Was King Arthur’s Camelot In Caerleon, Wales?

Just where was Camelot, anyway? Scholars and romantics have been asking this question for ages.

Well, I ran across an online video that covers some interesting theories about King Arthur’s possible presence in Wales.

In particular, they argue that Camelot was ancient Caerleon, a Roman fortress with an amphitheater.

This is where Geoffrey of Monmouth placed King Arthur, as well as Alfred Lord Tennyson.

The Heritage-Key website, which is where I first read about the video, says this about it:

The Legend in the Landscape is filmed on location around Gwent, home to all of the University of Wales, Newport’s campuses where Dr Ray Howell leads the audience on a trail through the landscape exploring …

  • iron-age hill forts,
  • beautiful views from the top of Skenfrith mountain,
  • Roman occupation,
  • the warriors Silures fighting back,
  • gladiatorial battle in Caerleon’s Roman amphitheatre,

… through to the riverside public house in Caerleon, which once inspired poet Alfred Lord Tennyson to write his Idylls of the King – and shows that there is evidence of two different Arthur’s at Wales – one, an early medieval war lord, the other Arthur of Camelot and the roundtable, so often depicted though the arts.

Merlin's Shadow by Robert Treskillard

You can view the video by clicking here.

Right now I am writing my second book, MERLIN’S SHADOW, and I have Merlin and Arthur traveling through the historic Gower Peninsula—not too far from Caerleon.

But my Arthur is very young at this point in my series, and I have not yet decided where his headquarters will be, nor what it will be called.