Around 600 BC the earliest documentary reference to the island of Ireland was made by 'Periplous' of Himilco, Carthage, which would be later followed by the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, who in the 4th century BC described an island called Ierne along side a larger one called Albion and that they had been discovered by the Phoenicians. By 300 BC the Greek geographer, Pytheas, made the earliest reference to the British Isles calling them ,the Isles of the Pretani' (Pretanikai nesoi). This makes the Pretani the most ancient peoples in Britain & Ireland to whom a definite name can be given.

The earliest known source which refers to Ulster historically, is contained in the 130 AD map by the Greco-Roman geographer, Claudius Ptolemy. This map of the known world which draws on an earlier source by Marinos of Tyre, shows quite clearly the Pretanic islands (British Isles) made up of Albion- (Britain) and Ierne- (Ireland), and records various place names and tribes. What is noticeable is that certain tribes, specifically the Brigantes, are recorded as living in both islands, and that there is no reference to Gaels in any shape or form which allows us to conclude that at this time they either were insignificant or not there at all.

For our purposes he notes a tribe called the Volunti, (Greek-Ouolountioi) later recorded as one of the dominant tribes in Ulster along with another, much earlier distinct Pretanic people eventually to be described by Gaelic sources as the Cruthin. Eventually the label Volunti, evolved linguistically in a variety of directions as Uluti, Ulish and Ulaid - it is now generally agreed that this is the source of the title - Ulster.

The Cruthin resided mostly, but not exclusively, in Counties Antrim & Down from where their Kings would be Kings of Ulster until around the late 900's. What's also interesting that the later Gaels would denote them with the Picts of Scotland.

In prehistoric times Ulster was described as a distinct kingdom covering the entire northern section of the island of Ireland as far south as the River Boyne, it had what appears to have been an important settlement of Isamnion which was also noted as Regia or 'royal place.' Later this place would become known as Emain Macha, which Armagh derives from, today it is called Navan Fort. The oldest known settlement on the entire island is at Mount Sandel in County Londonderry and is dated to be around 6500BC, furthermore, all or most of the ancient stone megaliths are also found in Ulster, which archaeologically means that the oldest inhabitants resided in Ulster.

Some other remarkable evidence is found in numerous sites such as - Toome Bay, County Londonderry, 5730 BC, evidence of a pastoral economy and domestic cattle raising in Tyrone, 3800 BC, its also around this time that the great megalithic tombs, such as Newgrange were constructed, and, artifacts of an 'axe factory' in County Armagh during 3000 BC, and wheat cultivation is being practiced in various locations. There is even evidence of importing raw materials, notably tin most-likely from Cornwall.