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Various Traditions #6 by Yair Davidiy adapted from: "Lost Israelite Identity. The Israelite Origin of Celtic Races" (1996). THE HIBERI-Milesians Early Settlers of Ireland. The Irish accounts of groups that immigrated into Ireland usually end with the Milesians from whom came part of the Scots. The Milesians are also known as Hiberi, Iberi, Gaedhal, Gaeli, and Scotti, and these are all names of various ancestors. This group was the last to arrive and considered the most numerous and dominant. They were named after Mil versions of whose name are Nile and Bile and some authorities consider Bile to be the ORIGINAL and to explain his name to represent the "god of the dead" who according to Roman accounts was worshipped by the people of Gaul. There are several versions concerning how the Milesians came to Ireland but all of them more or less follow the same pattern and are compatible with similar early British versions concerning the Scotti. [The Scotti who settled in Scotland came from Ireland and are considered a branch of the Hiberi Milesians]. In general, the accounts claim that a Scythian (named "Fennius Farsa" or something similar) ruling somewhere near Greece was deprived of his throne and went to live in Egypt. His son (Niul) married Scotta daughter of Pharoah and from their union came Goidel. The name of Scotta daughter of Pharoah seems to be recalled in every known account. The accounts say that while in Egypt Fennius the Scythian met Moses and helped the Israelites when they escaped from Egypt. There were Israelites who attached themselves to Fennius and travelled with them. Some versions of these legends also say that they kept the Laws of Moses in Ancient Times. This in effect means they were Hebrews but by keeping a separate "Scythian" identity were also able to claim descent from Magog son of Japhet. This was in line with official Church Doctrine. The Goidels (descendants of Fennius and his people) moved from one area to another. Amongst their places of sojournment were Miletus in ancient Caria on the west coast of Anatolia (present-day Turkey) and Messina in Sicily. Eventually they reached Brigantia in Spain and from there sailed to Ireland. Historically the Kings of Egypt very rarely gave their daughters to outsiders but it is recorded that Solomon king of Israel married a daughter of Pharoah. Also Moses the deliverer and Lawgiver of Israel as a child had been adopted by a daughter of Pharoah. In Talmudic tradition the foster-mother of Moses was the same "Batya" daughter of Pharoah who later married Mered (1-Chronicles 4:18) from the Tribe of Judah. According to Talmudic tradition (Megilla 13, Lev.Rabah 1;3) "Mered" is another name for Caleb, son of Yefunei, the Kenazzi, a Prince of Judah (Numbers 13:6). Caleb, says the Talmud, married "Batya" the daughter of Pharoah who had rescued and raised Moses. Some descendants of Caleb, the "Chelubai" (1-Chronicles 2;9) are traceable to Chalybonitis and to the "Chalybe" people. Chalybonitis was in northwest Syria. Chalybonitis in northern Syria was in an area associated with the Iari descendants of Yair who himself (1-Chronicles 2:22) was a son of Segub son of Hezron ancestor (or "father") of Caleb (Chaleb): The eponymous ancestor IAR was later recalled in place-names of Ireland and Scotland. The family name of Caleb was "Kenazi" which name connotes "metalworker". The Chalybes (descendants of Caleb) after the Israelite exile were to be reported in areas of Ten Tribes settlement. In the Pontus (on the southeast shores of the Black Sea) and Caucasus the Chalybes were famous metallurgists. The Chalybes were considered as of Cimmerian origin. They are recalled by Greek Chroniclers such as Xenophon. A people of similar name (i.e. the "Calybes") who were also famous as metal-workers were later reported of in the Galatian area of northwest Spain. Justin (44:3) said that the Calybes were skilled metallurgists. From Galatia ("Galacia") in Spain Celts identified with the Milesian-Hiberi migrated to Ireland and from there to Britain. The legend of the Milesians that one of their ancestors had been married to the daughter of Pharoah may be connected with the presence of "Chalybes" (or "Calybes") descendants of Caleb from Judah amongst them. The Dal Riada clans who moved from Ulster to Western Scotland were considered Milesians. The People of Neil were also Milasians. The symbol of the Milesians appears to have been a lion. More details along with extracts from relevant sources will be given in the course of this series and those accompanying it on the Brit-Am web-site. |
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