Ambrosius Aurelianus and the Apocalypse of King Arthur: Studies in early medieval history

In this ground breaking work, which has taken fourteen years of research, scholar and historian Dane Pestano examines the life and legends of the last Roman leader to defend Britain, Ambrosius Aurelianus, who lived in the late fifth to early sixth century at the time attributed to King Arthur, and shows how Arthur acquired the legends of Ambrosius over time. Ambrosius's life and exploits are thoroughly dissected and explored starting with the monk and historian of the Britons, Gildas, then onwards to Bede and other chronicles and histories up to and beyond Geoffrey of Monmouth's De Gestis Britonum. A history of fifth and sixth century Britain is undertaken using contemporary and near contemporary sources and archaeology to arrive at a chronology of events that confirm when the Saxons arrived as federates in Britain, when they rebelled and when the seige and battle of Badon occurred and how the victor of that battle was Ambrosius. Pestano then presents the folkloric legends that developed over hundreds of years around Ambrosius and shows how these were later acquired by Arthur. Revelatory discoveries include a new etymology for the name Arthur, the 'Jesus' acrostic hidden in the work of Gildas, and the source of that acrostic in other more ancient works; the astounding discovery that Gildas was embedding hidden incarnation dates into his work, all of which have been decoded and presented here; the source of the DGB and place where Geoffrey was writing it, the year Gildas wrote De Excidio Britanniae; etymologies of all major Arthurian characters; material that claims Ambrosius was a heretic; a new meaning and etymology of the place name Tintagel and Celliwic; the source of the Round Table legends; the source of material in Arthur's battle list in the Historia Britonnum, the discovery of Arthur's grave, the source of much of the Life of St Samson, and so much more. Comments on the material include: Dr. David Howlett (M.A., D.Phil., F.S.A University of Oxford) "You seem to me to have made a convincing case for the change from Ambrosius Aurelianus to Arthur. Congratulations." Dr Alan G. James (Read English philology and mediaeval literature at Balliol College, Oxford, and research in modern linguistics and place-name studies). "...it's certainly a splendid piece of work." Dr. Sonya R Jenson (Historian and author of Ambrosius Arturus) "...it is well-argued, comprehensive, thoughtful, and interesting. It also contains a few real gems in terms of the general subject-area. Things that make you say "Wow! I never thought of that before." So, great work!" Angelica Verandas (PhD in Medieval English Literature, M. A. in Medieval English Literature, Graduated in Modern Languages and Literature): "I loved it! I think it is not only a very insightful reflection about Ambrosius / Arthur but also a very original approach which takes into account very deep historical and linguistic views on the matter." James Simister (Education Officer of Gesithas Engliscan, the Anglo-Saxon Society, lecturer and scholar) "Your explanations of the linguistic aspects are convincing, and you have clearly done a lot of work and gone into this in great detail and depth."

Table of Contents:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INTRODUCTION 1. AMBROSIUS THE NOBLEMAN Ambrosius Aurelianus vir modestus Ambrosius and the Purple 2. AMBROSIUS IN THE CHRONICLES 3. THE HISTORY OF FIFTH CENTURY BRITAIN De Adventum Saxonum Foederati Dating the Adventus Constantius and the Vita Germanus The Gallic Chronicle The Archaeology Early Saxon settlements in the fourth to early fifth century Riothamus. The Saxon Rebellion The Great Siege of Mount Badon The Location of Badon 4. THE ACROSTIC AND CHRONOLOGY FOUND IN DE EXCIDIO The Sources The numbers, dates and chronology embedded in De Excidio Conclusions 5. CONFIRMING THE SIXTH CENTURY CHRONOLOGY 6. AN EXAMINATION OF PARAGRAPH 26 OF DE EXCIDIO The eighty-four-year chronology in De Excidio. The Mystery Cloud of 537 The mid sixth century plagues and the Yellow Pestilence. Procopius and the misfortunes of the Britons 7. THE MIGRATION TO WESTERN ARMORICA. The first British king of western Armorica 8. LEGENDS AND FOLKLORE From Ambrosius to Embreis the boy prophet From Joshua to David Ambrosius in Geoffrey's DGB Stonehenge 10. THE SOURCE OF GEOFFREY'S De gestis Britonum. The First Variant - Walter's 'good book' Arthur and Wace's Round Table Angus of Moray Camlan 542, and Arthur in the time of Riothamus c.470 The Vita Goeznovius Conclusions 11. AMBROSIUS, ARTHUR AND THE HISTORIA AUGUSTA 960 by his hand alone The image of Mary upon his shoulders Aurelian and the Historia Augusta Mithraism and the Grail legends 12. THE NAMES ARTHUR, ARTORIUS AND ARTURUS International Phonetic Alphabet. Introduction to Terms The name Arthur The etymology of Artorius to Arthur Arcturus etymology Artuir in Goidelic 13. A NEW ETYMOLOGY FOR THE NAME ARTHUR The name Uther 14. ARTHUR MILES How Ambrosius Aurelianus vir modestus became ARTHUR THE SOLDIER Ambrosius to Emrys etymology Modred and Medraut. 15. THE NAME AND ETYMOLOGY OF MERLIN 16. THE GRAVE OF MERDDIN EMBRAIS 17. A GRAVE FOR ARTHUR 18. THE DEATH OF AMBROSIUS AURELIANUS. 19. CAER DRAITOU, TINTAGEL AND CELLIWIC. A solution to the meaning of the place name Tintagel Din Tradui and Celliwic 20. CONCLUSIONS APPENDIX THE LIFE OF ST. SAMSON OF DOL The legend of Benli from the Miracula St. Germani The Battles of Arthur BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX