Setantii facts for kids
The Setantii were an ancient British group of people who lived in what is now Lancashire, England, a long time ago, even before the Romans fully arrived. They might have been a smaller part of a bigger group called the Brigantes, who lived across much of northern England during the Roman invasion.
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Who Were the Setantii?
This group is only mentioned in one old book: the Geography by a writer named Ptolemy from the 2nd century. In his book, he wrote about a place called Portus Setantiorum, which means "Port of the Setantii".
Where Was Their Port?
We don't know exactly where this port was located. People have guessed many different places, and some even think it might have been lost to the sea over time. Ptolemy also mentioned a river called Seteia, which people believe was the River Mersey.
Setantii in Old Legends
Some historians have connected the Setantii to old Celtic legends.
The Story of Seithenyn
One connection is to Seithenyn, a character from Welsh mythology. Seithenyn was a prince in charge of sea defenses for a land called Cantre'r Gwaelod. One night, he was not paying attention, and the sea rushed in, sinking the whole kingdom under Cardigan Bay.
Links to Other Myths
A scholar named Sir John Rhys noticed that the name Setantii sounded similar to Seithenyn. He also saw links to other legends:
- Sétanta, the birth name of the famous Irish hero Cú Chulainn.
- Stories from Breton mythology (from Brittany, France) about a lost city called Ys and an island called "Enez-Sizun".
Rhys thought that all these names and stories might be distant echoes of an old "flood myth" – a story about a great flood – that was once told in Britain, Brittany, and maybe even Ireland. Even though we don't have a specific flood story about the Portus Setantiorum in Lancashire, Rhys believed all these legends were connected back to the Setantii people.
