The History of the Britons or Historia Brittonum is a purported history of the indigenous British people that was written around 828 and survives in numerous revision’s that date from after the 11th century. The Historia Brittonum is commonly attributed to Nennius. It contains a miscellaneous collection of historical and topographical information including a description of the inhabitants and invaders of Britain and providing the earliest-known reference to the British king Arthur and a list of 33 British Towns.
| I | Cair Hebrauc | York (Eburacum). |
|---|---|---|
| II | Cair Ceint | Canterbury (Durovernum Cantiacorum) Ceint, Anglesey. |
| III | Cair Gurcoc | f. Ceirchiogg, Anglesey. |
| IV | Cair Guorthegern | f. Gwitheryn, Denbighshire. |
| V | Cair Gusteint | f. Llan-Gustenin, Caernarvonshire. |
| VI | Cair Guoranegon | Worcester (Vertis) Warrington, Cheshire. |
| VII | Cair Segeint | Silchester, Hampshire (Calleva Atrebatum) Caernarfon, Gwynedd (Segont[ium]); Caernarfon ‘The fort at the river-mouth’. From Welsh caer + an + arfon. |
| VIII | Cair Guin-truis | Norwich, Norfolk; Gwynnys, Cardiganshire. |
| IX | Cair Merdin | Carmarthen, Dyfed (Moridunum Demetarum); Caermarthen Possibly ‘The fortress of Merlin’ from Welsh caer + pers-name *Myrddin; or (more likely) from a contraction of the Romano-British name Moridunum, which itself may mean ‘the hillfort of decay’, from Latin mori + Celtic dunum; or ‘the hillfort of a man called *Merdi’. |
| X | Cair Peris | f. Llan-Peris, Caernarvonshire; Portchester, Hampshire (Portus Ardaoni) |
| XI | Cair Lion | Caerleon, Monmouthshire (Isca Silurum / Castra Legionis); Caerleon ‘The fortress of the Legion’. From Welsh caer + Latin Legionis. The original name, Isca Silurum is Romano-British for ‘the waterside place of the Silures tribe’, derived from the Welsh/Gaelic word uisg / usk ‘water’ and the name of the local Celtic tribe the Silures. |
| XII | Cair Mencipit | f. Mansell, Herefordshire; St. Albans, Hertfordshire (Verulamium) |
| XIII | Cair Caratauc | f. Carrog, or Carroc, Cardiganshire; Catterick, Yorkshire (Cataractonium); Caer Caradoc, Knighton, Shropshire; Caer Caradoc, Church Stretton, Shropshire. |
| XIV | Cair Ceri | f. Kerry, Montgomeryshire; Cirencester, Gloucestershire (Corinium Dobunnorum) |
| XV | Cair Gloui | Gloucester (Glevum) St. Gluvias, Cornwall. |
| XVI | Cair Luilid | Carlisle, Cumbria (Luguvalium) |
| XVII | Cair Graunt | Grantchester, nr. Cambridge (Duroliponte) |
| XVIII | Cair Daun | Doncaster, Yorkshire (Danum) |
| XIX | Cair Britoc | Bristol, Avon; St. Colan, Cornwall. |
| XX | Cair Meguaid | Meivod, Montgomeryshire. |
| XXI | Cair Mauiguid | Menigid, Anglesey; Mwynglawd, Denbighshire; Manchester (Mamucium) |
| XXII | Cair Ligion | Chester, Cheshire (Deva / Castra Legionis); Llan-ligan, Montgomeryshire. |
| XXIII | Cair Guent | Caerwent, Monmouthshire (Venta Silurum) |
| XXIV | Cair Collon | Colchester, Essex (Camulodunum); St. Colan, Cornwall. |
| XXV | Cair Londein | London (Londinium) |
| XXVI | Cair Guorcon | f. Warren, or Woran, Pembrokeshire. |
| XXVII | Cair Lerion | Leicester (Ratae Coritanorum) |
| XXVIII | Cair Drait-hou | Drayton, Shropshire. |
| XXIX | Cair Pensavelcoit | Pen-Selwood, nr. Ilchester, Somerset (Lindinis); Pevensey, East Sussex (Anderitum). |
| XXX | Cair Teun | Teyn-Grace, Devon. |
| XXXI | Cair Urnahc | f. Llan-Fernach, Pembroke. Wroxeter, Shropshire (Uricon / Viroconium Cornoviorum). |
| XXXII | Cair Celemion | f. Kilmaen-Llwyd, Pembroke; South Cadbury, Somerset (‘Camelot’). |
| XXXIII | Cair Loit-coit | Ludlow; Lytchett, Dorsetshire; Wall, Nr. Lichfield, Staffordshire (Letocetum); Lincoln. |
Bibliographical Links
The Saxon Chronicle – A.D.1 to A.D.1154 trans. by Reverend J. Ingram (Longman, 1823);
Full text can be found https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1972/1972-h/1972-h/