Amphibalus

Amphibalus, the name given by Geoffrey of Monmouth to the cleric sheltered by Alban. This name is said to have arisen through a mistranslation, the word for a cloak becoming that of a saint. From the Acts of St. Alban it cannot be deduced that the cleric's name was Amphibalus, nor that he was either martyr or saint, still less that he was responsible for the conversion of huge numbers to Christianity. All these elements are derived from fictitious later legends. The cult was given impetus by the discovery in 1178 at St. Albans of his supposed body; thenceforward he was closely associated with Alban in written accounts and artistic representations of the martyrdom.

Bibliography
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• For bibliography, see Alban