The main adversaries appear to have been Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio and either the princely brothers Peredur and Gwrgi or King Rhydderch Hael of Strathclyde.
[3] The 14th-century chronicler John of Fordun's Chronica Gentis Scotorum places the battle on the plain between Liddel and Carwannok.
The retinue of Dreon the Brave "at the Dyke of Arfderydd" is named as one of the "Three Noble Retinues", while a listing of the three "Horse-Burdens" of Britain relates that Gwrgi, Peredur, Dunawd the Stout and Cynfelyn Drwsgl were carried by a horse called Corvan, which enabled them to watch the clouds of dust ("battle-fog") coming from Gwenddolau and his (mounted) forces in the battle of Arfderydd.
[5] The Dialogue of Myrddin and Taliesin, the first song of the Black Book of Carmarthen (Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin), refers frequently to the battle, and many warriors said to have fought in the conflict are named: Cedfyl, Cadfan, Maelgwn, Erith, Gwrith, Bran, Melgan, Rhys, Cynelyn, Cyndur, the sons of Eliffer, and Dywel fab Erbin.
[6] A further poem Apple Trees states that Myrddin wore a golden torque at the battle before fleeing into the Caledonian Forest,[7] while the poem The Dialogue of Gwyn ap Nudd and Gwyddno Garanhir states that Gwyn ap Nudd, a mythological psychopomp, was "at the place where was killed Gwendoleu, the son of Ceidaw, the pillar of songs, where the ravens screamed over blood.