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Times That Try Men's Souls - Page 2


© John Lovett
Page 2

Oct 19, 1999


What we, the viewer, are given is a Neanderthal - type society living in caves that build complex bridges over river gorges, build homes, ride horses with saddles, attack with strategy, and make metal weapons. Huh? As I remember my anthropology, Neanderthals could make fire, possibly make huts from available branches, and used fire sharpened sticks or bones as weapons. Build complex bridges, homes, and saddles? Employ strategy on a large scale (more than two hundred soldiers)? I don't think so.

This is where the story starts to fall apart. The CHUDS use all the aforementioned technology whenever they encounter the Vikings. However, when not in contact with the Vikings they live in caves, dress in skins, and act like they are all extras in SEARCH FOR FIRE.

As is so often claimed, am I nit - picking again? Perhaps. But we are, gentle readers, viewers to a piece of fiction shown to us on a large screen. We have as much right to comment on that film as the makers do to produce it. THE THIRTEENTH WARRIOR might have been a good piece of film for Antonio Banderas to flex his muscles, but as an exploration of history, it did not work.

       

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Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages
7.   Oct 25, 1999 8:30 PM
Quite so. And the Mongols made connections between technologies too. For example, using their captured Chinese catapults to launch barrels full of Chinese firecrackers into ranks of European knights, ...

-- posted by LER
6.   Oct 25, 1999 2:38 PM
Lee,

Your example of the Mongols is interesting. I did not think of that group of people while writing the article. However, the Mongols did recognize technology when they found it and used it wh ...

-- posted by HMAGUY
5.   Oct 24, 1999 9:16 PM
Yes, this is why I specified the V-2.

-- posted by LER
4.   Oct 24, 1999 8:58 PM
The V-1 wasn't, it was actually a flying bomb. It was lanuched from catapult ramps or from aircraft. It went about 150+mph and carried a 2000lb warhead. The V-2 was a ballistic missile and the first ...

-- posted by steelcat
3.   Oct 24, 1999 8:26 AM
You are correct in mentioning the Mongol's use of conquered peoples as local administrators. And, while I agree the Mongols didn't try to kill everyone in their AO, surrendering your town to them wasn ...

-- posted by LER



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