgroundheroes]

“You see; when Britannia was conquered by the Romans, it’s primary export was - trouble.”

You’re a YouTube treasure, my good sir. 😂🍺

[DZRWIND]

“The romans thought that Ireland was not worth it”
English man: “WHAT?!”

[Stikkelsbær]

If you read Tacitus' accounts of Agricola and the occupation of Britannia, he does mention an Irish prince being held by the Romans as a sort of potential puppet king in a future conquest. Agricola believed that if Hibernia could be conquered, those in the British Islands seeking independence would feel surrounded and their hopes would be crushed into resignation. He talks about the trade potential (or lack thereof) with Hibernians as well. It's quite interesting.

[wayneellis]

"Their primary export was.. Trouble"

[anthonymurphyDroghedaRural]

The clue is in the name the Romans gave to us, Hibernia ( land of winter)

[joermnyc]

I was in Copenhagen and visited their National Museum, they had Roman artifacts (coins, weapons, intact glassware (surprisingly), and other goods clearly made in Rome, but all found in Denmark. All of it is believed to have come from contact and trade with Rome, despite being no where near the Roman border. So Rome had a bigger influence outside of their empire that is less well known.

[patstudios]

If only they had the funding of James Bissonette.

[bjdon]

It's an interesting point that Ireland was still heavily forested back then.

[sentry]

They probably didn’t like our weather

The Bible calls 40 days and nights of rain a catastrophe,

We call it Summer

[bensims]

It's funny that Irish people are getting pissed off that they weren't invaded

[andyb]

"With the notable of exception of those in the North, called the Scotii, who were well-known raiders." Good to know that Northern Ireland has always been the source of troubles.

[briantlougan]

There is a Prof Alice Roberts video about Chester which suggests the answer. Somewhat recently archeologists figured out that Roman Chester was massively overbuilt for a regional town off in an upper corner of Britannia. The sea was closer in those days so it was a good port. A sensible explanation for all the Roman building in Chester is that it was being prepared as a capital, maybe the capital of Roman Britain + quite possibly Roman Ireland. If Rome had Scotland and Ireland, then Chester would have been a perfectly central administrative and military/invasion center. However, the building program stopped when Hadrian decided to stop expanding the boundaries and consolidate the empire as it stood. In sum, there was probably a Roman plan to conquer Ireland. But Hadrian pulled the plug.

[derekscanlan]

they took one look at the price of beer in dublin;


NOPE!

[hanspetrich]

The way more important question is: Why didn't Ireland conquer Rome?

[MrDino]

They didn’t want an island shaped like a little teddy bear in their macho empire.