7 replies to this topic

[RJMooreII]

I have never heard much discussion of battlerage or berzerking as an actual historical and military phenomena. Some groups of people were presumed to do something like this, using what appear to be a combination of pain, drugs and hyperactivity to drive themselves into a kind of frenzy. One might believe similar things were going on with the Sativa and 'Soma' consuming warriors of Iran.

What exactly is known about berzerking? It doesn't seem to be merely equivalent to giving soldiers meth; this seems to occur specifically in the context of a battle.

Is there anything to 'berzerking' beyond just being pumped up? If so, what is it? Is it drugs? How does this factor into tactics and equipment? Why does it seem to eventually disappear, even when its berzerkrs are quite successful? (For example, I can't imagine many Normans were drinking hallucinagenic drugs on the battlefield; though they may have royally worked themselves up).

Is 'berzerking' just what it gets called when the morale tinsel of a military unit happens to be loud and half-naked?

[Ironhand]

It doesn't seem to be merely equivalent to giving soldiers meth; this seems to occur specifically in the context of a battle.

So would this also exclude the woad that Celts used?

[RJMooreII]

It doesn't seem to be merely equivalent to giving soldiers meth; this seems to occur specifically in the context of a battle.

So would this also exclude the woad that Celts used?

You mean the tattoos? That is something like the Berserk for which pretty much no archeological evidence or any substantial literary corroboration. In both cases it sounds more like fairy-tales and post-facto trumpings up. This is one of of the reasons I bring up battle-rage: it seems at least possible that both Berzerkrs and the Woad-painted warriors are mythical creations. It almost seems like someone confused legends about monsters with actual warriors living in the past.

[Kortoso]

What exactly is known about berzerking?

It's certainly possible to google it.

IMHO, the term "Berzerk" has been even more inflated and over-hyped than "ninja". There are a few mentions of "berzerkr" in the Norse sagas and nobody is really sure what they are referring to.

Now, there definitely is something called tachy-psyche, where you get so caught up in a situation that time is distorted.

Is that what you mean?

[EM Erdelac]

The Viking Answer Lady has a good article on it.

http://www.vikingans.../berserke.shtml

[Skullface]

There are clear cases of light armoured troops rushing into battle high or drunk on something (I just read that some historians think a type of mead might have been used).(in UK)
I think as a battle tactic it would have been phased out as real armies began to meet,rather than small battle bands.After about the 1200s it is almost unheard of...

[deuce]

I have never heard much discussion of battlerage or berzerking as an actual historical and military phenomena. Some groups of people were presumed to do something like this, using what appear to be a combination of pain, drugs and hyperactivity to drive themselves into a kind of frenzy. One might believe similar things were going on with the Sativa and 'Soma' consuming warriors of Iran.

What exactly is known about berzerking? It doesn't seem to be merely equivalent to giving soldiers meth; this seems to occur specifically in the context of a battle.

Is there anything to 'berzerking' beyond just being pumped up? If so, what is it? Is it drugs? How does this factor into tactics and equipment? Why does it seem to eventually disappear, even when its berzerkrs are quite successful? (For example, I can't imagine many Normans were drinking hallucinagenic drugs on the battlefield; though they may have royally worked themselves up).

Is 'berzerking' just what it gets called when the morale tinsel of a military unit happens to be loud and half-naked?

This isn't a bad article:

http://www.heathenha...060613085857659

Speidel is a history professor. He's also written a book called Ancient Germanic Warriors.

There are footnotes indicated in the article, but there aren't any at the end. I would say they were just left off and that Speidel isn't engaging in obfuscation. From what I can google and from my own knowledge, his quotes are legit.

[Ironhand]

I have never heard much discussion of battlerage or berzerking as an actual historical and military phenomena. Some groups of people were presumed to do something like this, using what appear to be a combination of pain, drugs and hyperactivity to drive themselves into a kind of frenzy. One might believe similar things were going on with the Sativa and 'Soma' consuming warriors of Iran.

What exactly is known about berzerking? It doesn't seem to be merely equivalent to giving soldiers meth; this seems to occur specifically in the context of a battle.

Is there anything to 'berzerking' beyond just being pumped up? If so, what is it? Is it drugs? How does this factor into tactics and equipment? Why does it seem to eventually disappear, even when its berzerkrs are quite successful? (For example, I can't imagine many Normans were drinking hallucinagenic drugs on the battlefield; though they may have royally worked themselves up).

Is 'berzerking' just what it gets called when the morale tinsel of a military unit happens to be loud and half-naked?

This isn't a bad article:

http://www.heathenha...060613085857659

Speidel is a history professor. He's also written a book called Ancient Germanic Warriors.

There are footnotes indicated in the article, but there aren't any at the end. I would say they were just left off and that Speidel isn't engaging in obfuscation. From what I can google and from my own knowledge, his quotes are legit.

This sounds a lot like the Maori Haka that Jason Momoa used.