Historia

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New Release! – Historia IV – Camelot

Greetings history lovers and Arthurian enthusiasts!

Today we’re excited to announce the official launch of the next book in Eagles and Dragons Publishing’s exciting non-fiction series of books, Historia, your gateway to ancient and medieval history and archaeology.

If you haven’t seen any of the previous three Historia releases, you can check out the titles at the Non-Fiction tab of the website HERE.

Today, we’re thrilled to introduce you to the fourth volume in the Historia series…

Camelot: The Historical, Archaeological and Toponymic Considerations for South Cadbury Castle as King Arthur’s Capital

This book explores one of the most important sites in British history, archaeology and literature, a place that can, more than any other, lay claim to the name of Camelot.

The search for King Arthur and his famous capital of Camelot is a topic that has been hotly debated for over a hundred years, with many theories being put forward. It is a subject that has always been shrouded in the mist of fairy tales and legends, making the truth difficult to discover. However, there is one candidate for Camelot that shines out and brings the Arthurian legend to life: the hillfort of South Cadbury Castle.

In this book, the reader will learn not only about the evidence for a historical King Arthur, but also discover the most recent historical, archaeological, and toponymic evidence that make South Cadbury Castle the strongest contender for the title of Camelot.

Author and historian, Adam Alexander Haviaras, helps the reader to explore the possibility that King Arthur’s Camelot was not just a medieval invention, but that it was an actual place that played an important role in history and the British Heroic Age. The true Camelot of Arthur may not be what you expect, but the evidence that exists paints a clear picture of something even more exciting.

If you have an interest in ancient and medieval British history, archaeology, and Arthurian studies, or if you are on your own search for a shred of truth about King Arthur, then you will enjoy this in-depth study of one of the most important archaeological discoveries in the quest for Camelot.

After reading this book, you too may start to believe that Arthur and Camelot are not just medieval fabrications, but that they actually did exist.

Camelot (illustrated by Alan Lee)

As many of you already know, Arthurian studies has always been the focus of my academic career as well as at the forefront of my own, personal interests.

I firmly believe that there was a historical ‘King Arthur’ in the period after the departure of Rome from Britannia, and the Saxon invasions of the island.

But, as with many historical figures who have been turned into heroes cloaked in ages of myth and legend, it’s not easy to gain a clear picture. It is also not easy to find the true places that were linked to these heroes when they walked upon the earth.

Myth and legend keep the memory of people and places alive over the ages, but they can also confuse things and hide the truth.

There is a lot of myth and legend surrounding the capital or fortress of the historical Arthur, the place that we have come to know as ‘Camelot’. There are many candidates for the title, and the location is hotly, passionately debated among Arthurian enthusiasts.

Historia IV takes a look at the main considerations, and strong archaeological evidence, for the hillfort of South Cadbury Castle, in Somerset England, as the main contender in a wide-ranging quest for the true ‘Camelot’.

South Cadbury Castle from the North

This is a site I know well.

Not only did I write part of my masters dissertation on South Cadbury Castle, but I also worked as an archaeologist in the fields surrounding the site as part of the South Cadbury Environs Project team in the early 2000s.

Historia IV summarizes all that I have learned about South Cadbury Castle and its possible links to the historical ‘Arthur’.

And it does so in an easy-to-understand, accessible way.

Included in the book are a few appendices which include maps, loads of images, a video tour of South Cadbury Castle with yours truly, and an extensive bibliography that you can work your way through should you wish to do more reading.

This truly is an exciting addition to the Historia non-fiction series!

If you are on your own quest for Camelot, or if you are simply interested in the history of Dark Age Britain and the historical ‘King Arthur’, then you will want to check out Historia IV.

The eastern ramparts of South Cadbury Castle (photo: A. Haviaras)

If you are interested in getting a copy of this fourth book in the HISTORIA non-fiction series, you can check it out on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Google Play and other retailers, or by CLICKING HERE.

You can also purchase a copy directly from Eagles and Dragons Publishing on the ‘Buy Direct from Eagles and Dragons’ tab of the website, or by CLICKING HERE.

Cheers, and thank you for reading!

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Historia II – Arthurian Romance and the Knightly Ideal

Welcome back, history-lovers!

Last week on the blog we announced the launch of Eagles and Dragons Publishing’s new non-fiction series, HISTORIA. We also introduced you to the first book in the series about Celtic archetypes in the Welsh Mabinogion. If you missed that post, you can check it out by CLICKING HERE.

This week, we’re happy to introduce you to the second volume in the HISTORIA series:

Arthurian Romance and the Knightly Ideal: A study of Medieval Romantic Literature and its Effect upon the Warrior Culture in Europe

This book explores the history and effects of one of the great literary movements in medieval Europe: Arthurian Romance.

This is not just a study of the Arthurian romances and the authors of the genre. It is a study of the true nature of chivalry and courtly love. It is also a look at a revolutionary and inspiring movement and cultural shift among the nobles of medieval Europe, one that altered perceptions of violence and the roles of men and women, influenced social change, and molded the image of the ideal knight.

