Caledonia (/ˌkælɪˈdoʊniə/; Latin: Calēdonia[kaleːˈdonia]) was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the part of Great Britain (Latin: Britannia) that lies north of the River Forth, which includes most of the land area of Scotland.[1] Today, it is used as a romantic or poetic name for all of Scotland.[2] During the Roman Empire's occupation of Scotland, the area they called Caledonia was physically separated from the rest of the island by the Antonine Wall. The Romans several times invaded and occupied it, but unlike the rest of the island, it remained outside the administration of Roman Britain.
Map of the British Isles drawn from Ptolemy's cartographic works, showing his rotation of Caledonia to the east and delimited from the rest of Great Britain by the estuaries of the Boderia (Firth of Forth) and the Clota (Firth of Clyde). From Edward Bunbury's A History of Ancient Geography Among the Greeks and Romans (1879)
Latin historians, including Tacitus and Cassius Dio, referred to the territory north of the River Forth as "Caledonia", and described it as inhabited by the Maeatae and the Caledonians (Latin: Caledonii). Other ancient authors, however, used the adjective "Caledonian" more generally to describe anything pertaining to inland or northern Britain.[1] The name is probably derived from a word in one of the Gallo-Brittonic languages.
The north-west ridge of Schiehallion, the "fairy hill of the Caledonians".
According to Zimmer (2006), Caledonia is derived from the tribal name Caledones (or Calīdones), which he etymologises as "'possessing hard feet', alluding to standfastness or endurance", from the Proto-Celtic roots *kal- "hard" and *φēdo- "foot".[3] Similarly, journalist Alistair Moffat suggests the name is related to the Welsh word caled, "hard", which could refer to the rocky land or the hardiness of the people.[4][unreliable source?]
Map of the populations in northern Britain, based on the testimony of Ptolemy.
Toponymy
The name of the Caledonians may be found in toponymy, such as Dùn Chailleann, the Scottish Gaelic word for the town of Dunkeld meaning "fort of the Caledonii", and possibly in that of the mountainSìdh Chailleann, the "fairy hill of the Caledonians".[5][6] According to Historia Brittonum the site of the seventh battle of the mythical Arthur was a forest in what is now Scotland, called Coit Celidon in early Welsh.[7][8] The name may be related to that of a large central Brythonic tribe, the Caledonii, one amongst several in the area and perhaps the dominant tribe, which would explain the binomial Caledonia/Caledonii.[citation needed]
The modern use of "Caledonia" in English and Scots is either as a historical description of northern Britain during the Roman era or as a romantic or poetic name for Scotland as a whole.[8][9]
The Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. is a professional football club. In music, "Caledonia" is a popular Scottish patriotic song and folkballad written by Dougie MacLean in 1977 and published in 1979 on an album of the same name; it has since been covered by various other artists, most notably Frankie Miller and Van Morrison.[10][11] An original rock piece titled Caledonia appeared on Robin Trower's fourth album, "Long Misty Days", where coincidentally Frankie Miller cowrote another track on that album. The web series Caledonia and associated novel is a supernatural police drama that takes place in Glasgow, Scotland.[12][13]
Ptolemy's account in his Geography also referred to the Caledonia Silva, an idea still recalled in the modern expression "Caledonian Forest", although the woods are much reduced in size since Roman times.[14][note 1]
Some scholars point out that the name "Scotland" is ultimately derived from Scotia, a Latin term first used for Ireland (also called Hibernia by the Romans) and later for Scotland, the Scoti peoples having originated in Ireland and resettled in Scotland.[note 2] Another, post-conquest, Roman name for the island of Great Britain was Albion, which is cognate with the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland: Alba.
There is an emerging trend to use the term Caledonia to describe New Caledonia in English, which reflects the usage in French of Calédonie (where the full name is La Nouvelle-Calédonie). The New Caledonian trade and investment department promotes inward investment with the slogan “Choose Caledonia”.
^The extent of the reduction is a matter of debate. This association with a Silva (literally the flora) reinforces the idea that Caledonia was a forest or forested area named after the Caledonii, or that the people were named after the woods in which they dwelt.
