Arthurian History

The Matter Of Arthur

The historical basis of King Arthur is a source of considerable debate among historians. King Arthur appears in many legends but it has not been decisively established whether his origin was entirely mythical or whether he was based on one or more historical figures.

A popular view is that Arthur was a real person. The theory is that he was a Romano-British leader fighting against the invading Saxons some time between the late 5th century and early 6th century. Studies suggest that during Arthur's alleged lifetime, the Anglo-Saxon expansions do seem to have been halted for a whole generation. If he existed, his power base would probably have been in the Celtic areas and perhaps even Brittany. However, controversy over the centre of his supposed power and the extent and kind of power he would have wielded continues to this day.

There are many possible identities for a historical Arthur: -

Magnus Maximus
Riothamus - The historical writer Geoffrey Ashe is a big supporter of this idea and his arguments are outlined in the book The Discovery of King Arthur (1985).
Ambrosius Aurelianus - There are many that believe that Ambrosius and Arthur could be the same person.
Arthnou
Athrwys ap Meurig
Owain Ddantgwyn, the 'Arthur'
Áedán mac Gabráin
Artuir mac Áedáin
Lucius Artorius Castus - There are many historians that believe the name Arthur derived from the Latin, 'Artorius' and could be based on a Roman officer called Lucius Artorios Castus.