Dr. Miles Russell

And Geoffrey doesn't seem to have Caesar's account to hand because there's nothing in Caesar's writings that fit Geoffrey of Monmouth's. So perhaps the Gallic Wars is not something he had in his library or accessed to. But we get the invasion of 54 BC mentioned twice, but it's two different accounts of that same action. In the first account that Geoffrey gives us, Cassivalonus is victorious.

He drives Caesar into the sea. He defeats him comprehensively and sends the Roman packing. You know, that's what the Britons want to hear. That's what probably in praise poems after that event. That's what people were saying. The Romans have gone. The Gauls were defeated by them, but we kicked him back into the sea, back to where he came from.

He drives Caesar into the sea. He defeats him comprehensively and sends the Roman packing. You know, that's what the Britons want to hear. That's what probably in praise poems after that event. That's what people were saying. The Romans have gone. The Gauls were defeated by them, but we kicked him back into the sea, back to where he came from.

He drives Caesar into the sea. He defeats him comprehensively and sends the Roman packing. You know, that's what the Britons want to hear. That's what probably in praise poems after that event. That's what people were saying. The Romans have gone. The Gauls were defeated by them, but we kicked him back into the sea, back to where he came from.

The second version that appears in Jefferies, we've got the same invasion, Cassibalowne fighting Caesar. But there is another character in there, and that is a chap called Androgeus, who is a powerful British leader who's on Caesar's side, but helps Caesar. Caesar couldn't defeat Cassibalowne without Androgeus' help.

The second version that appears in Jefferies, we've got the same invasion, Cassibalowne fighting Caesar. But there is another character in there, and that is a chap called Androgeus, who is a powerful British leader who's on Caesar's side, but helps Caesar. Caesar couldn't defeat Cassibalowne without Androgeus' help.

The second version that appears in Jefferies, we've got the same invasion, Cassibalowne fighting Caesar. But there is another character in there, and that is a chap called Androgeus, who is a powerful British leader who's on Caesar's side, but helps Caesar. Caesar couldn't defeat Cassibalowne without Androgeus' help.

So he's presented as a great warlord who is far greater than Caesar and far greater than Cassive Alornus. So there are three different versions of the same event, one by Caesar or his supporters, one by Cassive Alornus and his lot, and one by Androgeus. Now, Caesar mentions Androgeus. He calls him Mandubrachius. and he's of the Trinovantes tribe of Essex.

So he's presented as a great warlord who is far greater than Caesar and far greater than Cassive Alornus. So there are three different versions of the same event, one by Caesar or his supporters, one by Cassive Alornus and his lot, and one by Androgeus. Now, Caesar mentions Androgeus. He calls him Mandubrachius. and he's of the Trinovantes tribe of Essex.

So he's presented as a great warlord who is far greater than Caesar and far greater than Cassive Alornus. So there are three different versions of the same event, one by Caesar or his supporters, one by Cassive Alornus and his lot, and one by Androgeus. Now, Caesar mentions Androgeus. He calls him Mandubrachius. and he's of the Trinovantes tribe of Essex.

So you've got this Britain on the Roman side. Now, interestingly, in Geoffrey of Monmouth, when he's describing this, Androgeus is presented as the nephew, the treacherous nephew of Cassivalonus. And when we see... Caesar landing and the description giving of the Romans arriving is replicated much, much later on when we get the Saxons invading for the same number of ships, the same battle tactics.

So you've got this Britain on the Roman side. Now, interestingly, in Geoffrey of Monmouth, when he's describing this, Androgeus is presented as the nephew, the treacherous nephew of Cassivalonus. And when we see... Caesar landing and the description giving of the Romans arriving is replicated much, much later on when we get the Saxons invading for the same number of ships, the same battle tactics.

So you've got this Britain on the Roman side. Now, interestingly, in Geoffrey of Monmouth, when he's describing this, Androgeus is presented as the nephew, the treacherous nephew of Cassivalonus. And when we see... Caesar landing and the description giving of the Romans arriving is replicated much, much later on when we get the Saxons invading for the same number of ships, the same battle tactics.

And Cassivalonus is betrayed by Androgeus. When Geoffrey Monmouth describes Arthur, Arthur is portrayed by his nephew, Mordred. And so you get Mandubracius becomes Mordred and Cassivalonus, that element of the story, gets morphed into Arthur's tale.

And Cassivalonus is betrayed by Androgeus. When Geoffrey Monmouth describes Arthur, Arthur is portrayed by his nephew, Mordred. And so you get Mandubracius becomes Mordred and Cassivalonus, that element of the story, gets morphed into Arthur's tale.

And Cassivalonus is betrayed by Androgeus. When Geoffrey Monmouth describes Arthur, Arthur is portrayed by his nephew, Mordred. And so you get Mandubracius becomes Mordred and Cassivalonus, that element of the story, gets morphed into Arthur's tale.

So no doubt this is a prominent British Iron Age king who is mentioned by the Romans, but becomes something very different in Geoffrey Monmouth's account, depending on Who's writing the story? So in some versions, in Geoffrey and Monmouth, Cassivellaunus is the hero. In the other versions, he is an unpleasant character who needs to be defeated. It depends who's giving you that oral tradition.

So no doubt this is a prominent British Iron Age king who is mentioned by the Romans, but becomes something very different in Geoffrey Monmouth's account, depending on Who's writing the story? So in some versions, in Geoffrey and Monmouth, Cassivellaunus is the hero. In the other versions, he is an unpleasant character who needs to be defeated. It depends who's giving you that oral tradition.

So no doubt this is a prominent British Iron Age king who is mentioned by the Romans, but becomes something very different in Geoffrey Monmouth's account, depending on Who's writing the story? So in some versions, in Geoffrey and Monmouth, Cassivellaunus is the hero. In the other versions, he is an unpleasant character who needs to be defeated. It depends who's giving you that oral tradition.

But Geoffrey looks at that completely unfiltered and doesn't realise it's from two different sources and just tries to blend it into one. So we don't understand why in one stage Cassivellaunus is the hero and then 10 pages later, he's the villain. It's never explained, but it's because it's two different accounts sort of knitted into this singular account.