Viking Warfare, Ships and Medicine

"Viking Warfare, Ships and Medicine" by Dr Neil Westphalen.  This scholarly article from the Journal of Military and Veteran’s Health by Dr. Neil Westphalen provides a comprehensive overview of Viking warfare, shipbuilding, and medical practices during the period of 500 to 1200 CE. It explores the motivations behind Viking expansion, including political vacuums and resource scarcity, leading to a focus on raiding and eventual settlement. The text details the types of weapons used, from prized swords to axes and shields, and the tactics employed in combat. Furthermore, the article traces the evolution of Viking ships, highlighting their innovative shallow draft and seaworthiness, which enabled both inland navigation and oceanic voyages for trade and exploration. Finally, it examines Viking medicine, initially reliant on magic and folklore, but progressively influenced by Roman medical practices and the adoption of Christianity. As this podcast was produced using Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is not suitable for research, policy development or similar purposes. To such ends, the original article upon which it is based is available to read here: https://jmvh.org/article/viking-warfare-ships-and-medicine/