Riothamus facts for kids

Riothamus (also spelled Riutimus or Riotimus) was a military leader from Roman Britain who lived around 470 AD. He fought against a powerful group called the Goths. He was an ally of the Western Roman Empire, which was getting weaker at the time. A historian from the 500s, Jordanes, called him "King of the Britons." We don't know exactly how much land he ruled. Some experts who study King Arthur think Riothamus might have been one of the real people who inspired the famous legend.

What's in a Name?

The name Riothamus comes from an old British language. It means 'Great King' or 'Kingliest'. It could also mean 'Freest'. This old British name later became Rhiadaf in modern Welsh.

Where Did He Rule?

It's not completely clear where Riothamus's kingdom was. When historians mention "Britons," they could mean people from Great Britain itself. Or they could mean people from Armorica, which is now called Brittany in France. Many British people moved to Armorica during this time.

A Letter from a Bishop

We learn more about Riothamus from a letter written to him by Sidonius Apollinaris. Sidonius was a bishop, a church leader, in a city called Clermont. In his letter, the bishop asked Riothamus for help. A poor man's slaves had been taken by a group of armed Bretons.

This letter is important because it shows that Armorica was becoming a place where people could find safety. As the Roman Empire became weaker, many poor people and slaves went to Breton lands. They found a haven there from the Goths.

Fighting the Goths

The historian Jordanes wrote that Riothamus helped the Roman Empire fight against the Visigoths. The Visigoths were led by their king, Euric. Jordanes said that Riothamus brought an army of 12,000 British soldiers to help the Romans.

However, the Goths attacked Riothamus's army before the Romans could join them. Riothamus and his men were greatly outnumbered. They fought for a long time but were eventually defeated. Riothamus lost many of his soldiers. He fled with the rest of his army to the Burgundians, who were allies of the Romans.

What Gregory of Tours Said

Another historian, Gregory of Tours, also wrote about this battle. He mentioned that the Britons were "driven from Bourges by the Goths." He also said that "many were slain at the village of Déols." This shows how tough the fight was for Riothamus and his British army.

Riothamus and King Arthur

Many scholars believe Riothamus could be a real-life inspiration for the legendary King Arthur. This idea comes from a few reasons. Riothamus fought in Gaul (modern-day France), which reminds some people of King Arthur's campaigns there. These campaigns were first written about by Geoffrey of Monmouth.

Historian Geoffrey Ashe suggested a link between Riothamus's story and Arthur's. He thought that Riothamus might have been betrayed, similar to how Arthur was betrayed by Mordred. Ashe also pointed out that Riothamus's last known location was near a town called Avallon. This name sounds like Avalon, the magical island in the Arthurian legends.

Another historian, Léon Fleuriot, thought Riothamus might be the same person as Ambrosius Aurelianus. Ambrosius was another important British leader from that time. Fleuriot believed "Riothamus" was a title, meaning he was the main leader of all British lands. He suggested that Ambrosius led the Britons against the Goths. After that, he might have returned to Britain to keep fighting against the Saxons.