Full-text resources for ‘Dark Age’ history

Mommsen’s chapters

The six ages of the world

§1: creation to David
§2: David to the Babylonian exile
§3: the Babylonian exile to the Passion
§4: since the Passion
§5: the first three ages
§6: the last three ages

Origins of the Britons

§7: description of Britain
§8: the three offshore islands
§9: the rivers of Britain
§10: the first inhabitants of Britain
§11: Aeneas and the Latin kings
§12: the Picts

Origins of the Irish

§13: Partholomus, the Spanish soldier
§14: the League of Eight
§15: the Scythians and Dal Riada

A computation

§16: the present year

Another origin tale

§17: the European descendants of Adam
§18: the peoples of Europe

Roman Britain

§19: Julius Caesar
§20: Caesar conquers Britain
§21: Claudius
§22: King Lucius is baptised
§23: Severus builds the Wall
§24: the usurper Caritius
§25: Constantius II
§26: Maximus
§27: Maximianus, Severus II and Constantius I
§28: Roman rule
§29: Maximianus, continued
§30: the Roman defeats by the Britons

The Saxons part 1

§31: Hengist and Horsa arrive

Saint Germanus part 1

§32: the arrival of Saint Germanus
§33: his first miracle
§34: Benlli’s citadel destroyed
§35: the origin of Powys

The Saxons part 2

§36: the Britons cannot feed the Saxons
§37: Guorthigirn marries Hengist’ daughter
§38: Hengist invites more Saxons

Saint Germanus part 2

§39: Guorthigirn cursed
§40: Gourthigirn consults his wizards
§41: the boy without a father
§42: the red and white serpents

The Saxons part 3

§43: the war against Hengist
§44: Guorthemir’s death
§45: the Saxons return
§46: the Night of the Long Knives

Saint Germanus part 3

§47: St Germanus destroys Guorthigirn
§48: another story of Guorthigirn’s death

Genealogy of Builth

§49: the descent of the kings of Builth from Guorthigirn
§50: Saint Germanus goes home

A Life of St Patrick

§50: escape from captivity
§51: the mission to Ireland
§52: the baptism of the Irish
§53: a calculation
§54: St Patrick’s many deeds
§55: comparing Patrick with Moses

Arthuriana

§56: Arthur’s twelve battles

Saxon genealogies

§57: the Bernician kings
§58: the Kentish kings
§59: the East Anglian kings
§60: the Mercian kings
§61: the Deiran and Northumbrian kings
§62: the Men of the North
§63: early Northumbrian history
§64: Oswald and Oswiu
§65: Oswiu and Ecgfrith

A computation

§66: the date of Guorthigirn

28 cities of Britain

§66a: a list of cities

Wonders of Britain

§67: Loch Lomond, the Trent Bore and Bath
§68: salt springs and the Severn Bore
§69: Aber Llyn Llifan
§70: Ffynnon Gwr Helig, a tree at the mouth of the Wye and a blow-hole in Gwent
§71: the altar of Llwynarth
§72: a spring in Gwent
§73: Carn Cafall and Gamber Head
§74: a burial mound in Ceredigion

Wonders of Anglesey

§75: four wonders
§76: the pond of Llwchlein

<de mirabilibus monae>

primum miraculum est litus sine mari.

secundum miraculum est ibi mons qui gyratur tribus uicibus in anno.

tertium miraculum uadum est ibi: quando inundature mare et ipse inundatur, et quando decrescit mare et ipse minuitur.

quartum miraculum est lapis qui ambulat in nocturnis temporibus super uallem citheinn, et proiectus est olim in uoragine cereuus, qui est in medio pelagi quod uocatur mene, et in crastino super ripam supra dictae uallis inuentus est sine dubio.

est ibi stagnum quod uocatur luchlein, quattuor circulis ambitur. primo circulo gronna stanni ambitur, secundo circulo gronna plumbi ambitur, tertio circulo gronna ferri ambitur, quarto circulo gronna aeris ambitur, et in eo stagno multae margaritae inueniuntur, quas ponunt reges in auribus suis. est aliud stagnum qui facit ligna durescere in lapides. homines autem fingunt ligna et postquam formauerint, proiciunt in stagno, et manet in eo usque ad caput anni et in capite anni lapis reperietur: et uocatur luch echach.