When ancient Irish bards and storytellers spoke of their beginnings, they didn’t rely on one simple creation tale. Instead, they crafted an intricate saga of six mystical invasions. In Celtic mythology, Ireland was settled not by ordinary humans, but by a series of supernatural races: the Fomorians, Partholons, Nemedians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha Dé Danann, and ultimately, the Milesians. Each wave of these legendary beings added a new layer to Ireland’s mythic history, shaping not only how the island was said to be formed, but also why its folklore endures as some of the most enchanting in the world.
Where did Nemed come From?
Nemed the legendary leader of the Nemedians (Nimedes) came from a distant and mysterious land often described as Scythia, a region near the Black Sea. Some versions of the myth suggest he originated from the east, while others link his lineage to biblical ancestry through Japheth, the son of Noah. This connection symbolically ties Ireland’s mythical origins to both ancient Europe and the broader sacred history of humanity. Nemed’s long voyage to Ireland was perilous; he set sail with 44 ships, but only one survived the journey, reaching the Irish shores after many hardships. His arrival marked a new era in the mythic timeline of Ireland one of exploration, settlement, and the enduring human quest for a promised land.
Origins of the Nemedians
The Nemedians are described in the pseudo-historical mythological text Lebor Gabála Érenn (“The Book of the Taking of Ireland”) as one of the waves of peoples who settled the island of Ireland. Their eponymous leader, Nemed (also spelled Neimheadh or Neimhidh) carries the meaning “holy” or “privileged” in Old Irish, deriving from the proto-Celtic root nemos (meaning “sky” or “sacred grove”). According to the myth, the Nemedians arrived approximately 30 years after the death of the earlier invaders, the Muintir Partholóin. They are sometimes referred to as “Muintir Nemid” or “Clann Nemid” literally “people/offspring of Nemed”.
Genealogical and Mythic Background
Mythic accounts trace Nemed’s ancestry to Scythia and ultimately back to the Biblical figure Japheth (son of Noah), thus tying the myth of Ireland’s settlement to a global, even biblical, narrative. Some sources place the Nemedians’ origin in Iberia or other eastern lands. This mythic framing served medieval writers who sought to link Irish origin legends with classical and biblical history.
Who are the Nemedian People in Conan?
Robert E. Howard, the Nemedian people are an ancient and powerful civilization that exists during the Hyborian Age a fictional prehistoric era that predates recorded history. The Nemedians come from the kingdom of Nemedia, one of the most advanced and influential nations in Conan’s world.
Nemedia lies to the east of Aquilonia, Conan’s homeland, and is often portrayed as its greatest rival. The Nemedian people are known for their sophisticated culture, scholarly achievements, and strong military power. They are highly civilized compared to many neighboring kingdoms, boasting impressive architecture, fortified cities, and a structured monarchy ruled by a king.
Nemedians are depicted as proud, intelligent, and ambitious. Their armies are disciplined, and their society values learning, religion, and tradition. However, like many great civilizations in Howard’s stories, Nemedia also struggles with corruption, ambition, and political intrigue themes that reflect the author’s view of the cyclical rise and fall of empires.
Nemedian people in Conan the Barbarian represent a refined but decaying civilization a contrast to the raw strength and primal spirit embodied by Conan himself. Their presence in the Hyborian Age adds depth to Howard’s world, illustrating the clash between ancient order and untamed barbarism that defines the Conan saga.
Arrival in Ireland and the Early Settlement
According to legend, the Nemedians landed in Ireland after a long sea voyage. One version claims 44 ships set out but only one remained intact at arrival.
Once landed, the Nemedians accomplished remarkable feats:
- They cleared twelve plains across Ireland, an act symbolizing taming the wild landscape. They built royal forts (e.g., Ráth Chimbaith in Semne and Ráth Chindeich in Uí Nialláin).
- They witnessed dramatic natural phenomena: four lakes reputedly burst from the ground during their settlement.
The Death of Nemed
Despite their propagandised might, their leader, Nemed and many of his people succumbed to plague roughly nine years after their arrival.After his death, the Nemedians’ fortunes declined dramatically.
Confrontation with the Fomorians
A central feature of the Nemedians’ story is their conflict with the Fomorians, a race in Irish myth often interpreted as chaotic, destructive, sea-raiding powers.
Battles and Tribute
The Nemedians fought several major battles with the Fomorians, with varying results. Eventually, the Fomorians triumphed in oppression: the Nemedians were forced to give tribute (children, milk, corn) annually.
The Final Uprising
Legend says the Nemedians mounted a massive assault: 30,000 on land and 30,000 at sea, attacking a tower of the Fomorians (Conand’s Tower) before being defeated by a sea-wind or tidal wave sent by Morc, a Fomorian king.Only one ship of thirty men survived.
The Downfall and Departure of the Nemedians
After their defeat and near annihilation, the survivors of the Nemedians dispersed. Some went north “into the north of the world”, others south to Greece, and some went to Britain. Ireland remained empty or uninhabited for several years until subsequent waves of settlers arrived.
Interpretation of the Departure
This exodus implies both a literal and mythic ending: the Nemedians’ dominance waned, symbolising the transition of power and the cyclical rise and fall of peoples in myth.
Their departure also serves to connect various mythic groups (e.g., the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Fir Bolg) with the legacy of the Nemedians.
Symbolism and Meaning of the Nemedians’ Story
Beyond literal myth, the story of the Nemedians holds rich symbolic significance.
Settlement, Clearing, and Order
The clearing of twelve plains, the building of forts, the bursting lakes: each motif can be read as the imposition of order over chaos reminiscent of the broader pattern in myth of bringing civilization to the wild.
Conflict between Light and Darkness
The Nemedians vs. Fomorians narrative echoes a cosmic struggle: humans (or semi-divine peoples) versus chaotic, elemental forces of nature. The Fomorians embody destructive powers (drought, war, oppression) and the Nemedians represent human effort, settlement, culture.
Displacement and Diaspora
The Nemedians’ forced giving of tribute, their defeat, and dispersal speak to themes of exile, displacement, and the loss of power. For a mythic culture, such narratives explain how earlier forces gave way to the current order.
Mythic Time and Progenitors
As one of the “invasions” of Ireland in mythic chronology, the Nemedians act as an intermediary stage between the earliest settlers and later groups. They serve as ancestors, progenitors of later peoples. Their story helps structure mythic history.
Where was Nemedia?
Robert E. Howard, Nemedia is a large and powerful kingdom located in the central-eastern part of the Hyborian world. It lies east of Aquilonia, Conan’s homeland, and west of Brythunia, forming one of the major civilized nations of the Hyborian Age a mythical time set long before recorded history.
Nemedia is often described as a fertile, temperate land filled with great cities, walled fortresses, and sprawling plains. Its capital city is Belverus, a grand and ancient metropolis known for its temples, libraries, and royal palace. Another important location in Nemedia is the city of Numalia, famous for its scholars and philosophers.
Nemedia is a monarchy ruled by a powerful king, supported by a network of nobles, priests, and scholars. The kingdom is a rival to Aquilonia both compete for dominance, influence, and cultural prestige across the civilized world.
Nemedia represents the intellectual and traditional heart of the Hyborian kingdoms a land of learning, architecture, and order. Yet beneath its noble image lies a world of political intrigue, ambition, and corruption, making it one of the most complex and fascinating realms in the Conan the Barbarian mythos.
Legacy and Influence in Irish Mythology
Though the Nemedians themselves vanish, their legacy persists in multiple ways.
Ancestral Lineage
The Lebor Gabála legend states that some survivors of the Nemedians became the ancestors of the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Fir Bolg.In this way, the Nemedians act as a link in the chain of mythic Irish peoples.
Place-Names and Cultural Memory
Several place-names and legends refer to the Nemedians, their forts and events (e.g., Ard Macha for Macha, wife of Nemed). Their mythic deeds enrich Ireland’s folklore and topographical imagination.
Comparative Mythology
The root nemos (sky, sacred grove) in the name Nemed connects with Celtic conceptions of sacred space (nemeton). This invites comparative study across Celtic Europe.
