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Seeker2211 t1_j4rr7lz wrote

Been reading a history of the Vikings. Did not know a huge amount of their wealth was slaves. And they believed fervently in magic, the best women were sorceresses.

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KILLER8996 t1_j4ssbnt wrote

Yeah A huge amount of ancient wealth in general was slaves

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imnotslavic t1_j4symle wrote

The slavs got their name because of what they were known for in late antiquity & early middle ages. They were often slaves for realms like the Abbasids and the Franks.

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Termsandconditionsch t1_j4tlbo8 wrote

Not really. It’s an autonym from the same root as slovo (word). Most likely it worked the same way as for the Greeks - they split the world into those who could speak properly, and barbarians.

Theres a reason German is Niemcy (mute) in Polish and a couple of other slavic languages..

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wolfy994 t1_j4uqr6u wrote

Yes, although it is possible or even probable that the word slave was derived from the word slav as slavs were the most common type of slave in that period.

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GolemancerVekk t1_j4ul56w wrote

Also in languages with a sizable Slavic influence, like Romanian.

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Seeker2211 t1_j4t28vb wrote

I had little knowledge of Viking culture / Kings / Empires. Did not realize HUGE numbers of slaves, just like roman empire.

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imnotslavic t1_j4ta1zo wrote

Pretty much any Empire that has existed has utilized slaves, or slave-esque laborers through sharecropping or serfdom.

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[deleted] t1_j4uewz0 wrote

[removed]

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christian4tal t1_j4ulanb wrote

You semi-jest of course but in doing so you also remove focus from the real slavery problems of today: Millions in Asia, Africa and the Middle East held in slave or slave-like conditions. Not to speak of sex-trafficking all over the world. Americans prisons are a minimal problem in this context.

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One-Appointment-3107 t1_j4vnbw4 wrote

There’s an estimated 50 million people living in slave like conditions according to human rights organizations and the number is on the rise

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pxl8d t1_j4s9omr wrote

The völva I believe they're called! The seeresses are so cool to read about

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Seeker2211 t1_j4sdlgv wrote

In their world, magic worked, and worked well...no fighter would DREAM of going into battle without at least a few charms and spells to bring victory.

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And-ray-is t1_j4t0bjx wrote

Yes, but what was their definition of magic? You have to ask yourself that

Was it all just chants / rituals or was there real world applications. Like what they ate for nutrition or for hallucinations, meditation before battle and training etc. Would love to be a fly on the wall for those times.

Definitely not living in them

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Seeker2211 t1_j4t2whn wrote

If you believe it works...it DOES work ? You go and pay 12 silver coins to the "sorceress" lady puts a curse on your romantic rival...and you get the girl, however that happens, then didn't the curse work ?

If you don't get the girl, get a refund, right ? Fair is fair.

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The_Human_Bullet t1_j4t710c wrote

> Did not know a huge amount of their wealth was slaves.

You didn't know this? Slaves have been a pretty staple thing throughout human history, only until very recently.

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Rugbygoddess t1_j4ug3ub wrote

Wait til you hear about the industrialized prison system

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Seeker2211 t1_j4vota0 wrote

"Industrialized prison system" in no way similar to viking slaves at all, but you keep spouting ignorant stuff...

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Riplexx t1_j4ugou3 wrote

There are more slaves now, then ever in human history

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RevolutionaryLook585 t1_j4uli73 wrote

There are also way more people now than at any time in human history.

If this this accurate and it's 2000 years old, then the population of the earth at that time was around and 200m.

It's a very misleading statement, but obviously modern day slavery is horrific and should be condemned and annihilated.

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Riplexx t1_j4umq9r wrote

Millions in slavery don’t care that there are billiona of people. Their life is horror show.

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Raudskeggr t1_j4ugisk wrote

But these were not "Vikings", lets be perfectly clear. This is from 600-800 years before the beginning of the viking age. The fact that this stone has runes (albeit crudly carved) suggests that whoever carved it was, or had close ties to, the Northwest Germanic people of the age; but much much earlier than the Norse culture romanticized in stories of Vikings.

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Seeker2211 t1_j4vqk21 wrote

Agreed, my understanding is that viking "age" grew gradually during and after the decline of Roman Empire, and in fact a lot of the raiding happened 'cause the Roman "authorities" were lapsed/gone.

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Idreamofknights t1_j4t4igv wrote

More than that. To use magic of spells, concealment and visions was the domain of women, it was seidr. Men who did that were dishonorable. Male magic was of battle, to embody a warrior spirit like the ulfhednar or to craft enchanted weapons.

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Geiten t1_j4tv4ez wrote

I think that is too one-sided, and probably comes from the stereotype that viking society was mainly concerned with battle. Male magic was also communicating with dead relatives to keep them at peace and I believe controlling the weather.

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RE5TE t1_j4txav3 wrote

> stereotype that viking society was mainly concerned with battle.

Viking society was preoccupied with plunder, not battle. If I remember correctly, farms were given to the eldest son, so as not to split them up. Lots of small farms can't feed enough people.

If you're not an eldest son, you need money to buy land. Norway in particular does not have a lot of settled arable land. So you join a group heading south to plunder.

Battle is not necessary, especially when you reach countries full of unarmed farmers. Vikings sailed up the river to Paris and essentially demanded a ton of gold and silver. If you're a fat farmer it was just better to pay them to leave. They were usually pretty good at leaving so it worked out for everyone.

Do you want to fight Sven who literally rowed across the ocean to cleave in your skull, or just pay him some money? Also Sven is 6ft tall and ripped, you are 5ft 5 and armed with a pitchfork.

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Idreamofknights t1_j4txhbs wrote

I see the communion with relatives as more of a expression of religion, and I'm curious about the controlling weather part. But the part about spells and ritualized magic being the domain of women is true, both to heal and to curse. There were men who did magic, but they're shamed by their society as argr, dishonorable and unmanly, and even Odin himself is shamed like this because he uses it to see his visions, while his wife Freya is hailed for it. Magic is widely considered a very gendered concept in Norse society by many scholars.

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