<P> Some scholars argue that Arthur was originally a fictional hero of folklore--or even a half - forgotten Celtic deity--who became credited with real deeds in the distant past . They cite parallels with figures such as the Kentish Hengist and Horsa, who may be totemic horse - gods that later became historicised . Bede ascribed to these legendary figures a historical role in the 5th - century Anglo - Saxon conquest of eastern Britain . It is not even certain that Arthur was considered a king in the early texts . Neither the Historia nor the Annales calls him "rex": the former calls him instead "dux bellorum" (leader of battles) and "miles" (soldier). </P> <P> Historical documents for the post-Roman period are scarce, so a definitive answer to the question of Arthur's historical existence is unlikely . Sites and places have been identified as "Arthurian" since the 12th century, but archaeology can confidently reveal names only through inscriptions found in secure contexts . The so - called "Arthur stone", discovered in 1998 among the ruins at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall in securely dated 6th - century contexts, created a brief stir but proved irrelevant . Other inscriptional evidence for Arthur, including the Glastonbury cross, is tainted with the suggestion of forgery . Although several historical figures have been proposed as the basis for Arthur, no convincing evidence for these identifications has emerged . </P> <P> The origin of the Welsh name "Arthur" remains a matter of debate . Some suggest it is derived from the Roman nomen gentile (family name) Artorius, of obscure and contested etymology (but possibly of Messapian or Etruscan origin). Some scholars have suggested it is relevant to this debate that the legendary King Arthur's name only appears as Arthur, or Arturus, in early Latin Arthurian texts, never as Artōrius (though it should be noted that Classical Latin Artōrius became Arturius in some Vulgar Latin dialects). However, this may not say anything about the origin of the name Arthur, as Artōrius would regularly become Art (h) ur when borrowed into Welsh . </P> <P> Another possibility is that it is derived from a Brittonic patronym * Arto - rīg - ios (the root of which, * arto - rīg - "bear - king" is to be found in the Old Irish personal name Art - ri) via a Latinized form Artōrius . Less likely is the commonly proposed derivation from Welsh arth "bear" + (g) wr "man" (earlier * Arto - uiros in Brittonic); there are phonological difficulties with this theory--notably that a Brittonic compound name * Arto - uiros should produce Old Welsh * Artgur and Middle / Modern Welsh * Arthwr and not Arthur (in Welsh poetry the name is always spelled Arthur and is exclusively rhymed with words ending in - ur--never words ending in - wr--which confirms that the second element cannot be (g) wr "man"). </P>

Who wrote the original story of king arthur