Current Recommended Order of Reading.
A quick guide to Aurochs, Arthur and the Anvil.
I know it can be a little daunting for a new reader to dive in, and have often been asked ‘is there a particular order I should be reading these in?’ Well I’ve given it some thought and so far this is my recommendation.
First I’d recommending reading this short article, a quick primer on the period and what I generally write about.
The Brythonic Heroic Age
Probably the most important article here. This is the bulk of the conclusions of my work on one of the possible figures behind King Arthur.
Two hundred years of Coeling history. This will introduce you to the Coeling dynasty,
Kin of Coel: 410-600
Discussing the detective work involved in determining the Kings of Elmet. A great example of how I approach trying to figure these things out.
Identifying Coel’s descendants within the early 7th century poem Y Gododdin.
The Coeling in Y Gododdin
In many ways a follow-up to the article above. Looking at Catraeth from an alternative interpretation.
The next is my Arthurian Tropes series. Tracking down origins of certain tropes, such as the abduction of Guinevere, the Sword in the Stone, the use of heavy cavalry and others.
I especially recommend taking a look at my friend’s three part piece looking at Rheged, and some potential monuments to Arthwys ap Mar. You can find them at the button below.
A look at Arthur’s 12 battles from Nennius. Looking at potential sites, and then full campaign possibilities, then a final look at Camlann.
The important figures series compiles rough biographies for many of the important figures from the period. It’s a work in progress, and has paused for some time so I could focus on the book as those articles in particular take up a significant amount of time. They will be continued at a later date.
Thank you for checking out my Substack, I hope this guide helps new readers navigate a little bit, although it will probably out of date in a month or two. Gotta keep writing though. Keep an eye out for the release of my upcoming book looking at the Coeling and their role in the 5th and 6th centuries.
Great guide, thanks for doing this. Do you have any recommendations for where to start with the Arthurian legends themselves? I've been reading Tennyson's Idylls of the King, and these are great, but obviously they are much later Interpretations of the stories. Where would you recommend someone start getting into Arthur?
Good, this 👍👍