I made two mistakes concerning the movie "King Arthur"; first, I watched the segment about the movie on ABC’s 20/20 news program, and second, I then saw the movie. The sequence is important as I actually had expectations based on the TV segment before I went to see the movie. The reporter suggested that the movie’s producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, had based his production on more than just the traditional legends of King Arthur as recorded in the mainly medieval tales. This seems to be substantiated by the interviews that she conducted with John Matthews and Geoffrey Ashe, who are both considered well-respected British historians and provide some insight into the possible historical events, which became the basis of the legends.

There were prospects of the movie being based on accounts of the 6^th Century British monk Gildas "Concerning the Ruin and Conquest of Britain (or De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae), of the 8^th Century Saxon historian, Bede (Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum), of the 9^th Century Welsh monk Nennius (Historia Brittonum), and of the 9^th Century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Other sources include the Annales Cambriae (ca. 960-980 C.E.), William of Malmesbury's Gesta Regum Anglorum (ca. 1125 C.E.), Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae (ca. 1136 C.E.), Wace's Roman de Brut (1155 C.E.), Giraldus Cambrensis's De Principis Instructione (ca. 1195 C.E.), and Layamon's Brut (ca. 1205 C.E.) plus the poems, Y Gododdin ca. 600 and Maboddin.

One of the theories expressed is that Arthur and his knights were based upon Sarmatian warriors recruited into the Roman army and sent to serve in Britain, particularly in the north along Hadrian’s Wall. The origin of this information is Book 72 of "Roman History" by Dio Cassius. He wrote that as part of a treaty or foedus between the Emperor Marcus Aurelius and the Sarmatians in 175 AD that 5500 Sarmatians were enrolled into the Roman army for service in Britain. Some of them did serve in Britain if we accept the information found in modern Chester (Sarmatian tombstone), Ribchester (Sarmatian veterans’ settlement) and the fort near Chesters (Cilurnum) on Hadrian’s Wall (armour and other artifacts). Now whether or not any of the Sarmatian units were maintained by recruiting additional Sarmatians is less likely, especially for over 300 years (the movie begins in 452 AD).

The recruitment of enemy soldiers was a long established Roman practice dating back to the early centuries of Rome. Modern historians have recorded the names of the many different peoples who provided contingents with barbarians (Germans and other non-Graeco-Roman sorts) representing the bulk of such groups during the period of the Roman Empire. The Sarmatians certainly supplied their share and as late as 324 AD, the Emperor Constantine resettled as many as 300,000 of them within the empire.

There were certainly communities of Sarmatians (referred to as laeti and coloni) from which to recruit additional levies, although most historians agree that local recruitment was more likely with any ethnic origins being maintained in the unit’s name, symbols, traditions and equipment. One of the most popular Sarmatian symbols being that of the dragon or draco standard, which was a long wind sock (possibly useful for determining wind speed and direction fore archery) attached to dragon’s head or possibly another animal totem (another aspect of the Arthurian legend through the name Pendragon).

So it appeared to me that the movie would be different from earlier productions based on this news segment. My expectations were dashed as soon as the opening credits finished (including a note about recent archaeological evidence and Sarmatians) and the date of 452 AD appeared on the screen.

The use of this date is baffling, as the general historical consensus is that the majority of the Roman forces in Britain were withdrawn in or about 407 AD by the last of the British-based Roman military usurpers known as Constantine III. He made an unsuccessful bid to replace the legitimate Emperor Honorius and was executed following the collapse of his rebellion. There is no extant record of the imperial government returning any of the rebellious units back to Britain. Instead in 446 AD, the traditional story goes that a petition was sent to the senior Roman general, Flavius Aetius, requesting military assistance against the barbarians (the request may have been made to his successor Agedius, who was one of the last Roman commanders of Roman France). No response was made, as Aetius was busy maintaining the remnants of the western empire in France, Italy, Spain and Africa.

