In previous installments, I have described the “main characters” in Banish the Snakes: the historic people that players represent in their attempts to convert Ireland. But now I’m moving on to the “supporting cast” of historic characters, people who were notable in the history of the time and show up in the game on Event cards. The previous articles in this “supporting cast” series can be found here.

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There are very few historic writings that have survived through the centuries that we can use to understand Patrick, his companions, and what happened in Ireland during the 5th century. Most surviving Irish documents were written much later, mostly by monks in the 7th and 8th centuries. In fact, only two documents survive directly from Patrick’s time in Ireland, and both were written by Patrick himself. The first is his Confession, essentially his autobiography; much information can be gleaned from this document. The second document is a very strange thing to have been preserved from this time: Patrick’s Letter to the Soldiers of Coroticus.

The letter was written after Patrick had been working in Ireland for many years, and had achieved a great deal of success. A warlord from Strathclyde named Coroticus had raided Ireland, killing and kidnapping many of Patrick’s converts, dragging them back across the Irish Sea to be enslaved. Patrick was enraged that a man calling himself a Christian could do such a thing to fellow Christians. In the letter, he calls on Coroticus to return the surviving captives, quoting scripture to bolster his argument, and imploring him- and his men- to change their ways. He effectively excommunicates them, calling on all good Christians to have nothing to do with them until they repent.

We have no idea if Patrick’s letter was successful.

So who was this Coroticus? In the Life of Patrick, written around 700 AD by the historian/ monk Muirchu, Coroticus is described as a King of Strathclyde. But the Kingdom of Strathclyde was only beginning to come together in the 5th century; the first of its kings that we have reliable information on is Tudwal, who ruled in the 6th century. So Coroticus was a forerunner of kings; perhaps their ancestor, or perhaps just a warlord. Some modern historians claim that Coroticus was actually Ceretic Guletic, king of Alt Clut in the 5th century. This area would soon coalesce into what is now called the Kingdom of Strathclyde. In any case, Coroticus was a leader in the area that would become Strathclyde as it was transitioning from Christianity to paganism.

In game terms, the card assumes that Patrick’s letter was successful: it stops any slave raid card coming from Great Britain. But the effect is only temporary. You must shuffle the slave raid card back into the deck, where it will come back again- with no defense this time. You have gained only a temporary reprieve from the growing turmoil coming from the east.

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Previous Articles:

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Palladius

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Patrick

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Auxilius

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Ciarán

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Iserninus

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Secundinus

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Brigid

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Finnian

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Ibar

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Brendan

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Moninne

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Columba

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Neil of the Nine Hostages

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: Pelagius

Historic Characters in Banish the Snakes: The Pope(s)