In Arthur's time, Britain probably contained cities and former Roman camps, such as Bath, Chester, and York, that had fallen into decay with the withdrawal of Roman troops, the invasion of barbarian tribes, and the reduction of trade with lands on the Continent. Against this backdrop of chaos, Clancy attempts to pinpoint a single man whose legend has endured to this day. Much of what Clancy has to say about Arthur as an actual historical personage is, of necessity, conjecture. He begins his discussion with as definitive a statement as the facts warrant: "It is not unreasonable...to believe that an extraordinary man, one who could be used to ensure other men's heroism...actually lived in the early sixth century." In reconstructing Arthur's life, Clancy works as both historian and poet, breathing new life into the facts and legends about this extraordinary man that...