Warriors of Arthur

Warriors of Arthur offers unique insights into the life and times of the men and women immortalized through the literature of King Arthur and the Round Table. The authors present a detailed picture of the culture, weapons and places associated with Britain's most famous king, ranging from the true sixth century origins to the romances and chronicles of the Middle Ages.

Through original illustrations researched by the authors and painted by Richard Hook, new color photographs of the most famous sites, and numerous black and white illustrations including archeological reconstructions, the text is supported by a wealth of visual detail. Included is a rare list of the original names of the 250 of Arthur's warriors, an examination of the 12 great battles fought against the Saxon invaders in the sixth century, and descriptions of the legendary and sometimes magical weapons attributed to the Celtic king and his men.

A special feature, unique to this reassessment of Arthurian history and legend, is the inclusion of six new stories by the authors. Through this feature, familiar Arthurian adventures are retold in their true sixth century cultural context.

Front cover painting by Richard Hook shows the gathering of Arthur and his warriors. They combine late Roman and Celtic culture, weapons, and military dress. Beside Arthur stand his prophetic advisor Merlin, and his poet and bard, Taliesin. The royal standard is the Draco, a dragon's head with a tube of light woven cloth floating in the wind.