Ragnar Lothbrok and the Rus: Vikings in the East

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the role of Ragnar Lothbrok and the broader Viking phenomenon in the East, focusing on the Rus and their interactions with the Byzantine Empire and the Caliphate. They discuss the archaeological and textual evidence for Viking trade and raiding along the Volga and Dnieper rivers, the controversial figure of Ragnar in Eastern sources like the Ibn Fadlan account, the founding of the Kievan Rus state by the legendary Rurik, and the plundering of Constantinople in 860. The episode also delves into the debate over the identity of the Rus—were they mainly Scandinavian, Slavic, or a hybrid?—and how the sagas' tales of Ragnar's eastern adventures compare to the historical record. #RagnarLothbrok #Vikings #Rus #KievanRus #ByzantineEmpire #IbnFadlan #Rurik #Constantinople860 #Varangians #VolgaTradeRoute #DnieperRiver #NorseSagas #History #FexingoHistory #VikingAge #TradeAndRaids #EasternEurope #MedievalHistory #Lindisfarne #GreatHeathenArmy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo