Thursday, May 16, 2024

Cú Chulainn, Scáthach and Medb were contemporary with The New Testament

According to The Lebor Gabála Érenn anyway, there are other proposed Chronologies for the various Semi-Legendary Kings of Ireland, but for this time period at least the LGE is the one I like the most. Geoffrey Keating and the Annals of The Four Masters are 17th Century scholars being influenced by their agenda's Biblical Chronology.  The LGE is an 11th Century composition with it's sources including texts that could go back to before 365.

Eochu Feidlech the father of Medb is said in the LGE to be contemporary with the Dictatorship of Julius Caesar.

Eterscél Mór is said to have reigned 5 or 6 years, been a contemporary of Augustus Caesar, and even more specifically the Birth of Christ.  What exact date for the Birth of Jesus is meant we can't know for certain, but it was likely no later then AD 1 and no sooner then 7 BC.  And within Ireland he's contemporary with Conchobar mac Nessa of Ulster, Cú Roí of Munster and Ailill mac Máta of the Connachta (two of them were among the husbands of Medb).  

He's succeeded by Nuadu Necht who reigned for six months and was contemporary with Augustus Caesar and those same three other Irish Kings. 

He's followed by Conaire Mór who is again contemporary with those same figures, at least at the start, he reigned 30 years so if the Birth of Christ happened two kings earlier then the Passion and Resurrection likely happened before his reign ended.

After his reign was an interregnum of 5 years and then reigned Lugaid Riab nDerg.  He is referred to in the LGE as being a contemporary of Claudius Caesar and reigned for 26 years.  And he was the foster son of everyone's favorite Irish Lancer Cú Chulainn.  

What’s interesting however is that the Stone of Destiny at Tara didn’t roar for him like it did all his predecessors, which made Cú Chulainn angry and so he struck it with his sword, and after this it never roared again except for one 2nd century King in some accounts.  This being the first new High King Coronation following the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus makes this development fascinating.  Here we have another religious site ceasing to function how it used to right after the time of Christ.  This synchronism is honestly my main reason for favoring the LGE timeline over the others. 

Scáthach being immortal and associated with some type of Underworld seems to be an invention of Fate/ Lore.  In the Irish sources she and her sister Aife/Aoife were normal humans in Scotland, probably the Isle of Skye.  Even though they were on Albion they were still far from Roman influence.  It was early in the Reign of Claudius that Rome started conquering Britannia and they started way down south with the Cantiaci (Kent).  They didn’t even begin expanding north of the Humber till AD 71 and never successfully conquered Scotland.  But since it’s popular to set Quasi-Historical Fantasy stories in the context of the Roman conquest of Britain I wish this connection would be taken advantage of more, have some Briton warriors seeking to resist Rome travel north to be trained by Scáthach.

It seems like Fate/’s version of Medb merges her with The Morrigan, but I love it.  A female character whose power specifically comes from her promiscuity, that’s more rare than you think.  Your typical Femme Fatale/Vamp gains power from her ability to make men want to have Sex with her but often actually doing it is what causes her downfall.  Medb’s Noble Phantasm is the Seed she’s absorbed from her many lovers and I think that’s pretty cool.  She's a true Rider.

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