Research Catalog

Title

Ancient Germanic warriors : warrior styles from Trajan's column to Icelandic sagas / Michael Speidel.

Author

Speidel, Michael.

Publication

New York : Routledge, 2004.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

xiv, 313 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

"Ancient Germanic warriors played a decisive role in historical events from 200 BC, when Germanic culture first became identifiable, to AD 1000 when Christianity swept through the Nordic countries. Arising from beliefs and states of mind, a variety of warrior styles manifested themselves in differences of dress, weaponry, and fighting technique. Professor Speidel here details seventeen different Germanic warrior styles, and how they indicate an unbroken continuity of customs, beliefs, and battlefield tactics." "The book presents a range of evidence for these styles, from Roman art to early medieval bracteate amulets, and from classical texts to Beowulf, the Edda, and Icelandic sagas. Fully illustrated with over forty photographs, this survey adds a new dimension to our understanding of the history of Europe."--Jacket.

Subject

• To 1500
• Military art and science > Europe, Northern > History > To 1500
• Germanic peoples > History, Military
• Sociology, Military > Europe, Northern

Genre/Form

• History
• Military history

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 280-307) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Part 1. Animal warriors. Wolves ; Bears ; Bucks ; Martens -- Part 2. Frightening warriors. Naked berserks ; Ghosts -- Part 3. Strong men. Club-wielders ; Wielders of huge spears -- Part 4. Shield warriors. Shield castles ; Chanting ; War dances -- Part 5. Churls. Dart-throwers ; Rock-throwers -- Part 6. Horsemen. Lancers ; Spear-throwers ; Wheeling right -- Part 7. Foot against horse. Horse-stabbers ; Horse-hewers -- Part 8. Outstanding warriors. Long-hairs ; Helmet-wearers -- Part 9. Warrior styles through the ages. Iron Age warriors and the civilizations of Greece and Rome ; End and afterglow.

ISBN

0415311993 (alk. paper)

LCCN

^^2003069336

OCLC

• 53932705
• SCSB-11112526

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library