Camelot is the most famous fictional castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur in Britannia during the aftermath of the Roman Empire. Medieval romance depicts it as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm, from which he fought many of the battles and quests that made up his life. It is portrayed as a paradise or utopia, paradoxically in the same literary works that depict it as the site of much arbitrary, senseless violence in the name of "chivalry". Various locations in England and Wales have been proposed for the site of the historical Camelot. Some historians speculate that it could be a misspelling of "Camulodunum", the Roman name of modern Colchester, England.
In romantic views of American history, the moniker "Camelot" has been applied to the presidency of John F. Kennedy, as his truncated term was said to have potential and promise for the future, and the period was symbolic of hope for many in the world.
NOTE: There is a popular fringe theory that Camelot was only a model.
Camelot in "A Massachusetts Yankee in King Arthur's Court"[]
A druid named Duncan Morris was so incensed that American President John F. Kennedy referred to his presidency as "Camelot", that he magically transported Kennedy into the past to Cam'lod'n.
Kennedy found a city in the throes of poverty following the fall of the Roman Empire. Very little about the town matched up with the romantic images of the Arthurian legend, although he did encounter historical analogs of King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and Merlin the Magician.
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