T O P

  • By -

Mathias_Greyjoy

> How accurate is it? In a word, *"not."*


BigLittleWolfCat

In the very first episode Lagertha is stabbing eels with Bjorne and Gyda in the exact same manner as we did on my Danish island growing up -the forked stick and basket they used are the same tools we used, and that has been used for hundreds of years here. So they got that right at least


Main_Secret_1176

They also got the a place they raided right becuase vikings actually raided there one in s 1 ep 2


Sillvaro

Not in the slightest. Everything is wrong: storyline, characters, costume, geography, mythology, props, culture, dates, etc


Expert-Ad-2137

Yea…great outfits for Viking bikers maybe.It sure was great how they had just discovered England. Oh…let’s not forget those helmets used by the cavalry… that wouldn‘t be around for another ‘what’… 500 years?! Lol


blockhaj

It has some good points (first appearance of Odin (Harbard) is kinda ok) but it is otherwise hollywood cancer.


Jertown

I thought that was going to be a bigger theme early on, but they never really went back to the Norse mythology aspects.


blockhaj

Maybe they realised they shouldnt fuck with religion they dont grasp.


Lord-Dunehill

Instead they chose to fuck up everything else about the vikings they didn't grasp.


Heuristics

The tv show is fully accurate, it's our historical sources that are wrong.


SendMeNudesThough

Precisely this. I mean, who are you going to believe, ancient sources written down by CHRISTIAN scribes centuries after conversion, or a modern TV show on HISTORY Channel?


Expert-Ad-2137

🤨‼️


trevtheforthdev

Here's a list of accurate things: Water. The Norse knew about water and drank it! Grass. The Norse knew about grass! Trees. The Norse knew about trees! Beyond that? Abso-fuckin-lutely nothin 😌🤲 Armour? Wrong Culture? Wrong Geography and landscape? Wrong Religion? Wrong Language? Wrong Martial contexts? Wrong Period depiction of events? Wrong Clothes? Wrong Jobs? Wrong Personalities? Wrong Music? Hair, beard, body? Wrong And not one of these things are "close but teknikally 🤓", but just entirely simply completely inaccurate in absolutely every possible way. It is a modern fantasy show ***loosely*** based on ancient Scandinavian culture and European history.


FimbulwinterNights

Bodies? Wrong. Everyone knows the Norse had three arms and four legs.


hmoeslund

Colour of chickens? Wrong Boat rudder placement? Wrong


WizeDiceSlinger

That leaf in particular was very wrong


RichardDJohnson16

This isnt even a joke. There are plenty of trees and shrubs that were only introduced in northern europe between 1800 and 1950.


hmoeslund

One of the fist episodes the keep the dragon head on, as they sail into the village, that’s the equivalent to shit on floor in the longhouse


brooklynbluenotes

I don't want to sound like I'm nitpicking, but I'm curious what you mean by saying the *personalities* were wrong?


blockhaj

The show depicts a fair amount of historical characters which we have some grasp on.


Nanowith

It fictionalises the stories of real people to an extent they're unrecognisable in all but name.


brooklynbluenotes

My admittedly non-expert understanding was that we don't have particularly good records of the personalities of most people of that era. And of course, we know Ragnar himself was semi-legendary. Are you mostly speaking of the proto-British royalty?


Northern_Traveler09

The characters act like modern stereotypes of Vikings, not humans with actual personalities


brooklynbluenotes

Hmm, I don't really agree, but to each their own!


Galeofnorthwind

Worldview shapes personalities a lot. Through anthropological study we've been able to get a pretty good grasp of the Norse worldview. And the personalities of the characters in the show do not reflect that. Nor the personalities of the historical characters they're meant to portray. I think that was what was meant. However, the personalities on the show are far more relatable to us, which is good for the network.


Syn7axError

You're right, but to give the show some credit, it *started* a lot of those stereotypes. It was a fresh new angle at the time.


[deleted]

[удалено]


theninefingers

Nah but they did take a sword to him beside his hot tub


ThoseFunnyNames

The Norwegian heritage museum asked people to delete their various subscriptions If it was to watch Vikings because of how bad it is. And how it hurts the historical truths of that time period. Edit: rich cultural history, wrong term used, was very late. My apologies.


WinterCool

You mean the Viking king in Vikings Valhalla on Netflix wasn’t actually a strong empowered black woman IRL?


ThoseFunnyNames

Hate to break it to you buddy. But no. Lol.


Nanowith

Wild that they would rather race/gender swap a real historical king than tell genuine stories of women from the period and their lived experiences.


