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Review: Anders Winroth, The Age of the Vikings

Article  in  Journal of the Australian Early Medieval Association · January 2016

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Shane Mcleod
University of Tasmania
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 Book Reviews and short notices

Bohemond’s miscalculations—based in part on his disdain for his Byzantine foe’s

military capabilities—proven calamitous to the Norman’s imperial dreams in the East.
Theotokis closes by reiterating that Norman puissance came not from military
innovations, but from an aura of invincibility and manly courage that even their
enemies respected. Consequently, by refusing to meet them face to face in battle, the
Byzantines achieved a vital victory in 1108, but did little to damage Bohemond or the
Normans’ legacy in a western Christendom that was embracing new chivalric forms of
martial ideology based on the manly and martial deeds of an emerging knightly class. In
the age of chivalry, losing a battle with honour, could be nobler than obtaining victory
through subterfuge.
Notwithstanding the caveats above, this is an important book. Theotokis’ re-
examination of some of the key historiographical debates and lucid insights on
Byzantine and Norman battle tactics and strategies should stimulate specialists and
non-specialists interested in exploring the complex rivalries and divergent martial codes
that helped to define a rapidly changing eleventh-century Mediterranean world.
Michael Edward Stewart
University of Queensland

Winroth, Anders, The Age of the Vikings

(Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press, 2014) hardcover, 320 pages, 14
colour illustrations, 27 halftones, RRP US $29.95; ISBN 9780691149851
Here we have yet another book on the Vikings aimed at the general public and
undergraduate market. As at least one such book seems to appear each year there is
obviously a market for them, but the question must be, which one should people buy,
and do university libraries really need this one when they already have others, in
particular Else Roesdahl’s excellent The Vikings? The short answer is ‘yes’.
To gain attention in such a crowded market place, a book needs to differ
significantly from its competitors, which is a hard ask when they all need to cover
basically the same ground: the nature and problems of the sources, life in Scandinavia,
raids and settlements, trade, pagan religion and conversion to Christianity, and the
formation of the Scandinavian kingdoms. Winroth achieves his point of difference
admirably with his writing style. His book opens like a novel, with a six page depiction
of a feast in a chieftain’s hall celebrating a successful raid. Although this bold move may
upset dour academics, it certainly grabs the reader’s attention and is likely to be popular
with the general public. Shorter literary turns occur elsewhere in the book, and the
opening passage on the chieftain’s hall is often referenced in order to emphasise aspects
of the book, like the importance of honour to warriors and how this fed into the gift
economy.
Those worried that the book may be closer to a historical novel than a solid
academic work have no need for concern. Unlike some authors, including Philip Parker
whose The Northmen’s Fury: A History of the Viking World was also published in 2014
(and on which this reviewer was an academic advisor), Winroth is a professional scholar
who has previously published a book on the conversion of Scandinavia to Christianity,
and all of the essential information about the Viking Age is ably covered. Of particular

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Journal of the Australian Early Medieval Association

note is his coverage of the sources, particularly in reiterating Roberta Frank’s

explanation of the ‘blood eagle’ as a misinterpretation by medieval storytellers using
Viking Age poetry as a source, and he similarly debunks the notion of beserks. Winroth
also points out that on the whole Vikings were no more violent than their neighbours,
that as fighters they were amateurs compared to people like the Carolingians but they
used psychological warfare well, and that Charlemagne ‘was able to inflict much more
violence, seize more booty, and demand greater tributes than the Vikings could ever
dream of’ (p. 43). Despite occasionally being written like a novel this is not a work that
panders to populist notions of the Vikings.
As one would expect given the author’s background, the chapter on the pre-
Christian religion and the conversion to Christianity is excellent, including the
problems of using the works of Snorri Sturluson. There is also an excellent overview of
pagan sacrifices that considers poetic allusions, historical accounts, and archaeological
evidence. Also of note is the ‘Arts and Letters’ chapter dealing with Scandinavian texts
and art. This actually extends beyond the Viking Age in its discussion of runic
inscriptions, which includes a detailed discussion of the problems of interpreting the
inscription on the Rök stone. There are also six pages on the difficulty of interpreting
the dróttkvætt meter on the Karlevi runestone, with its allusions to ghosts possibly being
used to scare away would-be grave robbers.
Another advantage of Winroth’s work is that unlike some otherwise excellent
overview books on the period, including Roesdahl’s, his includes endnotes and a
bibliography, although when citing primary written sources he usually cites translations
rather than editions in the original languages, which is no doubt a concession to his
intended audience. But there are also references to academic articles and books,
including recent releases. He also cites online sources, including the runic database,
which may upset specialists but again this makes sense considering that they are easily
accessible to an audience without access to an academic library.
As is inevitable in any book trying to cover the whole of the Viking Age there are
some problems: some statements that I thought required an endnote did not get one,
the Vikings abroad was not covered as fully as may be expected by some readers, more
detailed maps would have been welcome, and there are some statements that could be
challenged, such as ‘Christianity’s command that the faithful be buried without grave
goods’ (p. 201) when some churchmen are known to have been buried with grave
goods, such as St Cuthbert. But these are minor points. Every subject covered by
Winroth is the topic of at least one book on its own, making omissions in particular
impossible to avoid.
This well illustrated and imaginatively and expertly written book stands out from
the crowd and is highly recommended for those wanting to dip their toes into the
Viking world.
Shane McLeod
University of Tasmania

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