The author of this hard-hitting contribution to Arthurian studies does not shrink from controversy and sets out his debating points clearly before developing his ideas with detailed research. King Arthur is commonly regarded by historians as a legendary figure deriving from the 12th century chronicles of Geoffrey of Monmouth featuring a heroic British ruler in the declining years of the Roman occupation of Britain. Syvänne argues that Geoffrey's history is based on a real character and lambasts conservative historians for their questionable methodology in dismissing ideas that do not correspond with preconceived solutions, arguing that the value of a source does not disappear when it is judged to be unreliable in some aspects. An example is the late 4th century Historia Augustae, nowadays generally believed to be a forgery. Syvänne argues that Geoffrey of Monmouth includes valuable pieces of evidence, for instance the military hierarchy under kings such as Vortigern and Vortimer extending through the ranks of archbishops and duces and backed up by a fleet of medium sized scouting ships and biremes with two decks of oarsmen. The author's detailed diagrams show the structure of the Saxon army, its encampments and its strategies such as the pike phalanx or the classically inspired wedge formation. Analysis of narrative sources, including Gildas, Nennius and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, allows Syvänne to revise Arthur's two battles of Badon to an earlier date. The archaeology of sites such as Silchester and Caerleon, the battles against the Picts and Scots and the influence of Norway and Jutland on the building of hill-forts are all evidence used by Syvänne. He concludes with Arthur's last battle against Mordred in 472 near Camelford, discussing the Arthurian legacy as far afield as Finland. 278pp, numerous maps and diagrams, colour reproductions.
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