Caerlegion, Caerlleon, Caistor, Chestre, Deva
A city in northwest England, ruled in Arthur’s time, according to Layamon, by Earl Cursalem.
The author of the Middle English Ywain and Gawain contended that Arthur held his court in Chester. In the Elizabethan play The Birth of Merlin, its lord under Ambrosius is Eldol. Launfal defeats an “Earl of Chester” in Chestre’s Sir Launfal.
Chrétien identifies this as among Arthur’s court cities.
This city was named Deva in classical times but it was also known as the City of the Legion, as was Caerleon-upon-Usk. R.B. Stoker, in his The Legacy of Arthur’s Chester (1965), argues that Chester, rather than Caerleon, was Arthur’s chief city. G. Ashe suggest that perhaps Arthur’s battle at the City of Legion was fought there, though there might be some confusion with Caerleon.
Notes
The city of Chester are sometimes called Caer, from the ancient wall that has encircled it for ages. See more at Caer | Notes.