10 Big Myths About the Vikings

People seem forever reimagining the seafaring Vikings from northern Europe, but 'the Viking Age' is one of the most confusing periods in European history. When did it really start and why? What does 'Viking' really mean? What kind of helmets did they actually wear? One of the best ways to delve into these questions is to delve into the most common misconceptions, often conjured up from how Vikings are depicted in film and TV, and run through why these myths exist, and the historical reality. James Carson runs through 10 of the biggest myths he's encountered after a few months getting close to the Vikings. Expert opinion expressed on History Hit podcasts Gone Medieval and Dan Snow's History Hit are used to help shape our understanding of the Viking Age. You can go deeper by listening to the following links: Professor Caroline Larrington - Ragnar Lodbrok - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ragnar-lothbrok-the-viking-legend/id1564113746?i=1000617851865 Dr Stephen Ashby - Rise of the Vikings https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/rise-vikings ALSO Viking Hair https://play.acast.com/s/gone-medieval/vikings-whatdoestheirhairtellus- Dr Roderick Dale - The Beserkers https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-berserkers/id1564113746?i=1000526345533 Dr Tom Horne - Raiding and Trading in Viking Britain https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/viking-market-kingdoms-in-britain-ireland Dr Jóhanna Katrín Friðriksdóttir - Valkyries - https://shows.acast.com/gone-medieval/episodes/the-valkyries-handmaids-of-the-gods Professor Gordon Campbell - Vikings in America - https://play.acast.com/s/dansnowshistoryhit/vikingsinamerica Also, check out Dr Cat Jarman's book River Kings https://www.amazon.co.uk/River-Kings-Catrine-Jarman/dp/0008353077 Here are the 10 Big Myths About the Vikings chapters: 00:00 - Intro 00:50 - 1. Horned Helmets 02:25 - 2. Ragnar Lodbrok 04:48 - 3. It All Began in 793 08:32 - 4. It Took Place in the Dark Ages 11:55 - 5. Beserkers Took Magic Mushrooms 14:24 - 6. There Was One Viking Empire 16:12 - 7. They Called Themselves Vikings 18:22 - 8. They Were All Raiders 21:07 - 9. Women Warriors Were Commonplace 24:55 - 10. Leif Erikson Landed in America Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free exclusive podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsely, Mary Beard and more. Watch, listen and read history wherever you are, whenever you want it. Available on all devices: Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Roku, Xbox, Chromecast, and iOs & Android. Subscribe to History Hit at https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/