The search for the historical figure behind what is arguably the most famous cycle of legends ever has been unrelenting over the centuries. Here, two noted Arthurian experts argue that the man whose story started the Arthurian myth was a soldier named Lucius Artorius Castus who lived at the end of the second century AD. Castus’s extraordinary career took him from one end of the Roman Empire to the other, bringing him into contact with tribespeople among the Steppe nomads – in particular the Sarmatians. For several decades the Sarmatians have been thought to be the inspiration behind Arthur’s Knights of the Round Table, among other British tales. The authors provide a fascinating detective story following the life of Lucius Artorius Castus against the colourful backdrop of the history of the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and his son, the barely sane Commodus. In doing so they reveal the manifold links between Artorius and the legend.

‘John Matthews and Linda Malcor have produced a unique book on the earliest sources of influence on the King Arthur legends. The authors combine their life-long experience of work on comparative mythology and Arthurian lore to outline a novel theory on the origins of Arthur in the period of the Roman Empire.’ -- Dr Krešimir Vuković, Humboldt Research Fellow, LMU Munich
‘Many people have gone on a quest to find their own personal version of King Arthur, Camelot, and The Round Table. This enduring and emotional mythos resonates deeply in the human psyche and probably will for as long as humanity remembers ‘The King that was and shall be.’ Among all the powerful archetypal imagery of Ladies of the Lake, Grail Quests and ‘Might for Right’, there lies flesh and bone. This work is the closest we’ll ever get to knowing the real identity of the man who became the legendary King Arthur.’ -- Mark Ryan, author and swordmaster on Jerry Bruckheimer’s King Arthur
‘I am one hundred per cent convinced that one amazing Roman officer – Lucius Artorius Castus – is the historical foundation of King Arthur and his knights. There are just too many clues to be a coincidence, too many ‘shared fossils’, and the map of this reality just fits together too damned well. So, take your first-class seat with Linda Malcor and John Matthews as you begin your adventure into one of the most contentious mysteries of all time: Who was King Arthur?’ -- David Franzoni, screenwriter for Gladiator and King Arthur

Linda A. Malcor is a California based freelance writer and researcher. She holds a Ph.D. in Folklore and Mythology from UCLA and lectures on the Arthurian legends. In addition to scholarly publications, she writes fantasy fiction and screenplays. Linda is co-author of From Scythia to Camelot, and also worked as a historical advisor on Jerry Bruckheimer’s King Arthur. John Matthews has been a full time writer since 1980 and has produced over 100 books on myth, faery, the Arthurian Legends and Grail Studies, short stories, poetry and children’s books. He has devoted much of the past forty years to the study of Arthurian traditions and myth in general. In 2003 he was the historical advisor to the Jerry Bruckheimer movie ‘King Arthur’.