Baddon Hill

King Arthur was probably a successful war lord. Amongst the battles that Arthur is said to have fought in is the Battle of Baddon Hill. This was an important battle and the British won an important victory over the Saxons holding the latter at bay for another 20 years. The location of Baddon Hill may be located at Bath, Liddinton Castle near Swindon, or at Badbury Rings. Bath or Baddan was the Saxon name for the Roman Spa town. There are two hills outside of Bath that were fortified and strategic sites to hold off Saxon westward expansion. The same case can be made for Liddington Castle, which guarded a major route for Saxon invaders.

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Male water-gorgon from the pediment of the Temple of Sulis Minerva, Bath. The Romans practiced some religious tolerance. They gave Latin names to some of the local deities or combined Celtic and Roman gods like Sulis Minerva. The combination of Celtic-Roman religion was probably the world that Arthur was born into. Christianity probably arrived in the British Isles in the 2nd century AD. Legend has it however that Christianity arrived with Joseph of Arimathea (see Glastonbury) in the 1st century AD. King Arthur is often celebrated as a great Christian King, but aspects of the legend and his heritage indicates that he still held Celtic-Roman traditions as well.