This is the first complete Greek translation of the Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain) by Geoffrey of Monmouth, the work that changed medieval literature. Written around 1136 AD, the History of the Kings of Britain is the literary ground zero for the Arthurian legend as we know it today. Before Geoffrey, Arthur was a shadowy figure in laconic Welsh references. After him, he became the legendary king who inspired countless literary works across Europe.

Geoffrey introduced to literature for the first time the wizard Merlin, Queen Guinevere, the sword Caliburnus (later Excalibur), and the mysterious island of Avalon. His work became one of the most popular books of the Middle Ages, with 215 surviving manuscripts attesting to its immense influence. The work holds particular interest for the Greek reader, as it begins with an impressive narrative set in Greece: the Trojan hero Brutus, great-grandson of Aeneas, defeats the Greek king Pandrasus, liberates the enslaved Trojans, and marries the Greek princess Ignoge. This is a deliberate reversal of the Iliad, where the Trojan descendant returns victorious to the place where his ancestors were defeated.