2,000 Years Later-- Roxolani Helmet Comes Back

[Alanus]

Robert,

Oh yes, I'm talking about the Younger, the guy who was canned for failing to subdue the "Sarmatians."

Hello, Nathan

Actually the novel is about the Tyrfingi, not so much the Romans, but young Fritigern does a 3-year stint in Pannonnia under Soranus. I'm shooting for a general readership, unfamiliar with Roman military terms, and use "Captain" as Frit's lower rank. He delines promotion to Commander and goes back to Gothia where he gets involved with an ideaoligical war with a young Athanaric, son of Aoric who initiated the 1st Gothic purge of Christians.

Actually, the main character is a young woman, Frit's heart-throb. Yet the most important charater is Merjands (aka Merlin), a man "cursed to be forever old." Frit ends up as the Fisher King, and the young woman becomes the Lady of the Lake. The novel is pre-Arthurian, and sets up the premise (the Prophesy of Merjands) that Frit's unborn son will become the Ufar Pandrancon, "Chief Dragonman" (Count of Britain). I do use correct Gothic terms, and "Merjands" actually means "The Proclaimer." So, the novel is a play on recent speculation-- that Arthur had a Roman father and British mother. The only difference is the "Roman" is actually a high-ranking Goth in the Roman army. This expands John Morris' premise that "Tewdrig ap Theithfallt" was actually Theodoric son of Thiudebalth. Tewdrig's grandfather was recorded as "Trithearn," whom I believe could have been Fritigern. Crazy? Maybe. :wink:

[Robert Vermaat]

Actually, the main character is a young woman, Frit's heart-throb. Yet the most important charater is Merjands (aka Merlin), a man "cursed to be forever old." Frit ends up as the Fisher King, and the young woman becomes the Lady of the Lake. The novel is pre-Arthurian, and sets up the premise (the Prophesy of Merjands) that Frit's unborn son will become the Ufar Pandrancon, "Chief Dragonman" (Count of Britain). I do use correct Gothic terms, and "Merjands" actually means "The Proclaimer." So, the novel is a play on recent speculation-- that Arthur had a Roman father and British mother. The only difference is the "Roman" is actually a high-ranking Goth in the Roman army. This expands John Morris' premise that "Tewdrig ap Theithfallt" was actually Theodoric son of Thiudebalth. Tewdrig's grandfather was recorded as "Trithearn," whom I believe could have been Fritigern. Crazy? Maybe. :wink:

I want one! I collect Arthurian novels and this is definately a new angle!

[Alanus]

I want one! I collect Arthurian novels and this is definately a new angle!

Robert,

You'll get one. I'll send a review copy to you and PM your mailing address. No problem. Right now, I've got a second Proof Copy coming to check for typos. After that, the novel is basically published. :-D

PS: Nothing like going WAY OFF topic! :roll:

[Alanus]

I'm actually not too keen on Dux and Comes being translated as Duke and Count, which have connotations of hereditary aristocracy lacking in the Roman terms. 'Commander' (again!) and 'Companion' might work better, at the risk of being a bit obscure... This is something I'd wondered about myself recently...

Nathan,

I do use the Gothic term of "Duce," basically "the reiks' table companion." And at the end of the novel, Safrax and Alatheus (recorded as the "two duces") ride for Shapur (II) under the title of "Frammander," which I think was Sassanian for Commander. What any of this has to do with the Roxolani helmet is more than a moot point. :roll: