Riothamus (also spelled Riutimus or Riotimus) [1] 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

This leads to Riothamus, a genuine and historically-attested British leader who was certainly fighting in Gaul at that time. A powerful leader. Riothamus was clearly a very important and powerful person in Britain.

The location of Riothamus' army was betrayed to the Visigoths by Arvandus, the jealous praetorian prefect of Gaul, and Euric defeated him in the Battle of Déols. Riothamus was last seen retreating northwest to Burgundy.

Jan 8, 2023 · The New York Times lays out the case for a British ruler from the fifth century, known only as Riothamus, whose reality may have eventually grown into a legend. The story of King Arthur became popularized in the 12th century when Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote the book "Historia Regum Brittaniae."

Geoffrey Ashe argues that Arthur was an historical king in Brittany known to history as Riothamus, a title meaning 'supreme king' (see the Britain and Armorica timelines around 468-469). His army is recorded as having crossed the Channel to fight the Visigoths in the Loire Valley in 468.

Known for leading a force of Britons in an ultimately futile attempt to oust the Gothic invaders from the pro-Roman territory of Burgundy, Riothamus’ campaign mirrored Arthur’s narrative in several ways: both ventured into Burgundy, were betrayed by a confidant, displayed valor in battle but ultimately faced defeat, and vanished from the annals ...

Mar 19, 1985 · The real Arthur, according to the new findings, was probably a fifth-century ''high king'' of the Britons known as Riothamus.

Jun 23, 2024 · Riothamus is the only historical person recorded as “king of the Britons” who traveled with an army to Gaul in the Arthurian period. Therefore, this makes him an obvious candidate for the inspiration of at least this part of the legend.

Riothamus is the style given in continental documents to a fifth-century “king of the Britons,” whose career seemingly underlies parts of the account of Arthur in Geoffrey of Monmouth. It Latinizes a title or honorific in the British language – that is, the parent tounge from which Welsh, Cornish, and Breton evolved.

Riothamus is mentioned in two Latin works, a letter to him from Sidonius Apollinaris of Lyon, and Jordanes's Origins and Deeds of the Goths. In Sidonius's letter, Riothamus seems to be a leader, one who can settle a dispute between a slave owner and the "Bretons"--however, given the date of 472 CE, they are probably Britons, not those of Brittany.