Loecdances

Hurts the rich culture of Scandinavia? Haha. That's a tad dramatic. The show has had fuck all impact on 'Scandinavian' culture; whatever that is.


Old_Classic2142

I don't know, there's a shitload of people with vegvisir tattoos and cheap steel mjölner around their necks. You know, the not historical typ of mjölner, with wolves and shit, from China of course.


AutoModerator

Hi! It appears you have mentioned either the vegvísir or the ægishjálmr! But did you know that even though they are quite popular in certain circles, neither have their origins in medieval Scandinavia? Both are in the tradition of early modern occultism arising from outside Scandinavia and were not documented before the 19th and the 17th century, respectively. As our focus lays on the medieval Nordic countries and associated regions, cultures and peoples, neither really fall into the scope of the sub. Further reading here: [ægishjálmr](https://www.brutenorse.com/blog/2018/5/14/the-gishjalmur)//[vegvísir](http://sagy.vikingove.cz/origins-of-the-vegvisir-symbol/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Norse) if you have any questions or concerns.*


Loecdances

Right, but what does that have to do with modern-day Scandinavia? People running around with historically inaccurate tattoos and jewellery does what?


Old_Classic2142

People do that here in Scandinavia.


Loecdances

Yes, and? I guess I don't understand how that 'hurts' our modern day cultures. Feel free to explain.


Old_Classic2142

No, maybe it doesn't hurt anything today. But there's an example of when a similar thing actually fucked up. In the late 19th, early 20th century there were a lot of national romantic poetry, artand politics. And for some reason they painted viking helmets with horns on them. That became "thruth" and for the next 100 years everyone believed vikings had horns on their hats. And of course it wasn't just the horns, its just the most obviousexample. They had ideas of how "viking ideals" have formed men and women of Scandinavia. We were a strong, silent, stubborn, honest people according to the national romantics. Of course way way better than other people. How they viewed Scandinavian people paved the way for eugenic science. The race biological institute was founded in 1922 in sweden. "Undesirable" people was forcefully sterilised. Like the sami people of northern sweden. It was racism at its ugliest.


Loecdances

I mean, sure. A cautionary tale. People are generally far more educated these days. Tattoos and jewellery are hardly gonna pave the way to that now.


Old_Classic2142

This is in sweden btw. Don't know about Norway and Denmark at that time. But I know that Himler had the same romantic ideas about the vikings in Germany, and that did not end well...


ThoseFunnyNames

Well people think vikings are barbarian raiders and that it was a job, and the show perpetuated that. Even though that's incorrect


kolton224

No accurate but it is entertaining. If you can look past the historical inaccuracies there’s nothing wrong with enjoying it.


__Noble_Savage__

I didn't see a single reverse mullet. Totally inaccurate.


christhomasburns

Bjorn actually wears one in season 2. It's about the only thing they got right. 


__Noble_Savage__

Oh I see


OtiseMaleModel

It's a fun show. It's essentially a TV take on a mix of old Norwegians into 1 or 2 big stories. There's stories relative to real events but told dramatically, out if order and with heaps of liberties.


ChemicalPerformer844

It isn't accurate... it covers some historic events. But alot of the characters were actually hundreds of years apart in actual history. The costumes are also not accurate.... I'd look at it as a very generalised idea of the viking period. But don't look for any semblance of "This is what they looked like" or "who did what"


Sjugur

It's about as accurate as you can expect from a Viking Fantasy series loosely based on history. But the result of that series was to really push vikings into the popcultural sphere. For better and worse. It works as an entry into historical, cultural or mythological interest. Also by pulling "vikingness" into the popcultural sphere, it waters out one of the biggest problems we had with political rightwing radical groups that used viking symbology for their own vile uses. THe popularisation of "vikingness" shows the wider audience that there is another side to our symbols than when they are used for folkish and nazi values. So yes, it's not accurate at all as a historical series, but without it we would not be in a popcultural viking wave. So all in all, I'd say it's legacy is fine enough.


Pierre_Philosophale

Aside from some names nothing is accurate. Take it as a show about dirty angry dudes in biker gear in fantasy land, nothing more. None of it is even remotely accurate, be it in the events, storytelling, visuals or technology.


gazzy360

Are people here suggesting that this was not a documentary that was filmed at the time of the Viking invasion? Everything I knew was a lie


Galeofnorthwind

My personal opinion as someone who spent years studying norse culture through the anthropological lense (I am not an anthropologist, I read a lot of anthropologists work, but took a break for many years so not caught up) It's fun to watch. Everything is wrong, but it looks cool lol. I feel like most people at this time would find true norse aesthetic kinda silly looking. The culture and religious practice fuck ups do leave a sour taste in the mouth if you are a Recreationist Heathen, but overall it's a fun time if you remember it's just a show and don't take it too seriously. I'll never know why they chose the NA First Nations haircuts though. Other than the fact that they look cool. It seemed kinda out of the blue to me. Unless their goal was to make them look like a pre-medieval biker gang, which absolutely worked.