^Bede used a Latin form of the word Scots as the name of the Gaels of Dál Riata. (Bede 1999, p. 386)
References
^ abRichmond, Ian Archibald; Millett, Martin J. Millett (2012), "Caledonia", in Hornblower, Simon; Spawforth, Antony; Eidinow, Esther (eds.), The Oxford Classical Dictionary, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780199545568.001.0001, ISBN978-0-19-954556-8, retrieved 14 February 2021
^Knowles, Elizabeth (2006), "Caledonia", The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780198609810.001.0001, ISBN978-0-19-860981-0, retrieved 15 February 2021
Bede (1999) [731]. McClure, Judith; Collins, Roger (eds.). The Ecclesiastical History of the English People; The Greater Chronicle; Bede's Letter to Egbert. World's Classics. Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-283866-0.
Bennet, Donald J., ed. (1985). The Munros. Glasgow: Scottish Mountaineering Trust. ISBN0-907521-13-4.
Hanson, William S. (2003). "The Roman Presence: Brief Interludes". In Edwards, Kevin J.; Ralston, Ian B. M. (eds.). Scotland After the Ice Age: Environment, Archaeology and History, 8000 BC — AD 1000. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN0-7486-1736-1.
Clans of Caledonia – Strategy board game based in historic Scotland
August 18, 2023
caledonia, this, article, about, latin, name, scotland, other, uses, disambiguation, also, scotia, latin, calēdonia, kaleːˈdonia, latin, name, used, roman, empire, refer, part, great, britain, latin, britannia, that, lies, north, river, forth, which, includes,. This article is about Caledonia as the Latin name for Scotland For other uses see Caledonia disambiguation See also ScotiaCaledonia ˌ k ae l ɪ ˈ d oʊ n i e Latin Caledonia kaleːˈdonia was the Latin name used by the Roman Empire to refer to the part of Great Britain Latin Britannia that lies north of the River Forth which includes most of the land area of Scotland 1 Today it is used as a romantic or poetic name for all of Scotland 2 During the Roman Empire s occupation of Scotland the area they called Caledonia was physically separated from the rest of the island by the Antonine Wall The Romans several times invaded and occupied it but unlike the rest of the island it remained outside the administration of Roman Britain Scottish Highlands in Caledonia Region This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Map of the British Isles drawn from Ptolemy s cartographic works showing his rotation of Caledonia to the east and delimited from the rest of Great Britain by the estuaries of the Boderia Firth of Forth and the Clota Firth of Clyde From Edward Bunbury s A History of Ancient Geography Among the Greeks and Romans 1879 Latin historians including Tacitus and Cassius Dio referred to the territory north of the River Forth as Caledonia and described it as inhabited by the Maeatae and the Caledonians Latin Caledonii Other ancient authors however used the adjective Caledonian more generally to describe anything pertaining to inland or northern Britain 1 The name is probably derived from a word in one of the Gallo Brittonic languages The north west ridge of Schiehallion the fairy hill of the Caledonians Contents 1 History 1 1 Etymology 1 2 Toponymy 2 Modern usage 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 5 1 Bibliography 6 External linksHistory EditEtymology Edit According to Zimmer 2006 Caledonia is derived from the tribal name Caledones or Calidones which he etymologises as possessing hard feet alluding to standfastness or endurance from the Proto Celtic roots kal hard and fedo foot 3 Similarly journalist Alistair Moffat suggests the name is related to the Welsh word caled hard which could refer to the rocky land or the hardiness of the people 4 unreliable source Map of the populations in northern Britain based on the testimony of Ptolemy Toponymy Edit The name of the Caledonians may be found in toponymy such as Dun Chailleann the Scottish Gaelic word for the town of Dunkeld meaning fort of the Caledonii and possibly in that of the mountain Sidh Chailleann the fairy hill of the Caledonians 5 6 According to Historia Brittonum the site of the seventh battle of the mythical Arthur was a forest in what is now Scotland called Coit Celidon in early Welsh 7 8 The name may be related to that of a large central Brythonic tribe the Caledonii one amongst several in the area and perhaps the dominant tribe which would explain the binomial Caledonia Caledonii citation needed Modern usage Edit Scottish pub in Budapest named The Caledonia The modern use of Caledonia in English and Scots is either as a historical description of northern Britain during the Roman era or as a romantic or poetic name for Scotland as a whole 8 9 The name has been widely used by organisations and commercial entities Notable examples include Glasgow Caledonian University ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne and the now defunct British Caledonian airline and Caledonian Railway The Caledonian Sleeper is an overnight train