Vikings on history channel

[royern2]

Another season, amazing. Can't wait

 

[Lord Michlo]

I just watched the latest episode.

Wow, with each comes new revelation of just how much meticulous research went into the making of this mod!  Or do I have it reversed and the History channel researched Brytenwalda for their series?

Bravo and once again, gratitude.

Cheers.

 

[Tancredus]

I am really enjoying the series, however, there are some problems with the historical accuracy such as the sword maiden, which is believed to be an interpolation of classical themes in Saxo Grammitcus' Gesta Danorum with his narrative of Ragnar Lothbrok. The unclean and "barbaric" look of the vikings is stereotypical as well, but they do get the worldview and spirit right. The later is really what is important ie., recreating the lived experience of the those historical individuals and abstracting them to create a understanding of a historical period of culture. The battle scene with the shield wall was perfect by the way and I cannot wait until episode six.

 

[Dan11311]

Well, Ragnar was supposedly married to a shieldmaiden which is supposedly the woman Ragnar is married to in the series. As for the Vikings being poor remember that most warriors in the Dark Ages weren't particularly wealthy. Even most high-level troops in the Brytenwalda mod have almost no armor. I've noticed that the Earl's henchmen and the Earl himself tend to wear higher quality tunics and armor than Ragnar's petty band.

 

[Belthize]

I'm still enjoying it.  There's quite a bit they got right, or at least managed to not get horribly wrong.  Little things like the 1v1 dual with sword+board and the axes.  It would have been easy to choreograph that as just beating on each other's shields,  the use of the shield as a weapon was spot on. 

Considering it's the History Channel and intended as entertainment I think they've struck a decent balance of documentary and fictional theatrics with decent acting and sets.

 

[Tancredus]

Well, Ragnar was supposedly married to a shieldmaiden which is supposedly the woman Ragnar is married to in the series. As for the Vikings being poor remember that most warriors in the Dark Ages weren't particularly wealthy. Even most high-level troops in the Brytenwalda mod have almost no armor. I've noticed that the Earl's henchmen and the Earl himself tend to wear higher quality tunics and armor than Ragnar's petty band.

I agree on the scarcity of high quality weapons and armor, but primary sources, from the Muslims to the English, always emphasis the Scandinavian's obsessions with cleanliness. They have found ear wax spoons, tweezers for excess hair, and complete grooming kits in graves from this period- I just which they would not continue the "dirty stinking barbarian" stereotype, which most scholars from P. H. Sawyer's time have been trying to deconstruct. All that being said, the show does allot right and it is following the sources, the Gesta Danorum and Ragnarssona þáttr for example, quite well. They even got nasty Ælla  and his snake pit- one hopes he gets the blood eagle at the end.

 

[Adorno]

Where do you see the "dirty stinking barbarian"? It's obvious appearance is important to them,
from the clothes to the hair style. They all look clean to me.

The tale of Ragnar is at a point where history and legend collide - a fascinating time in Scandinavian history.
They could have chosen a much higher degree of fantasy, but instead stay close to realism.
I was especially impressed with the little shield wall battle on the Northumbrian shore. Well directed and intense.
No silly Blood & Sand blood splatter, or 300 super athletic humans. Just pure manpower against manpower.

 

[Tancredus]

The clothing of the vikings, by comparison to the Saxons, is darker and less refined- the raid on the town exemplifies this. The excess of leather clothing, for example is, unfounded by sources both archaeological and textual sources- they loved bright colors and showing off. It is not huge but just one of my minor quibbles. Overall a good show- I am just a stickler for accuracy on things. Like I said before, it gets the worldview of the Scandinavian Norse right so in the end that is what is really important.

 

[Dan11311]

If you were wealthy or had money like the Earl or his men then yes you could afford bright, showy clothing. If you're poor you really can't The leather they're wearing appears to be more protective. At home they all seem to wear colored tunics.

 

[Tancredus]

Overall I really like the show. Now that you mention it their clothing does shift when at home- did not notice that. I love the combat and battle scenes- none of that hack and smash-but very realistic. The dual in ep six exemplifies this. I hope they follow Ragnars son's stories as well in the next season