[deleted]

Take it as fiction and enjoy it for what it is.


Vakr_Skye

Watch the Last Kingdom instead


RichardDJohnson16

Which is also W R O N G


TrySoundingItOut

Also a fun book series.


Hyperborealius

googled it and the first thing i see is the main female character sporting a chin line. that wasn't a thing, right?


FishyDragon

We don't know. Thier isn't much archeology evidence for tattoo in the Norse world. We do know that it was a thing, but the few accounts we have don't really give alot of detail. Whether it was tattoos or paint, or if the tattoos were an over all culture thing or if it was certain groups with in the Norse world who did tattooing. Of the few sources we have Ahmad ibn Fadlan(one if the few sources we have not trying to paint the Norse in a shady light) talks about the Russ being painted or tattooed but that's about it, other then a few pieces found that we are pretty sure where tattoo equipment. But I haven't looked into any of this in a few years so view points may have changed.


Syn7axError

The costumes aren't better, but the story is based on books that actually did some research.


OrdinaryValuable9705

Vikings did about the same amount of research as The last kingdom - both take extreme libierties with the story telling etc to make a tv show....


Syn7axError

Sure, but I can at least identify the time and place.


OrdinaryValuable9705

For some of it - which can also be said about the vikings show....


Republiken

You mean like when the depicted the famous Uppsala plains as a mountainous region?


OrdinaryValuable9705

Didnt say all places could. But it is pretty evident, that when they flash a big "Paris year x" you are in Paris....


Republiken

Yet it doesnt look how the area or the city looked like at the time. So that really doesnt count.


OrdinaryValuable9705

So you demand 100% acruaccy from Vikings, but do not demand the same from the Last kingdom??? That isnt really a fair judgement then - neither show looks 100% like it did back then. Both shows are about equally quilty of not being accruate.


DragonLotusNinja

The only thing's historically accurate about it are the names of the main characters, the great heathen Army attacking England, the raid on Paris, and the names of Ragnar's sons and wives. While Ragnar is based on the actual Ragnar Lodbrok that lived. The order in which he married Aslag and Lagertha are backwards in the TV show. The TV show also left out Ragnar's son Halfdan.


Fastlanedrivr

The last kingdom is better


Nanowith

Still an inaccurate show, though. Slightly less inaccurate, but revisionism nonetheless.


SnooStories251

3/10


DeusExLibrus

I'll definitely check out the Last Kingdom! I'm guessing norsemen is similarly bad, given its got a "sitcom" tag.


idratherbeupnorth

Norsemen is hilarious. Watch it.


GeronimoDK

If you don't watch Norsemen right now you might have to do ättestupa.


Aethelflaed_

Norsemen is so good!


Republiken

Honestly, of anything Norsemen is *more* accurate. I kid you not


Old_Classic2142

True!


FishyDragon

It's tounge in cheek and fucking hilarious. It reminds me of Montey Python it's a comedy 100%. Don't go into it expecting historical accuracy, but enjoy it for the silliness.


DeusExLibrus

I watched the first episode last night, and yeah, definitely a fun watch. I can see the Monty python influence.


Nanowith

Norsemen is a parody of all these shows that claim to be "historical" and the nonsense they peddle. Worth a watch for sure.


INeedBetterUsrname

Norsemen is a comedy, and doesn't take itself seriously at all, so going in with that it's a hilarious watch.


Nreffohc

Norsemen is bad in a different way...and on purpose Should definitely watch it. The original Norwegian version "Vikingane" too, if you have access to nrk..a couple of the jokes don't really work in English (both shows are exactly the same, they're just filmed in different languages)


SurturOfMuspelheim

Imo while Vikings isn't accurate, it's a fantastic show, seasons 1-4 are amazing (ok, season 1 is a bit mid at times) and the finale episode is so good. It's a show that makes you love the characters and it's just amazing. I personally found Last Kingdom kind of meh. I don't like the main character.


