Riothamus

Riothamus (sometimes Riothame, Riothime, Riotime) is a character of the 5th century. As a king of the Breton (which one really does not know if they are the Bretons of Armorique or of Roman Great Britain, or of a kingdom located on both), he had into 468-469 by the emperor Anthémius to form a coalition with the Roman forces de Gaulle of North under the orders of the count Paul against the Visigoths of Aquitaine which had broken the Foedus .

Chronicle of Jordanès

It came, according to Jordanès ( Getica XLV.237), by the sea with 12000 men. Following the business of the letter of Arvandus, the informed Visigoths overcame the Breton ones in 469 with the Bataille of Déols, before they could join the forces Gallo-Roman Domaine combined with the Fédérés francs.

It still found refuge with the remainder of its troops to the Royaumes burgondes, federate of Rome. Sidoine Apollinaire, then bishop of Clermont, addressed to him a letter full with respect ( Ep. III, IX) about the light indiscipline of its troops in the area. Riothamus died at this time, in Burgundy.

Identifications in historiography

Chronicles and Breton lives of saints give a report on Riotham, king of the Domnonée in years 460. Its identification with Riothamus is extremely probable, but does not advance much research, perhaps since Domnonée, kingdom of Armorique, extended on part of Great Britain (founded by a Welshman).

According to Leon Fleuriot, the name of Riothamus is only one term meaning " large roi" , and behind him another person would hide, perhaps thinks it Ambrosius Aurelianus. Others think that its history, amplified and fictionalized (its forwarding, and its death in Burgundy, perhaps with Avallon), constituted one of the elements of the figure to the multiple features of the King Arthur.

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