In this book, the reader will learn about the origins and history of Arthurian Romance, the emergence of courtly culture, the greatest authors of Arthurian Romance, and the evolution of tournaments during the Middle Ages.

Explore the relationship between violence and the knightly ideal, and discover how medieval Arthurian Romance and its ideals may have played a role in civilizing the warrior classes of Europe and creating a new order of chivalry.

If you have an interest in medieval history and literature, Arthurian studies, or if you simply have fond memories of tales of knights and ladies, then you will enjoy this in-depth study of one of the great literary achievements of the Middle Ages.

This might come as a surprise to some of you, but my main field of study over the years has been Arthurian studies, not just the history and archaeology related to the Dark Ages and the search for an understanding of the historical ‘Arthur’, but also the romantic literature that attracted me to the Arthurian legends in the first place.

Of course, the main author that stands out is Chrétien de Troyes who really perfected and popularized the genre of Arthurian Romance.

The writings of Chrétien de Troyes not only influenced my study and perception of history, but they also influenced my own writing a great deal. Perhaps it was because I was first introduced to them at an early age, a time when I was really trying to find myself and my purpose in life, a time when I was filled to the brim with idealism.

In some ways, Arthurian Romance helped to save me from becoming too jaded with the world. It has been my sword and shield during darker times.

What is fascinating is that Arthurian Romance did indeed spark a sort of revolution during the Middle Ages, and enticed the violent knightly class to aspire to something greater than themselves.

Arthurian Romance really did create a new order of chivalry.

I’ve done a lot of research over the years, and this book summarizes much of that work in what I hope is a very accessible way.

If you are interested in getting a copy of this second book in the HISTORIA non-fiction series, you can check it out on Amazon, iTunes and Kobo by CLICKING HERE.

You can also purchase a copy directly from Eagles and Dragons Publishing on the ‘Buy Direct from Eagles and Dragons’tab of the website, or by CLICKING HERE.

Next week, we’ll introduce you to Book III in the HISTORIA series, so stay tuned for that.

Cheers, and thank you for reading!

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HISTORIA – Announcing a new Non-Fiction series from Eagles and Dragons Publishing!

Greetings history-lovers!

This week on the blog, we’ve got an exciting announcement…

Eagles and Dragons Publishing has launched HISTORIA, a new line of non-fiction books that make the study of ancient and medieval history and archaeology accessible for everyone.

Books in the HISTORIA series will introduce readers to a variety of subjects in the form of short, easy-to-understand papers and books.

The first few books, which are now available, focus on my love of Arthurian and Celtic Studies and introduce readers to his academic research over the years.

More books will be added to the HISTORIA series over time, and they will cover history and archaeology from ancient Greece and Rome right through to the Middle Ages. There will be something for everyone!

HISTORIA: A Gateway to Ancient and Medieval History and Archaeology!

This week, we wanted to introduce you the very first title in the HISTORIA series. The full title is ‘Celtic Literary Archetypes in The Mabinogion: A Study of the Ancient Tale of Pwyll, Lord of Dyved’.

This book introduces the reader to some of the literary traditions of the ancient Celts through the study of the first branch of The Mabinogion: Pwyll, Lord of Dyved. This ancient text is both a record of British mythology and a teaching text for ancient princes. It also illustrates the values of Celtic, Iron Age society that carried on into the Middle Ages to shape Arthurian Romance and ideals of chivalry and kingship.

In this book, the reader will learn about the most prominent archetypes in ancient Celtic literature such as occurrences in threes, the importance of contact with the Otherworld, what it meant to be an effective ruler, and more.

Pwyll, Lord of Dyved is a tale of magic and wonder, as well as human trial and experience, and the archetypes it employs are as relevant today as they were over fifteen-hundred years ago.

If you are studying The Mabinogion, or have an interest in Celtic and Arthurian studies, the Arthurian legends and British mythology, then you will enjoy this short, engaging study of one of the great literary achievements of the ancient Celts.

Some people might be surprised that when it comes to historical periods, my interests are, first and foremost, deeply entrenched in what is commonly called the ‘Dark Ages’. To me, that is the Arthurian period, and tales in The Mabinogion are a wonderful source from that time and the traditions that arose out of it.

Why the Dark Ages? Well, to me, the period is a sort of bridge between the classical and medieval worlds. It may have been a time of darkness and despair, with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the effects that had, but it was also a time of hope, of new beginnings. It was perhaps not so much a ‘Dark Age’ as an Heroic Age.

When I first read The Mabinogion, and especially the tale of Pwyll, I was drawn in by the magic of it. After studying it in an academic setting, my eyes were opened to the tale’s importance, and in this new book I endeavour to share some of my research on it with all of you.

If you are interested in getting a copy of this first book in the HISTORIA non-fiction series, you can check it out on Amazon, iTunes and Kobo by CLICKING HERE.

You can also purchase a copy directly from Eagles and Dragons Publishing on the ‘Buy Direct from Eagles and Dragons’ tab of the website, or by CLICKING HERE.

Next week, we’ll introduce you to Book II in the HISTORIA series, so stay tuned for that.

Cheers, thank you for reading, and thank you for joining us on this new adventure for Eagles and Dragons Publishing!

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