[Glorantha] Glorantha and historical inspiration

[Mikko Rintasaari]

Joerg writes
:We take nearly aurochs-sized highland cattle and modern horses as our
:image of Gloranthan agriculture when even Charlemagne's cattle and horses
:were somewhere between 50% and 70% the size of today's breeds. (Bone
:findings don't lie...)

We?

I definitely see the Sartarites riding small shaggy horses (like the
viking age norwegian ponies)

http://www.jaatalli.fi/laidun1.jpg

And the shaggy highland cattle are not all that big.

I've also seen very conflicting views on the whole "horses getting bigger"
arguments. Doesn't seem to be a universally accepted thing. Anyway, the
only big horses I think about for Glorantha are those that are used by the
cataphracts in the West (and Carmania).

:Pre-roman times celtic tribes like the Heuneburg chieftains, or the lords
:of the great oppidum at modern Kelheim in Bavaria? Hardly any difference
:to Harald Blaatand of Denmark, except for the better ship-building
:technology of the latter.
:
:When it comes to Gloranthan ships, we take 16th century Mediterranean as
:our watermark...

No way. I can't imagine why one would want to do that, when the bronze /
early iron age offers such a wealth of sea traditions to draw on.
Foenecian, persian and greek navies for instance, and even the reed ships
of ancient egypt. Much more interesting than yet another high medieval /
early reneisance setting.

See Mika Waltari's "Turms the Immortal" (hmm.. translated The Etruscean
for some bizarre reason, I see) for some really inspirational scenes of
sailing / naval warfare in the era.

	-Adept

Thinker, dreamer and adventurer