Artorius

Artorius is a Latin masculine name used in the Roman world. In antiquity it appears as a nomen gentile within the Roman naming system. The best-known bearer of the name is Lucius Artorius Castus, a 2nd-century Roman military officer who is known from inscriptions dating to the late Empire.

Lucius Artorius Castus is identified on surviving inscriptions as a high-ranking army officer who apparently held command positions during the late 2nd century CE. The text is fragmentary and the precise offices and units are debated among scholars; he is often associated with campaigns in the western provinces, but the exact location and scope remain uncertain.

Arthurian connection: The similarity of names and certain interpretations of the inscriptions led some scholars to propose that Artorius Castus could have inspired or contributed to the medieval Arthurian legend. The hypothesis has generated considerable discussion, but it remains speculative and is not accepted as a widely proven link.

In modern scholarship, Artorius is primarily of interest as an example of how Roman-era naming and epigraphy illuminate social status and military careers; the name continues to appear in popular culture and academic writing about Roman Britain and late antiquity.