 Ireland, known as a bernier to the Romans, was never conquered by Rome and was never annexed into the Roman Empire. So what did the Romans think of Ireland then? One insight can be found in the book by the Roman historian Tacitus, published in the 1st century AD. In the book, Tacitus notes the opinions of the Roman general, Gaius Julius Agricola. Tacitus's father-in-law, who served as the Roman governor of Britannia from 77 AD to around 85 AD. Tacitus notes that the roots of approach and the harbours of hibernia were known to the Romans due to traders and merchants. In fact, Roman coins have been found in Ireland and hibernia, probably due to raiders and traders over the centuries. Tacitus goes on to note that Agricola had given refuge to one of the minor kings of hibernia, who had apparently been expelled due to a family quarrel. Agricola treated him as a friend, keeping him in case an opportunity arose. The way Tacitus wrote this last section, keeping him in case an opportunity arose, suggests that Agricola was keeping this minor Irish king in reserve, in case the Romans did go on to conquer hibernia and they could install him as a puppet king that would be loyal to Rome. According to Tacitus, Agricola believed that Ireland could be conquered and held by only a single legion as well as some modest numbers of exilia, meaning non-citizen troops that supported the legions. Agricola also believed that conquering hibernia would have helped the Romans control Britain, as there would be Roman arms everywhere and freedom would be removed from sight, meaning that potentially would have weakened the spirits of those fighting the Roman occupation in Britain, those Britons, those Caledonians who were fighting Roman rule. But what exactly did Tacitus say about Ireland? As he wrote, In the fifth year of the campaigns he crossed in the leading ship and defeated peoples up to that time unknown in a series of successful actions. He lined up his forces in that part of Britain that faces Ireland, an expression of hope rather than of fear. For in fact, Ireland, which lies midway between Britain and Spain and is also within easy reach of the Galaxy, would have united the strongest parts of the empire with great mutual advantage. Its size, if compared to that of Britain, is small, but it is larger than the islands in our sea. Its soil and climate and the character and way of the life of the people do not differ greatly from Britain. The roots of approach and the harbours are known through trade and merchants. A Gerecola had given refuge to one of the minor kings from this people, who had been expelled in a family quarrel. He treated him like a friend, keeping him in case an opportunity arose. I have often heard him say that Ireland could be conquered and held with a single legion and modest numbers of Auxiliar. That would, he thought, be advantageous against Britain as well. If Roman arms were everywhere and freedom were, so to speak, removed from sight. Please let me know your thoughts on the Romans in Ireland and any potential follow-up video ideas. To find out more about the lost Roman legion and if it potentially was wiped out in Caledonia, please click here. Thanks for watching, please subscribe and hit the bell, and for ways to support, they will be in the description below. Thanks for watching and I'll see you next time.