Albion
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Albion (Ἀλβίων) is the oldest known name of the island of Great Britain. Today, it is used romantically to refer to the United Kingdom, especially England and occasionally Scotland. It is the basis of the Celtic language name for Scotland, Alba.
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[edit] Etymology
Gallo-Latin Albiōn (Middle Irish Albbu) is from a Proto-Celtic stem *Alb-i̯en-. Together with other toponyms such as Alpes it may either derive from a Proto-Indo-European root *albh- "white" (also found in in Welsh elfydd meaning "world" and in the Germanic Elves), or may be of pre-Indo-European origin.[1]
It is often hypothesised that the Romans took it as connected with albus (white), in reference to the White cliffs of Dover and Alfred Holder's Alt-Keltischer Sprachschatz (1896) unhesitatingly translates it Weissland ("white-land").
[edit] The Albiones
There was a Celtiberian tribe called the Albiones on the north coast of Spain in western Asturias, mentioned by Pliny.
The name of the Asturian Albiones is attested on the "stele of Nicer Clutosi" found near Vegadeo, which has the inscription
- ☧ NICER CLUTOSI (filius) C(astello) CARIACA PRINCIPIS ALBIONUM AN(norum) LXXV HI(c) S(itus) EST
- " Nicer, [son] of Clutoso of the castle[?] of Cariaca, [of the house] of the prince of the Albiones, [died aged] 75 years, lies here."
It has been suggested that the ethnonym as a term for the "Celts of the extreme west" was transferred from Asturias to Great Britain: Pytheas' grasp of the "Πρεττανικη" archipelago is somewhat blurry, and appears to include anything he considers a western island, including Thule.[2] Alternatively, there could have been two tribes called Albiones (or a single tribe in origin divided by migration), compare the Parisii of France and of Yorkshire, or the Brigantes of northern England and of Galicia.
Both western Iberia and southern Great Britain had been reached by Celtic expansion in the 7th to 6th centuries BC, showing exposure to Hallstatt D but not to La Tène influence.
[edit] Attestation
The early writer (6th century BC) whose periplus was translated by Avienus at the end of the 4th century AD (see Massaliote Periplus) does not use the name Britannia; he speaks of nesos 'Iernon kai 'Albionon: the islands of the Ierni and the Albiones. Likewise, Pytheas of Massilia (ca. 320 BC) speaks of Albion and Ierne.
By the 1st century AD, the name refers unequivocally to Great Britain. The Pseudo-Aristotelian text De mundo (393b) has:
- Ἐν τούτῳ γε μὴν νῆσοι μέγισται τυγχάνουσιν οὖσαι δύο, Βρεττανικαὶ λεγόμεναι, Ἀλβίων καὶ Ἰέρνη
- "the largest islands they reached were two, called the Britannic [isles], Albion and Ierne."
Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History (4.16.102) likewise has:
- "It was itself named Albion, while all the islands about which we shall soon briefly speak were called the Britanniae."
[edit] Cultural references
Various British football clubs bear the name Albion, the highest profile being West Bromwich Albion F.C., based in the West Midlands. Others include Burton Albion F.C., based in Burton upon Trent, Stirling Albion F.C. and Albion Rovers F.C. in Scotland and Brighton & Hove Albion F.C., based on the south coast. There is also at least one rugby club to use the name - Plymouth Albion R.F.C., based in Plymouth.
The original lyrics to Advance Australia Fair contain a reference to Albion in the second verse:
- When gallant Cook from Albion sail'd,
- To trace wide oceans o'er,
- True British courage bore him on,
- Till he landed on our shore.
The videogame Fable is set in a fictional land called Albion. The sequel will also be set in Albion.
The title of a Babyshambles single from the album which also shares one of the songs lyrics: Down in Albion. also Pete Doherty and Carl Barat dreamed they had a boat named the Albion using it to get to Arcadia.
Irish Black Metal band Primordial recently referred to Albion in a song off their To The Nameless Dead album named Heathen Tribes with the line And shadows of ancient Albion in relation to the beginning of the British Empire.
Folk-Metal band Skyclad made reference to Albion in a song from their album Folkémon entitled "Think Back and Lie of England" with the line: "Fake alibis for Albion"
The British rock band Led Zeppelin also makes mention of Albion in the song "Achilles Last Stand," on the 7th studio album Presence: Oh Albion remains, sleeping now to rise again.
The British rock band Jethro Tull references Albion in their song "Coronach" from the "20 Years of Jethro Tull Boxed Set".
The pejorative sobriquet perfidious Albion takes its meaning from this old name for Britain.
The South Australian band The Avi Sol. mention Albion in the song The Vagrants "Albion sleeps to rise again"
The Albion Band was, 1972 - 2002, a British electric folk band with varying membership but always including Ashley Hutchings.
