Learnings: Anglo-Saxon Warfare

Aristiocratic Anglo-Saxon men used war to maintain social order—and to ensure their own powerful positions. While the nobles lived the "warrior's way," those with a lesser or "middle" status, such as the , had to wait until they were called to battle to earn prestige and honour.
War bands were almost exclusively made up of teenagers and young men (15-30 years old) whose will to prove themselves in combat resulted in fierce competition within the ranks. Their "friendly" rivalries with their brothers-in-arms were as vital to forging combat skills as the battles in which they faced a common enemy.
Regular warfare was also a good way to keep a war band together. Such groups depended on victories—and the spoils that came with them—for survival. A successful campaign meants wealth, but also honour. Prestige and renown contributed massively to social status, and were some of the major ways a man could distinguish himself from his peers.
, a ditch of earth distinguishing Welsh territories from Mercian ones, is a good example of a king exercising his control, or dominion. According to folklore, King Offa of Mercia ordered the construction of the dyke, a section of which can be seen in this image.
Category:Discovery Tour: Viking Age