1066: Battle for Middle Earth

[Spy]

Anyone else watch this?

I've only seen the first episode with the Battle of Stamford Bridge, not the concluding part. Was OK. Liked the bit with the massive Viking axeman holding the bridge on his own.

It was pretty weird tho... being a mix of fact and drama and having Sid from Skins in it.

You don't often see things set in that era, which I suppose is part of what made it interesting.

[BANGKOK RED]

My birthday is the 14th October, the same day that The Battle of hastings happened.

No I haven't watched it, I hope I can find in on youtube or something though.

[Spy]

You can't get 4OD where you are can you?

[BANGKOK RED]

What would 4OD be?

[Arnold.J.Rimmer]

why did they keep calling the Normans "orks"

[donkey]

why did they keep calling the Normans "orks"

Orcs was a term Saxons used to refer to foreigners (I think).  Also I think that Middle Earth is some reference to how the Saxons referred to England...again I think.

[genf_stfc]

i thought the cheap attempts to put some sort of lord of the rings twist on it were a bit unnecessary and the only bad thing really, otherwise really enjoyed it - mind you, tolkein probably got all his ideas from saxon legend in the first place.

if you fancy a good book on the same theme, i recommend The Last English King by Julian Rathbone - its about one of harold's body guards who feels depressed about losing the battle, so goes off to constantinople to cheer himself up by chopping up a few turks. he relates his life story to a monk he meets on the way and it becomes a sort of cross between "i caludius" and "dude, where's my car ?".  Good bit of history, good story and a few laughs as well.  in fact i've read a few of his books, they are all worth a look.

[Spy]

Orcs was a term Saxons used to refer to foreigners (I think).  Also I think that Middle Earth is some reference to how the Saxons referred to England...again I think.

Middle Earth was what the saxons called the known world where men dwelled between the heavens and the below (their version of hell maybe?). An explanation flashed up on screen in the programme.

[Spy]

What would 4OD be?

Its like BBC iplayer but I don't think it user internet explorer. Go to the channel 4 website and download it, it isn't very big. You then open it and enter your username and password and you can watch channel 4 programmes on demand (thats what the 4OD stands for). Its pretty cool. The layout is a bit better than iplayer I think. Not sure if it works outside the UK but you could try.

[A Gent Orange]

Middle Earth was what the saxons called the known world where men dwelled between the heavens and the below (their version of hell maybe?). An explanation flashed up on screen in the programme.

Aye I seem to remember reading that for the Saxons and other pagans the underworld was exactly that – literally below our world. Not that it was analogous to hell exactly but it was certainly a realm of magic and spirits. Hollows and other low-lying land were also deemed magical too because they were closer to this realm. 

[Spy]

Thanks for the info. Did they think dead people went to the underworld?

[A Gent Orange]

As far as I remember everyone went to the underworld when they were dead - there was no heaven or hell, no reward or punishment, just the underworld beneath the ground.

I'm really don't know much on this subject - and it is a pretty broad one - but I'm just avoiding work.

[dell boy]

I thought it was a great production, really enjoyed the two episodes.

[Arnold.J.Rimmer]

Orcs was a term Saxons used to refer to foreigners (I think).  Also I think that Middle Earth is some reference to how the Saxons referred to England...again I think.

The word Saxons used for foreigners was "wealh", which is where we get the name Wales from.

[donkey]

The word Saxons used for foreigners was "wealh", which is where we get the name Wales from.

OK, then.  Maybe it meant invaders?  Not sure as my memory fails me.  Not sure as my memory fails me.