yes, 2 BCE, 542 years before merlin supposedly was active. And that's just when the Romans encountered Odin. he was around earlier than that.
edit: clarity
according to your timeline, but again. As Odin the wanderer and Merlin the wanderer are two very prominent and old pictures of each they are the same person, so saying Odin was active is actually saying Merlin was.. and after all, most of what we know comes from a 13th century where as Merlin came from 11th century, with his earliest direct reference in 579. Read the whole quote, according to modern folk lore, so according to now we think he was acknowledged... Posterity isn't available.
