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EntityQ1380278· pop 15· linked from 206 articles

Also known as Riotamus, Riotimus, Riothimus

' (also spelled or ') was a Romano-British military leader who was active circa AD 470. He fought against the Goths in alliance with the declining Western Roman Empire. He is called "King of the Britons" by the 6th-century historian Jordanes, but the extent of his realm is unclear. Some Arthurian scholars identify Riothamus as a possible inspiration for the King Arthur of legend.

Wikidata facts

Instance of
human
Gender
male
Languages spoken
English language
Noble title
king
Show 3 more facts
date of birth
0500-01-01
date of death
0500-00-00
described by source
Pauly–Wissowa
Sources (1)

via Wikidata · CC0

~7 min read

Encyclopedic overview

15 sections
Contents
  • Name
  • Realm
  • Correspondence with Sidonius Apollinaris
  • The letter
  • Translation
  • War with the Goths
  • Jordanes, Getica, XLV.237–238
  • Translation
  • Gregory of Tours, Historia Francorum, II.18
  • Translation
  • Riothamus as King Arthur or Ambrosius Aurelianus
  • Notes
  • See also
  • References
  • External links

' (also spelled or ') was a Romano-British military leader who was active circa AD 470. He fought against the Goths in alliance with the declining Western Roman Empire. He is called "King of the Britons" by the 6th-century historian Jordanes, but the extent of his realm is unclear. Some Arthurian scholars identify Riothamus as a possible inspiration for the King Arthur of legend.

==Name== is a Latinization of the Brythonic , meaning 'Great King', 'Kingliest'. Alternatively, it may come from Brittonic , meaning 'Freest'. The Brittonic form survived into Old Welsh as (Modern Welsh ) and Old Breton .

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Riothamus” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.