service from London to Scottish destinations The Inverness Caledonian Thistle F C is a professional football club In music Caledonia is a popular Scottish patriotic song and folk ballad written by Dougie MacLean in 1977 and published in 1979 on an album of the same name it has since been covered by various other artists most notably Frankie Miller and Van Morrison 10 11 An original rock piece titled Caledonia appeared on Robin Trower s fourth album Long Misty Days where coincidentally Frankie Miller cowrote another track on that album The web series Caledonia and associated novel is a supernatural police drama that takes place in Glasgow Scotland 12 13 Ptolemy s account in his Geography also referred to the Caledonia Silva an idea still recalled in the modern expression Caledonian Forest although the woods are much reduced in size since Roman times 14 note 1 Some scholars point out that the name Scotland is ultimately derived from Scotia a Latin term first used for Ireland also called Hibernia by the Romans and later for Scotland the Scoti peoples having originated in Ireland and resettled in Scotland note 2 Another post conquest Roman name for the island of Great Britain was Albion which is cognate with the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland Alba There is an emerging trend to use the term Caledonia to describe New Caledonia in English which reflects the usage in French of Caledonie where the full name is La Nouvelle Caledonie The New Caledonian trade and investment department promotes inward investment with the slogan Choose Caledonia See also EditBattle of Mons Graupius Caledonian Ocean Caledonia Waterfalls Long Misty DaysNotes Edit The extent of the reduction is a matter of debate This association with a Silva literally the flora reinforces the idea that Caledonia was a forest or forested area named after the Caledonii or that the people were named after the woods in which they dwelt Bede used a Latin form of the word Scots as the name of the Gaels of Dal Riata Bede 1999 p 386 References Edit a b Richmond Ian Archibald Millett Martin J Millett 2012 Caledonia in Hornblower Simon Spawforth Antony Eidinow Esther eds The Oxford Classical Dictionary Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 acref 9780199545568 001 0001 ISBN 978 0 19 954556 8 retrieved 14 February 2021 Knowles Elizabeth 2006 Caledonia The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 acref 9780198609810 001 0001 ISBN 978 0 19 860981 0 retrieved 15 February 2021 Zimmer 2006 pp 163 167 Moffat 2005 p 22 Bennet 1985 p 26 Watson 2004 p 21 Lacy Ashe amp Mancoff 1997 p 298 a b Koch 2006 p 332 Keay amp Keay 1994 p 123 Rock and roll years the 1970s The Scotsman 16 October 2003 Archived from the original on 28 December 2003 Retrieved 17 January 2009 Biography Dougiemaclean com Retrieved 17 January 2009 Beacom Brian 14 January 2014 New detective drama set to hit our screens Evening Times Retrieved 26 December 2014 Marshall Andrew 26 August 2014 Caledonia Starburst Retrieved 26 December 2014 Smout MacDonald amp Watson 2007 pp 20 25 Bibliography Edit Bede 1999 731 McClure Judith Collins Roger eds The Ecclesiastical History of the English People The Greater Chronicle Bede s Letter to Egbert World s Classics Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 283866 0 Bennet Donald J ed 1985 The Munros Glasgow Scottish Mountaineering Trust ISBN 0 907521 13 4 Hanson William S 2003 The Roman Presence Brief Interludes In Edwards Kevin J Ralston Ian B M eds Scotland After the Ice Age Environment Archaeology and History 8000 BC AD 1000 Edinburgh University Press ISBN 0 7486 1736 1 Haverfield Francis 1911 Caledonia In Chisholm Hugh ed Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 4 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 987 Keay John Keay Julia 1994 Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland London HarperCollins ISBN 0 00 255082 2 Koch John T 2006 Celtic Culture A Historical Encyclopedia Vol 1 ABC CLIO ISBN 1 85109 440 7 Lacy Norris J Ashe Geoffrey Mancoff Debra N 1997 The Arthurian Handbook 2nd ed Garland ISBN 0 8153 2082 5 Moffat Alistair 2005 Before Scotland The Story of Scotland Before History London Thames amp Hudson ISBN 0 500 05133 X Smout T C MacDonald Alan R Watson Fiona 2007 A History of the Native Woodlands of Scotland 1500 1920 Edinburgh University Press ISBN 978 0 7486 3294 7 Watson William J 2004 1926 The Celtic Placenames of Scotland Edinburgh Birlinn ISBN 1 84158 323 5 Zimmer Stefan 2006 2004 Some Names and Epithets in Culhwch ac Olwen Studi Celtici 3 163 179 External links Edit The dictionary definition of Caledonia at Wiktionary Anglia Scotia et Hibernia 1628 map of the region by Mercator and Hondius Caledonia Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol IV 9th ed 1878 pp 662 664 Clans of Caledonia Strategy board game based in historic Scotland Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Caledonia amp oldid 1167581160, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
