Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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BASED ON A TRUE STORY (BOATS EP. 381) — Historian Dorsey Armstrong breaks down the historical accuracy of the 2004 film King Arthur. Learn the true story behind the legends of Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, the Round Table, and more.

Dorsey Armstrong on The Great Courses Plus: links.boatspodcast.com/381guest

What did the filmmakers get right, what did they change from the true story, and how much of the legends do we even know? Tune in to find out!

Chapters

0:00 Intro
2:30 Movie's Historical Claims
5:10 Sarmatians and Lancelot
10:45 Merlin's Real History
15:20 Woads, Picts, and Round Table
22:00 Christianity and Pelagius
28:15 Final Mission and Freedom
34:50 Guinevere and Ice Battle
40:30 Battle of Badon Hill
45:15 Sword in the Stone
49:00 Legend Surprises
53:30 BOATS Update for 2026 and Outro


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