Nightbringer | The Arthurian Online Encyclopedia

Batradz


The hero of the Ossetes, a Sarmatian people who still inhabit the Caucasus today.

The story of his death is remarkably similar to that of Arthur. Having received a mortal wound, Batradz instructed two of his companions to throw his sword into the water. Twice they pretended to have carried out the orders, but when they finally complied the waters turned blood-red and became very stormy. It has been suggested that this may have been the origin for the story of the returning of Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake.

Sarmatian soldiers were known to have served in the Roman army in Britain under Lucius Artorius Castus, so this is not wholly impossible.