Who is the deity nemain?
Nemain sometimes spelled Neman or Neamhain is a war goddess in Irish mythology, closely associated with battle, chaos, and frenzy. She is one of the Morrígna, a trio of powerful war goddesses that also includes Badb and Morrígan. Together, they embody the supernatural forces that influence warfare, death, and fate in Celtic legend.
The name Nemain comes from Old Irish and is believed to mean “frenzy” or “panic”, which perfectly reflects her role in myth. She is said to incite warriors into a mad rage during battle, or strike terror into enemies, causing confusion and self-destruction. Unlike a goddess of strategy or victory, Nemain represents the psychological and spiritual chaos of war the uncontrollable energy that can both empower and destroy.
Nemain often appears on the battlefield as a spectral figure, shrieking among the dead and dying, or as a harbinger of death. Her presence could drive soldiers into a berserk state of fury, or overwhelm them with fear so intense that they turn against one another.
Nemain is not merely a goddess of war she personifies the madness, noise, and confusion that come with it. Through her, Celtic mythology explores the darker, uncontrollable side of human conflict reminding warriors that victory and destruction often walk hand in hand.
Why the Nemedians Matter for Modern Readers
For today’s readers, the story of the Nemedians holds several appeals:
- Mythic narrative structure: a rising people, early settlement, conflict, fall and diaspora universal in heroic myths.
- Cultural insight: offers a window into how medieval Irish authors represented origins, identity and the land.
- Symbolic resonance: settlement v. nature, oppression v. freedom, heritage v. loss themes still relevant.
- Historical-mythic bridge: although not historical in the modern sense, these tales preserve pre-Christian imaginations of Ireland.
- Literary and artistic source: the Nemedians’ story provides rich fodder for fiction, poetry, art and cultural reinterpretation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Nemedians (Nimedes)?
The Nemedians, sometimes referred to as Nimedes or the People of Nemed, were one of the legendary groups said to have settled in Ireland, according to Celtic mythology. They were the third wave of settlers in the mythological Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of Invasions), arriving after the Partholonians and before the Fir Bolg and Tuatha Dé Danann.
Who was Nemed, the leader of the Nemedians?
Nemed, whose name means “holy” or “privileged,” was the mythical leader of the Nemedians. He is said to have guided his people to Ireland after escaping from distant lands, leading 44 ships though only one reached Ireland safely.
Where did the Nemedians come from?
According to mythic accounts, the Nemedians came from Scythia (a region near the Black Sea) or other distant lands, possibly Iberia. These tales symbolically link the Irish origin myths to broader biblical and world traditions.
What did the Nemedians do after arriving in Ireland?
Upon settling in Ireland, the Nemedians cleared twelve plains, built forts, and witnessed lakes bursting from the ground. They were early cultivators and builders who brought order to a wild and mystical landscape.
Who were the Fomorians, and why did the Nemedians fight them?
The Fomorians were a race of dark, supernatural beings representing chaos and destruction. The Nemedians fought them in several battles for control of Ireland. Eventually, the Fomorians overpowered the Nemedians and demanded heavy tributes, including grain, milk, and even children.
What happened to the Nemedians?
After years of oppression by the Fomorians, the Nemedians rose in rebellion and attacked the Fomorian stronghold known as Conand’s Tower. Although they destroyed the tower, most of the Nemedians perished in the battle or were drowned by a great sea wave. Only a few survivors escaped, marking the end of their rule in Ireland.
Conclusion
Nemedians, also known as the Nimedes, stand as one of the most captivating chapters in Irish mythology. Their journey from their arrival in Ireland, their battles with the Fomorians, to their ultimate downfall and dispersal reflects the timeless struggle between light and darkness, order and chaos.
Although their time in Ireland was brief, the Nemedians’ legacy endured through their descendants, who later became the Fir Bolg and the Tuatha Dé Danann, two of the most powerful races in Celtic legend. Their tale symbolizes courage, resilience, and the cyclical nature of life where every ending gives rise to a new beginning.