Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Even in the modern, globalized world, the name of King Arthur is popular
in many circles, and exploited in various kinds of media. Medieval tales
relating his own adventures and more often those of his knights are
perhaps better known today than in the Middle Ages. The origin of his
name is still a puzzle, though many proposals have been made. The
following is intended to clarify the discussion and to attempt a substantial
step towards a deeper understanding of the case.
As I have discussed in a previous publication (Zimmer 2006, with
earlier references), the name of King Arthur is most probably that of a
well-known historical figure, that is, the Roman general Lucius Artorius
Castus, probably a native of Dalmatia, and buried in Podstrana near
Strobe, not far from Split. His career is succinctly reviewed in the
(unfortunately undated, as usual) epitaph CIL III/Suppl. 2, nr. 12791; cf.
also III/1, no. 1919 + III/Suppl. 1, no. 8513. Among other deeds, he
served as commander (praefectus castrorum) of the Legio VI Victrix in
York, and later as leader (dux) of British legions fighting in Aremorica in
the year 184. His fame must have lived on among his veterans and their
descendants, so that the legendary dux bellorum of the British kings
fighting against the Anglo-Saxons in the fifth and sixth centuries was soon
named Arthur after that prominent Roman soldier.
1. The name of Arthur is therefore intimately linked with Latin
Artorius. This is a common name in Roman inscriptions. The exact
number of attestations cannot be established: RE names 10 or 11 men
132
Stefan Zimmer
134
Stefan Zimmer
Notes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
136
Stefan Zimmer
References
CIL
RE
RIB