Oldest English Poem Found in Rome

Why this is here: The newly discovered copy of Caedmon’s Hymn dates back to the 9th century—roughly three centuries earlier than the previously known earliest copy of the poem.

Researchers at Trinity College Dublin discovered the oldest surviving English poem within a medieval book in a Roman library. Elisabetta Magnanti and Mark Faulkner located Caedmon’s Hymn—composed around the 7th century by a Northumbrian agricultural worker—embedded in the Latin text of the Ecclesiastical History of the English People.

While two earlier copies of the poem exist, they appear as later additions to manuscripts. This ninth-century copy is unique because the poem is integrated into the main body of the text.

The manuscript traveled a complex path, originating at Whitby Abbey, then moving through Italian monasteries before ending up with rare book collectors in the US. Italy’s Ministry of Culture eventually acquired it in 1972, and it has remained in Rome’s National Central Library. Magnanti found the book listed in the library’s catalog and requested digital images for study.

Despite its location, the manuscript had received little scholarly attention, and researchers note the poem’s presence offers new insight into the early spread of English. The team plans to continue cataloging copies of Bede’s history, and further research is needed to fully understand the manuscript’s journey.