Friday, March 22, 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!

Religion in Ancient Britain: Cauldron Beneath the Surface

Ancient Britain was a melting pot of peoples and ways of life. The natives were mostly Celts who had migrated across the Channel from...

The Sword in the Stone: An Error in Translation?

Where have we heard this before? One word changed by a translator down through the years has made a legend out of what quite...

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...

What the Romans Found: The Celts

The Romans must have felt quite a bit of historical deja vu when they crossed the Channel en masse and discovered that the British...

Celtic Influence on Arthurian History

Readers of Arthurian literature are no doubt familiar with the Celtic shimmerings throughout. Famous examples are the knights Kay (originally Cei) and Gawain (originally...

Druids: The Iron Rulers of the Celts

Equally close-mouthed and mysterious, the Druids were some of the most powerful people the world has ever known. They held an iron grip on...

What the Romans Found: The Picts

One of the chief threats to Roman occupation of Britannia was the continued presence of the Picts, an ancient people who lived in what...

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...

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...

What the Romans Left Behind: Hadrian’s Wall

The Roman emperor Hadrian decided that a wall needed to be built to keep the marauding barbarians at bay for good. The Roman conquest...