An Interdisciplinary Study of Viking Martial Culture that Dispels
Myths and Expands Our Understanding of the Medieval Norse World
Sometime near the end of the tenth century, a man named Fraði died in
Sweden. His kinsmen raised a granite runestone to his memory in Denmark.
The carved message appears to tell us that Fraði was "first among all
Vikings" and that he was the "terror of men." Known sources about the
Vikings revolve around the constant threat of violence: literary and
artistic sources from both inside and outside Viking lands, including
poetry, myths, stories, and artwork; law codes; burial practices;
weapons; even their ship and house architecture.
Based on nearly two decades of research, Men of Terror: A Comprehensive
Analysis of Viking Combat is a richly illustrated interdisciplinary
study of the heart of Viking society: weapons and combat. Relying on a
vast array of sources from a wide range of fields, research scientist
William R. Short and independent scholar and martial arts instructor
Reynir A. Óskarson dig deep into the culture of men like Fraði to better
understand the mindset and performance of Viking warriors that led them
to venerate and praise acts of violence and aggression. In the process
they have painstakingly reverse-engineered Viking combat to account for
the archaeology we have. Along the way, they answer questions such as:
Were there women warriors? Why were acts such as raiding held in such
high esteem? What mundane object was the king of Viking weapons and how
was it used? Could bowstrings of human hair really work? Through their
comprehensive research, the authors present a holistic picture of this
society from what previously had only been disparate and intriguing
parts. By the end of the book, the reader will understand the importance
of combat to Viking society, the nature of that combat, and the code of
these "men of terror."
