Theosophy Avalon:- The Theosophy Wales King Arthur Pages. The Battle of the City of the Legion

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King Arthur’s ninth victory at

The Battle of the City of the Legion

Chester

According to Nennius writing circa 800 CE he records of Arthur’s ninth battle "The ninth battle was in the City of the Legion"

He wrote in latin and refers to the Urbe Legionis This gives two possibilities for a site as two cities were known by this title. These are Caerleon in Gwent South Wales and Chester in England near the border with North Wales. There are two other former Roman garrison cities that could be considered which are York and Winchester.

Chester was Caer Legion, while Caerleon was Caer

Legion guar Uisc (that is "Caerleon-upon-Usk"), though the latter often lost its suffix. Chester appears to be the likeliest candidate. It was actually recorded in the Annales Cambriae as Urbs Legionis. Chester was also an important city in the Celtic Kingdom of South Rheged.

York was known as Caer-Ebrauc (latin Eboracum) the headquarters of the Dux Brittaniarum and capital of Britannia Secunda. It later became the capital of the Celtic Kingdom of Ebrauc and would certainly have been at some stage a stronghold against the Saxon advance.

Winchester was known as Caer-Guinntguic or Caer-Gwintwg. (latin Venta). Winchester was a major Roman military base and well fortified. It is pretty certain that its strategic importance would mean that the Britons would try to hold it.

Chester was the site of a well documented much later Battle of Chester in 613. King Æthelfrith of Bernicia (According to Bede this was an Angle Kingdom in North East England) invaded the Welsh Kingdoms in order to stop King Iago of Gwynedd restoring the former's old enemy, Edwin, to the Deiran throne.

The armies of Gwynedd, Powys, Pengwern & Dumnonia rose to repell him, but were slaughtered at the Battle with Kings Iago of Gwynedd & Selyf Sarffgadau of Powys being killed. There is the possibility that this battle was confused with a battle of the King Arthur period or was attributed to him. Arthur’s ninth battle was however a victory for him against the Saxons.