SMC226H1 Study Guide - Fall 2018, Comprehensive Midterm Notes - Welsh Mythology, Wales, Monmouth
12 Oct 2018
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SMC226H1
MIDTERM EXAM
STUDY GUIDE
Fall 2018
Introduction and the Arthur of History
Celtic: The British Isles, Ireland, Brittany peninsula attached to France. Arthur was a Celtic king –
before England properly existed
Ancient Celtic was connected to the Gauls, Iberia, Rome, etc
Caesar conquers Celtic Gauls (William Wallace), savages vs. civilization
The Roman Empire: included most of Britain, therefore Britain was civilized, as Roman-Britons.
- Period of massive change betw 100-500 AD, Age of Germanic Migrations, those
outside of empire (Germans) start to enter it and take part in conquest and war, not
just as mercenaries but as an organized army (Vandals, Goths, Ostrogoths, Franks,
Huns) resulting in modern Europe, including England, when the Anglo-Saxons come
- Military pressure betw Ireland and Britain: piracy, slavery – less civilized Irish rob and
terrorize Roman Britain. This feud allowed the Germans to come in to protect Britain
Roman Britain:
- Caesar invades in 65/64 BCE – not a conquest, just putting ppl in their place
- Emperor Claudius invades in 43 AD and founds Britannia
- Hadia’s all is uilt et the Roa ad o-Roman parts of the island of Britain,
roughly betw Scotland and England, 122 AD
Primary Documents
- Gildas – Destruction of Britain, 540
o very Christian source from Roman Britain POV, a monk, less historical more
relgious, the English coming in were pagans
- Bede – Ecclesiastical History of the English people, 731
o Christian source, monk, changes betw the last source and this, no longer Roman,
and the English were now Christian, a history of ppls
- Nennius, The History of the Britons, 830
o England now a thing, he is writing from Wales, historical
- The Annals of Wales / Annales Chambriae, 950s
o Brief accounts of historical events of the conquest form the Welsh POV,
historical
Gildas, The Destruction of Britain,
- Late 4thc, weakened military in Roman Britain
- Civilized province with high standard of living and civilization – water ways, wine,
- A large movement of legions stationed in Britain were sent to the continent (to the
Roman empire) and never returned home
- Britain was plagued by attacks from the savage Scots from the north-west, meant the
Iish, ad the Pits fo oth of Hadia’s all
- (Britons began moving downward creating Brittany, weakening the Briton population)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
- 410: the sacking of Rome (by Christians), economically recovered by psychologically the
damage was done, resulting in Roman forces being removed from Britain, and the
British forces in Rome not being returned. The British stand alone, near defenseless
against the Scots and the Picts.
o Letter from Rome of their intentions: be brave, defend yourselves, your family,
and most importantly, your life ad liet beginning of a literary motif, but
also proving this was the most important thing at the times
- The Scots and Picts hit Britain harder, knowing they were no longer defended by
Romans, and the citizens abandoned the towns
- They British made use of Saxon mercenaries in the way Rome did for centuries to
defed the, ut othig oe destutie, othig oe itter has ever befallen the
lad [this ould hae happeed i Gildas’ paets’ tie, so he ke the oseuees]
o oes ad auguies = paga eliefs – Christians invited pagans to fight pagans
o The Saxons asked for land in return for protection, and so immediately became
settlers and colonists
- Natives vs English:
o native brits left creating the Bretons in Brittany
o Ambrosius Aurelianus: native Celtic hero (Roman name, still thought of
themselves as Roman civilization)
o Siege of Badon Hill, 495 (same year Gildas was born), in which the Britons won,
as if a tial fo god. A tie of peae otiues ito Gildas’ peiod
- The British in his own time have forgotten the storm their nation lived through, and are
becoming soft again, in the current calm. It is not really calm. And he was right, because
the British lost later.
- Ambrosius Aurelianus, Badon Hill – in the Arthurian Legend, but not mentioned by
Gildas.
- The English Conquest is not mentioned by Gildas, nor is England.
- They thought they had won. The English came back and made England after Gildas.
Nennius, History of the Britons, 830
- What sounds to be the beginnings of legend
- Wrote after the English had won, and knew that Gildas was wrong.
- Vortigern ruled in Britain while they feared the Irish and Picts, and Nennius sees Romans
as foreign to Britain.
- Thanet was the land given to the Saxons in return for protection
- “ata etes Votige’s heat ad akes hi fall i loe ith the “ao’s daughte, ad
offers to split the kingdom with the pagans in exchange for her hand
- Arthur: The English increase their numbers in Britain, and Arthur is now first mentioned
as a leader in battle, a soldier, who fights the English. Not a king!
- Athu’s Battles:
o A dozen in various rivers, woods, and mountains, ending with Mount Badon
o Is this too many for one man? Is it not that many? Claims made may be
uelieale e do’t ko hee Bado is, ut Gildas did. Bitai is’t that
big, Roman roads are there for movement
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Celtic: the british isles, ireland, brittany peninsula attached to france. Arthur was a celtic king before england properly existed. Ancient celtic was connected to the gauls, iberia, rome, etc. The roman empire: included most of britain, therefore britain was civilized, as roman-britons. Caesar conquers celtic gauls (william wallace), savages vs. civilization. Huns) resulting in modern europe, including england, when the anglo-saxons come. Military pressure betw ireland and britain: piracy, slavery less civilized irish rob and terrorize roman britain. This feud allowed the germans to come in to protect britain. Caesar invades in 65/64 bce not a conquest, just putting ppl in their place. Emperor claudius invades in 43 ad and founds britannia. Had(cid:396)ia(cid:374)"s (cid:449)all is (cid:271)uilt (cid:271)et(cid:449) the ro(cid:373)a(cid:374) a(cid:374)d (cid:374)o(cid:374)-roman parts of the island of britain, roughly betw scotland and england, 122 ad. Gildas destruction of britain, 540: very christian source from roman britain pov, a monk, less historical more relgious, the english coming in were pagans.
