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From: chris@leadsv.UUCP (Chris Salander)
Newsgroups: net.nlang.celts
Subject: King Arthur
Message-ID: <530@leadsv.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 19-Jul-85 17:59:21 EDT
Article-I.D.: leadsv.530
Posted: Fri Jul 19 17:59:21 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Jul-85 02:33:10 EDT
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Organization: LMSC-LEADS, Sunnyvale, Ca.
Lines: 58
Summary: What I know.

In article <6322@ucla-cs.ARPA>, reiher@ucla-cs.UUCP writes:
> One interesting recent theory is that he was
> originally a Roman cavalry captain who operated in the vicinity of
> Scotland, keeping the folks north of the wall from ravaging the south.
> Another theory is that he is actually a legendary figure from the 
> Caucasus area in Eastern Europe, whose legend was brought to England
> by Roman troops recruited from that area.  
> 
> Arthurian legends exist all over Britain, but there is an unusually
> high concentration around Somerset and Glastonbury, in SW England.
> Some people think that this region was the home of the historic Arthur.
> -- 

	What I have read is that:
	
	1) Arthur was part Briton and part Roman and took command of
	a unit of heavy cavalry stationed in Northwestern England
	after his father died.
	2) The garrison was probably centered at Colchester.  Chester
	translates into "camp" and there are many chesters in western
	England.
	3) The Heavy Cavalry (or Knight of the Round Table) were the
	only ones of their kind in England.  They were Sarmatians,
	who came from the western shores of the Black Sea, where
	modern day Romainia is. They have large horses, a full suit
	of chainmail, helmet, breastplate, sheild and lance.  The
	best armed troops of the day.
	4) The Sarmatians were stationed in England in the standard
	practice of many Empires.  Troops were stationed in areas
	far removed from their homeland so they would not have to
	fight their own kind.  The Russians found out about this
	problem when they invaded Afghanistan with Muslim Soviets.
	5) Arther and his cavalry were attempting to maintain some
	form of order in the years after the Romans had withdrawn.
	This puts the time frame in the late 400's, early 500's.
	Britons were no longer Celts, but they weren't Saxons yet.
	Into this power vaccum the Saxons and Danes came, seizing
	eastern England.  Arthur fought them from Western England
	using his "chesters".  When he suffered a serious reverse,
	he spent a long time hiding out in the marshes of southwestern
	England, which is why is he is so well remembered there.
	(Just as Robert Bruce is well remembered in the places that
	he hid).
	6)Conclusion:  Because of his Roman education and his 
	excellent cavalry, Arthur could beat any of the roving
	bands and independent nobles that stood in his way.  Whether
	he could stand up to the organized armies of the invaders
	depended on how much support he got from the Britons.

				- Christopher Salander

	(descended from the Crosbys of Lancastershire, England,
	the McLaughlins, Welshes, and Slatterys of Kilrush and
	other places in Erie)

	(and the Salanders of Gerfle, Swerge, the Martels of
	Bornholm, Denmark, the Von Kolms of Mecklenberg, Deustchland,
	and the DeVeres of France (probably Normandy))