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In 383 the mighty General Magnus maximus set out from Britain to conquer the Western Roman Empire. Taking almost the entire British garrison with him, he defeated the Western Emperor Gratin near Paris and shortly thereafter was recognised as Augustus in the West. The audacious plans of Maximus included the reorganisation of troops for the defence of Britain and for the first time the chieftains of the Romanised Britons were given the responsibility to protect their regions from enemy raiders. This decision played an important role in the survival of Celtic Christianity and the successors of these chieftains were still fulfilling their duties as protectors a century later, one of whom became known in legend as King Arthur.