*4. King Arthur had many enemies. Which of this group of tribes or nationalities would a historical King Arthur have likely fought? (more than one answer might be correct)
Celts – how could he avoid them?
Picts –Caledonians who liked tattoos.
Saxons – they liked seax.
Answer: All three of these, but read to the end to see why I include Celts.
The best-known enemies of King Arthur are the Saxons, a Germanic tribe that invaded Britain repeatedly until they (and others) finally overwhelmed the natives and established the nation of England. They used a sword called a seax.
He is credited with fighting painted or tattooed warriors—the Picts—who lived in the far north of Britain, in Caledonia.
Celts were the dominant ethnic group in much of Britain when the Romans came, and were still the dominant group when the Romans abandoned Britain. King Arthur would have been either their over-king or at least their war leader. However, it was a tumultuous time, and he may well have had to fight Celtic tribes to establish his dominance. The Picts may also have been ethnic Celts.
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