![]() This may have survived until into the sixth century, but more of them had previously been driven out of Scandinavia by the Danes. The heruli are said to have had a kingdom on Fyn. The people who were described as ‘heruli’ probably had their origin on Sjæland or Fyn in today’s Denmark, but they can also be traced to other parts of Scandinavia, including Norway. They wore neither helmet nor coat of mail, and used only a light shield to protect themselves. In the sixth century, the East Roman historian Prokopios wrote of “the wild and lawless heruli” from the north, describing how they went almost naked into battle, clad only in loincloths – this was to show disdain for their wounds. In his book Germania, the historian Tacitus describes correspondingly fantastic elite warriors among the German tribes in northern Europe. The earliest written sources of what might be berserkers are found in Roman writings from the first century AD. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) What's the earliest evidence of berserkers? King Harold II, the Saxon king of Britain, beholds the body of his rebellious brother Tostig, whom he has just defeated at the battle of Stamford Bridge, 1066. ![]() In the battle of Hafrsfjord, c872, they appear as shock troops for Harald Hårfagre (Finehair), in groups of 12. In sea battles they were usually stationed at the prow, to take the leading point of an attack. The berserkers often comprised an elite troop in addition to the guard or the army in general. In the Fornalder sagas ( ‘Sagas of Earlier Times’) and in several other sagas, the king’s or the chieftain’s guard is described as made up of berserkers, usually 12 in number. Designs showing warriors clad in what could be bearskins occur, among other places, on the Torslund plates from Öland, thought to date from the seventh century. Irrespective of whether it was a bear or a wolf, the warriors believed they were endowed with the spirit of the animal. What distinguished them was that they had bears and wolves as totem animals, and clad themselves in their skins. ![]() Originally berserkers developed their own brotherhood of professional warriors who travelled round and took service with different chiefs. ![]()
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