So back to the movie, and a shot of a small collection of huts in a vast sea of grass. This is the home of Lancelot, who is conscripted to serve 15 years along with other teenage Sarmatians in the distant British provinces. The script then calls for a quick forward motion to the main timeframe of the movie, which is 15 years later (of course). Along with Lancelot, Arthur leads a rather small band of knights with the others being Bors, Dagonet, Galahad, Jols, Horton and Gawain. Comparison can be made at this point to both "Seven Samurai" and "The Magnificent Seven" (although the latter was a remake of the former).

Arthur does state that these seven are the only survivors of his unit, which seems odd if the Romans regularly recruited from the Sarmatians. At this point in the plot, our heroes charge to the rescue of a Roman bishop (a former military officer and friend to Arthur’s father) and his military escort, who have been ambushed by Picts called Woads by the knights.

The bishop is presumably based on St Germanus (or he could have been), who reportedly visited Britain in the mid-5^th Century to stamp out the heresy preached by the supporters of Pelagius. The movie has Pelagius as a contemporary of Arthur and indeed his spiritual/religious mentor. This is at odds with history as Pelagius lived in the first half of the century and was a contemporary of St Augustine, who considered him a heretic

At this point, I want to digress and point out that this is a movie based on a very bizarre screenplay. One of the plots has our heroes riding off to rescue a godson of the Pope and his parents, who for some strange reason decided to live north of the Roman province above Hadrian’s Wall (and all speak with Italian accents) with savage, Roman-hating Picts as neighbours and an invading Saxon army marching to take them hostages so that their family wealth or ransom can be used to finance the Saxon’s campaign. There is no explanation given for the unusual invasion route selected by the supposedly cunning Saxon leader. His landing in Scotland certainly is at odds with most historical accounts.

The boy’s father mistreats his workers and punishes their headman for suggesting the father not sell so much of the harvest (although it is not explained how he can ship anything overseas in such a hostile environment). His priests (members of an early inquisition-like organisation) torture any non-Christians including Guinevere, a Pictish warrior maiden (who is able to shoot a composite bow and fight after having her broken left fingers reset by Arthur a short time after her rescue). Overall, this movie casts Christians in a very bad light.

The mission is given to Arthur and his six Sarmatians on the day that they are to be released from Roman service. The man who orders Arthur on this quest is the bishop and who is later revealed to be one of those Papal leaders who ordered the execution of Pelagius. The fate of the real Pelagius is uncertain, but religious opponents may have killed him.

Now the development of this movie is in part based on the earlier Hollywood blockbuster, Gladiator, which is based on events at the end of the 2^nd Century Ad. The writer, David Franzoni, worked on both Gladiator and an early draft of King Arthur with the former occurring during the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and his son Commodus. Ironically, Arthur in this movie is based on a real Roman military officer Lucius Artorius Castus, who may have led some of the Sarmatian cavalry during campaigns in Britain and France at the end of the 2^nd Century. The highlights of his military career were preserved on three fragments from a sarcophagus, which were found in a fence/wall near Epetium (modern Strobrez in Podstrana) and one corroborating memorial plaque found near the chapel of St. Martin (Sveti Martin) of Podstrana on the Adriatic Highway. The reconstructed fragments read as follows:

To the spirits of the departed: Lucius Artorius Castus, centurion of the III legion Gallica, also centurion of the VI legion Ferrata, also centurion of the II legion Adiutrix, also centurion of the V legion Macedonica, also primus pilus of the same [the V legion Macedonica], praepositus of the classis Misenatium (the fleet on the Bay of Naples), praefectus of the VI legion Victrix, dux of the legions and(?) cohorts of cavalry from Britain against the Armoricans, procurator centenarius of the province of Liburnia, with the power to issue death sentences. In his lifetime he himself [possibly: "fecit," "had this made"] for himself and his family…

A military expedition to Armorica in 185 AD was documented by the historian Herodian (10.1-7), although he did not name its commander. Most of Castus’s career was probably spent in the east where the legions (III Gallica and VI Ferrata) with which he served were stationed. The next two, II Adiutrix and V Macedonia, were stationed in the Balkans, and probably contributed troops to the campaigns of Marcus Aurelius including those against the Sarmatians. Therefore it is possible that Castus had two encounters with Sarmatians. The second being while he served with VI Victrix in Britain. It was from Britain that the Amorican campaign was launched.

It is possible that the twelve victories attributed to "Arthur" by Nennius and others, including the famous one at Badon Hill, which are conventionally dated to the late 5^th and early 6^th Centuries AD, may actually have been won by Lucius Artorius Castus between 183-185 AD in Northern Britain, and that the defeated enemy were not invaders from the so-called "Saxon Shore," but rather marauding Caledonians and Picts from Scotland. The 12 battles may have been a series of engagements following the successful invasion of the Roman province during which the invaders were first halted and then pursued back across Hadrian’s Wall.

Merlin is cast as the leader of the Picts, who are known for their use of blue ink body tattoos. This is quite different from his usual role as a magician in most stories or a bard in others. The Picts are the freedom fighters of Britain trying to oust the Romans, although the Romans have decided to leave Britain. Merlin needs Arthur as a military commander so apparently avoids killing him twice, although Merlin seems to have no qualms about killing the evil Bishop Germanus and other Romans. By the way, the Picts are able to enter the Roman province easily despite the garrison along Hadrian’s Wall. Meanwhile, the Saxons are left to march to the wall for the climatic battle despite having arrived by a sizeable fleet.

Lancelot is supposedly Arthur’s lieutenant but seems to know little about his motivation. Just about every major decision by Arthur confuses Lancelot. His main role seems to be that of an ambidextrous swordsman and potential cuckolder of his friends’ women, particularly Bors’s mistress and Guinevere (based on his leering during the movie). He could have been so much more as the introduction of Lancelot into Arthurian legends can be linked to yet another Sarmatian inspired hero as Sarmatians (and their ethnic relatives the Alans) were settled in France. Traditionally, Lancelot is sometimes depicted as a French knight.

Speaking of Bors, he defies the odds by siring 11 bastards during the course of his military service with all of them surviving despite the well-known high infant mortality rate of the period. This is very surprising, as the whole family usually appear covered in dirt.

I am not sure about the relevance of the other knights’ names, particularly Dagonet, Jols, and Horton. They are definitely among the better known of the legendary Knights of the Round Table.

The climatic battle is that of Mount Badon. Bishop Germanus and the Roman troops abandon the wall and march off to the south, leaving Arthur apparently alone to defend the fort against thousands of Saxons. Even the surviving Sarmatian knights abandon him after already surviving one suicidal operation (rescuing the pope’s godson). Fortunately, the Picts have once again snuck into Britain, only this time as Arthur’s allies. This was part of Arthur’s cunning plan as they came armed with artillery, which the Romans rarely allowed any but loyal troops to have. Ironically, Mount Badon is considered one of the last battles fought against the Saxons by Arthur rather than the first.

There are three redeeming points in my opinion. The Sarmatians do not use stirrups (although Bruckheimer stated in the 20/20 interview that they had them). The charges by the Sarmatians do provide examples of how cavalry could break through infantry as the Saxons are apparently in some sort of shield-wall. And finally, the Roman troops have shields with Christian markings in the form of the first two letters of Christ in Greek, chi and rho, resembling the Latin x and p.

Given the plethora of good Arthurian stories in recent years, it is a pity that the screenplay was not based on one of them. Bernard Cornwell (author of the Richard Sharpe Napoleonic books), Jack Whyte, Rosemary Sutcliffe, and Stewart have all written popular Arthurian books some of which are based on more historical evidence than that presented in the movie. If Bruckheimer and company wanted to depict the Sarmatian connection, then the novel "Island of Ghosts" by Gillian Bradshaw would be a good choice. This book covers the early service of three of the Sarmatian units sent to Britain following the conclusion of the Romano-Sarmatian war in the 2^nd Century AD. It contains many of the Hollywood favoured themes such as romance, betrayal, intrigue, revenge and conflict. Any or all of the book would be suitable for adaptation to the big screen.