The Real King Arthur: Ambrosius Aurelianus
The Ancients
History Hit
4.7 • 4.5K Ratings
🗓️ 29 September 2022
⏱️ 47 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A friend of Merlin, the husband of Guinevere, and the inspiration for numerous Hollywood blockbusters - the story of King Arthur is known by many across the globe, but who is the man behind the myth?
Ambrosius Aurelianus emerged from the chaos of 5th Century AD Britain in the aftermath of the Roman retreat and is believed to be the main inspiration for the Legend of King Arthur. In this episode Tristan welcome Dr Miles Russell back to the podcast to talk about who Ambrosius Aurelianus was, and the legacy that he left behind. A Celtic hero who fought valiantly against the Saxons and who was tied up in legends of his own, Ambroisus Aurelianus should be a name just as well known as the mythical King of Camelot.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | It's the Entrance on History Hit. |
| 0:14.0 | I'm Tristan Schuss, your host, and in today's podcast, we're talking about this remarkable |
| 0:18.6 | figure, who emerges in the aftermath of the Romans leaving Britain in the 5th century |
| 0:24.8 | – AED or CE – a figure called Ambrosius or Relionus. |
| 0:30.5 | One of the key influences in the creation of the legendary figure that is King Arthur. |
| 0:36.9 | I don't know if any of you have seen the 2000s movie, The King Arthur movie with Clive |
| 0:42.7 | Owen, with Keiran Nicely, with Mads Nicholson. |
| 0:46.1 | Well the basis for that King Arthur figure evidently does seem to be Ambrosius or Relionus, |
| 0:51.4 | this figure who emerges in the 5th century who battles against the Saxons in the wake |
| 0:56.4 | of the Romans leaving this distant island. |
| 1:00.3 | Now to talk through what we know about Ambrosius or Relionus and the legacy of this figure, |
| 1:05.2 | how he evolves, how he partly contributes to the creation of this figure of King Arthur, |
| 1:11.8 | joining me to explain all I was delighted to go and interview in person earlier this week |
| 1:17.7 | born in the University's Dr. Miles Russell. |
| 1:21.6 | Miles is a hella character, he's a great laugh, it was wonderful to get him back on the |
| 1:25.5 | podcast, he was on the pod last year to talk all about King Arthur and how he was this |
| 1:30.4 | Celtic superhero moulded from 5 particular ancient figures, one of which is Ambrosius |
| 1:37.4 | or Relionus. |
| 1:38.4 | Miles is back on the podcast, this time to explain all about this mysterious Ambrosius |
| 1:43.8 | or Relionus, what we know and how his legacy evolves over the following centuries. |
| 1:50.3 | So that further ado to talk all about Ambrosius or Relionus and whether he was the real King |
| 1:55.5 | Arthur, he is Miles. |
... |
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