Julius

1. Julius

   A Roman senator and warrior who joined King Claudas’s second war with Arthur.

   
   

2. Julius
   Julius Cesar, Julius Chesar

   A Roman statesman who appears in several Arthurian sources.

   History holds that Julius Caesar led the first Roman conquest of Britain, subduing the tribal chief Cassivellaunus (Cassibelaunus), in roughly 54 BC. Nennius, among other chroniclers, recognizes this fact but places the date in 44 AD. Nevertheless, in the Vulgate Merlin, Caesar is Arthur’s contemporary.

   King Claudas became Caesar’s vassal in return for Roman reinforcements in the wars against Arthur, Ban, and Bors. Caesar, with his eye on Benoic (Benwick), sent Pontius Anthony and an army to aid Claudas. Despite his aid, Claudas was defeated by Arthur. Merlin visited him and exposed the lechery of Caesar’s wife (she had a dozen male concubines, disguised as women), whom Caesar then executed. On Merlin’s advice, Caesar married Avenable, a maiden who had come to his court seeking help. His daughter, Foldace, married Patrick, Avenable’s brother.

   Within a few chapters of this episode, however, Lucius is the Emperor of Rome, and Caesar is mentioned, correctly, as a figure in distant history. In the French Huon de Bordeaux, Caesar has a son by Morgan le Fay named Huon.

   
   

3. Julius the Martyr

   According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Guenevere fled to the nunnery of Julius the Martyr in Caerleon after Arthur’s death.