Saturday, April 20, 2024

Ancient British History

Welcome to the fascinating and mist-shrouded world of Ancient British History. The historian’s task is frustrating but exhilarating, deciphering old manuscripts, exploring Roman ruins, and following the trail of the elusive King Arthur. All these things are found herein–the columns explore Britain from the Bronze Age to the Norman Conquest. Come on and in and enjoy!

No Eyewitnesses: A Historical Difficulty

Arthur, historians believe, lived in the 4th and/or 5th centuries. The exact dates depend on the dates given for the most important events in...

The Pictish Connection in Arthurian History

Celtic contributions to Arthurian history were examined and found to be perhaps difficult to substantiate. Pictish connections to Arthurian history are a bit easier...

Bronze Age Surgery Evidence Found in Thames

You never know what you’re going to find when you fish stuff out of the Thames. The latest stunning discovery is evidence of brain...

The Thegn: Beholden to His King

It’s always interesting to encounter words that have changed with time. Thegn is one of those words. We now recognize this word as thane, originally...

The Significance of the Hill-Fort: Economic

We have seen earlier how the hill-forts of ancient Britain provided the military chieftains of the time with excellent defensive and reconnaissance capabilities. Now,...

Alfred’s Ingenious Defensive Strategy

With the treaty with the Danes concluded, Alfred could have taken great pride in his accomplishments and turned his concerns inward, there to help...

Athelstan the Great?

With each successive generation after Alfred, it seemed, the monarch was not as great. Edward, Alfred’s son, came close. His son, Athelstan, was not...

Into the Void: The Emergence of Ambrosius and Arthur

So this is Britannia in the 400s: Romans gone, Saxons streaming in, Picts threatening in the north, Britons besieged. Vortigern is himself betrayed, not...

What the Romans Left Behind: The Baths

One of the main points of focus in Roman life was the bath. The Romans bathed fully only once a week. But because their...

A True Miracle? Maybe Only in the Telling

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle has a curious entry for 797: This year the Romans cut out the tongue of Pope Leo, put out his eyes, and...