In this revisionist historical drama, a Celtic warlord attempts to unite the tribes of Britain against Saxon invaders.
In the 6th century, with the Romans gone and Britain fractured into warring tribes, Arthur (Oliver Tobias), chief of a small Celtic clan, pursues a new strategy for survival. Acknowledging that inter-tribal conflict only weakens the Britons, he seeks to forge an alliance, a federation of tribes to create a unified defence against the encroaching Saxons, led by the formidable Cerdig (Rupert Davies). Arthur is aided by his loyal second-in-command, the grizzled warrior Llud (Jack Watson), and his impetuous foster-brother Kai (Michael Gothard). His attempts at diplomacy, however, often put him in conflict with rival Celtic leaders, most notably the ambitious Mark of Cornwall (Brian Blessed).
Arthur of the Britons was a deliberate exercise in demythologising a national legend. Stripping the story of its familiar romantic trappings, the production presents a dark, muddy, and violent Britain grounded in the historical reality of the post-Roman era. There is no Camelot, no magic, and no chivalry; Arthur is not a king but a pragmatic warlord fighting a brutal guerilla war. The series is distinguished by its authentic, weather-beaten locations and its focus on the political and tactical struggles of tribal warfare. The production provided a star-making role for Oliver Tobias, whose grounded performance was complemented by a memorably boisterous turn from Brian Blessed as his chief rival.
Broadcast: ITV – HTV, 24 Episodes, 6 December 1972 – 28 November 1973
Executive Producer: Patrick Dromgoole
Producer: Peter Miller
Main Cast: Oliver Tobias (Arthur), Jack Watson (Llud), Michael Gothard (Kai), Rupert Davies (Cerdig), Brian Blessed (Mark of Cornwall)