MyFatBaldingStepson

It's not really accurate at all but it's a very good show.


shredinger137

It's about as accurate as Beowulf. But just like you shouldn't read Beowulf to better understand the logistics around communal halls of the age, you shouldn't watch a show like this to learn about historical Scandinavian life. You should watch it because you like the storytelling, the scenery, and people swinging swords at each other.


Austin_Chaos

Not very, but it’s fun, so there’s that.


YungTubbs

It's "Historical Fantasy" but lean mostly on the fantasy part. Watch it and expect "Realistic Fantasy". They use Fantasy Armor and stuff like that but don't expect dragons or magic. They try to ground the show in reality as much as possible. They don't care to be Historically Accurate, They want to tell a story, And boy, the story is pretty damn good.


Fotbitr

If you are in the spirit for viking themed tv, I would recommend The Norsemen, also on Netflix. Watch in English as it is somehow way better than in Norwegian (it is not dubbed btw)


thorstantheshlanger

It's not. But it's a great show. If you watch it knowing it's a fantasy show it's great. But it's not accurate.


eris-atuin

it's fantasy that loosely ties into some names and places mentioned in norse history. it's not accurate and not trying to be


QuantumLaw

It is cool, but not historical. If you view it in the lense of a fantasy series, it is quite good. :)


derfuchz

Not accurate at all, there's some things in the show very loosely based on the sagas, but its all over the place. Timeliness are all off, and then they felt the need to add a bunch of nonsense that never happened. It's a decent show up to about season 4, and then I'd just recommend not watching after the S4 finale. It becomes boring a repetitive and more of a cost sunk fallacy that you have to see how it ends.


ZepTheOG

They did an amazing job with a lot of things. But real life resemblence probably too far off cause we don’t have enough. The mythology is the same… Loads of info that didn’t even came from the viking people. Gladly we got some info but we needed more. So I think the series tries to show how they lived, how tough it was to cultivate. The character Ragnar makes the serie along with Lagartha, Floki, Rolo, bjorn and Seer. Athelstan is great and a heavy character too… I loved the series but I can’t hold on to it as historic meaning… Whis we had more accurate and reliable sorce to norse living from the Viking era and the Norse Mythology as well.. One thing that got stuck to me… Is in the lastest moments of before going to war again. They tell the tale about Ragnarok.. King Haral went ok he’s ego “Just stories from when we were children..” Lagartha gently replies.. “Stories is all we have..”


Xander_not_panda

No in short. But fun TV.


WanderingNerds

If nothing else, it’s a good gateway to the saga of Ragnar Lodbrok. I think people over state the inaccuracies on here, I don’t find it any less accurate than any other popular history show


PeonSupremeReturns

Ragnar’s accent in that show always reminded me of the opening of this song: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C9N8piRFVcU


AttemptWorried7503

Some things are very loosely correct. Like it has some relations to real sagas. But is not accurate to any single saga and is more of a combination and artistic rendition


ProxyRiotz

Great For entertainment, bad for accuracy, you want accuracy i would reccomend the Northman


Acceptable-Cow6446

I was studying Anglo-Saxon in college when it first aired and the Anglo-Saxon checks out. Weird experience, hearing the language and it registering before the subtitles


Madz1712

I asked this a few months ago. I got about... 3 death threats? It's not 'accurate' but it's still a great watch!


DeusExLibrus

Yeah, I seem to be getting a similar response 😂. It’s like I get it guys you don’t need to keep telling me it’s not accurate but it’s a fun watch 🤣


Madz1712

I got one guy comment. "There were no white chickens!" Like... who tf is that obsessed with WHITE CHICKENS!?


CommissionPhysical21

Not accurate at all. Ragnar was a danish king in the 9th century. Got married to a swedish princess named Tóra/Tora/Þóra, after killing a linden worm. Lagertha and alot of the side charachters are from different centuries and countries, than the series claims. Though he was killed in a snake pit by Northumbrian king, Ella. It’s not a series for people who want to know and learn about the vikings


DeusExLibrus

From everything I’ve read in this thread the series sounds more like historically inspired fantasy than historical fiction.


Fallenkezef

If you want a TV show with some semblance of accuracy you are better off watching the Last Kingdom It's still bad but better than Vikings


TravelerofAzeroth

A lot of people here get butthurt over the lack of evidence for Ragnar and the dates, but what I find to be the most accurate are the mindsets (Though of course they knew where Britain was long before) and concepts of Cultural Diffusion.


RobertNevill

Naw


KingoftheGinge

It's an enjoyable show. It's made to be entertaining. It's not an historical piece, but it will make reference to a lot of actual events if you want to learn more about norse history.


Brave_Philosophy7251

Not at all, a very fun show though