This left the region's inhabitants defenseless against attacks by the Saxons, invaders from ancient Scandinavia. Many details of the Arthurian legend clearly place it in this historical period of change for Britain. Arthur's very name, a Welsh form of the Roman name Artorius, suggests that he lived during the fifth century, when inhabitants of the British Isles often used Roman names.
Most stories of King Arthur are inextricably bound up with fictional accounts of his exploits. It is widely believed, however, that there was a historical King Arthur upon whom these accounts were based. Less certain, however, are the details of this person's life. Whether Arthur was a local leader or a national one; whether he lived in the fifth or early sixth century; or whether his territory was in the north or south of Britain-these are issues that may never be satisfactorily resolved, unless new literary or archaeological resources are discovered.
King Arthur in literary history. Early Welsh and Scottish literature provides sources for the earliest Arthurian traditions. A series of Scottish poems, known as The Gododdin, were written around 600 A.D., less than a century after Arthur's presumed death. These poems greatly exaggerate Arthur's feats in the style of Greek and Roman epics.
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