Did you know that Y Ddraig Goch, the “red dragon” of the Welsh flag, was very likely inspired by the occupying force of the Romans?
While it is true that Y Ddraig Goch itself comes from the Mabinogion story of Lludd and Llefelys (and though the written story only dates to the 12th-13th centuries, it was spoken orally for centuries prior) and is sometimes associated with (and perhaps incorrectly) the 7th century King, Cadwaladr of Gwynedd, the concept of a dragon likely arrived in ancient Britain with the Romans.
It is well-established that Roman cavalry units in ancient Britain made use of a standard known as the “draco” (dragon in English). This would have been made as a metal dragon’s head, complete with open mouth so that the wind may travel through it. It should be noted, however, that dragons were not originally a Roman thing and even the Romans were inspired by the dragons of the Dacians. One can be seen in the image.
When the Romans left Britain around AD 410, many of the Briton rulers who remained were themselves descended from Romans and therefore maintained some Roman traditions. It is alleged that the founder of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, Cunedda Wledig, had a grandfather by the name of Padarn, once known as a high-ranking Romano-Briton official named Tacitus. It should come as no surprise, then, that many Romano-Britons held on to Roman traditions, including the dragon.
Of course, though the Roman draco was not necessarily the same dragon which appears on the Welsh flag and within Welsh mythology, you might argue that it was a predecessor.
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Niklas is the founder, owner, manager, editor, writer, video creator, voice over artist, and so forth, of Welsh Histories. He is passionate about the preservation of Welsh culture; the rejuvenation of the Welsh language and the promotion of Welsh history. Niklas currently resides in Pune, Maharashtra, with his beloved wife.