Preview: Viking Civ(s) City Lists

Before I post these Viking Civ(s) City lists on Calgacus thread, I would like to get some feedback on the city names, and some help filling in a bit more.

There are 4 lists included here. One 'Hybrid' Viking nation (i.e all nationalities of those we have chosen to call Vikings are mixed together) and then there are individual lists for Swedish, Norwegian and Danish cities.

I've tried to only use cities that were founded during or before the viking era (cutting the era a bit of slack by letting it run from 750-1100 AD), and whenever possible I've tried to maintain the original name and spelling. The further down the list you get, the less picky I have been, so for example Jorvik (York) is included even though it wasn't founded by Vikings, and it's listed as Jorvik even though it's original name was Eboracum. My excuse is that it was an important Viking city nonetheless, and it was called Jorvik while it was important (to the vikings). There are more cases like this, but generally they should be found at the lower end of the list. And if they're not, let me know.

Ok, enough chatter - the lists:

Edit: First version removed March 22nd

#Vikings (Historical Cities)
Birka
Hedeby
Kaupang
Ribe
Uppsala
Eketorp
Roskilde
Nidaros
Trondenes
Aarhus
Uppåkra
Sigtuna
Lindholm Høje
Skara
Visby
Tønsberg
Jelling
Lade
Helgö
Steigen
Aggersborg
Paviken
Slesvik
Odense
Reykjavik
Brattahlid
Viborg
Tunafors
Oslo
Bjørgvin
Jorvik
Nicopia
Alesund
Harstad
Örebro
Lejre
Aldeigjuborg
Nylösa
Ronneby
Westness
Jarlshof
Holmgård
Kvivik
Herjolfsnes
Lund
Askrigg
Sebbersund
Helsingborg
Nyborg
Lahammer
Tune
Seeburg
Ringerike
Fyrkat
Trelleborg
Bytoften
Brumunddal
Kramfors
Vinland
Köping
Västerås
Jomsborg
Könugård
Aker
Truso
Wolin


The latter 3 are for a mod that I'll probably never be able to finish (or even start) so I thought I'd throw them out in the open, hoping that someone would create a 'Viking Conquest' scenario from them. (Granted, even if I get the lists fixed up good, there would still be a bit of work to do for anyone wanting to make a Scenario ). The names are more or less the same as the ones in the 'hybrid' list above, except a few have been left out. (Jorvik, Westness and Askrigg, to be specific)

Edit: Also updated March 22nd

#Swedish Vikings (Swear)
Birka
Uppsala
Eketorp
Uppåkra
Sigtuna
Skara
Visby
Helgö
Paviken
Tunafors
Nicopia
Örebro
Aldeigjuborg
Nylösa
Ronneby
Holmgård
Lund
Helsingborg
Seeburg
Ringerike
Kramfors
Köping
Västerås
Könugård


#Danish Vikings (Daner)
Hedeby
Ribe
Roskilde
Aarhus
Lindholm Høje
Jelling
Aggersborg
Slesvik
Odense
Viborg
Lejre
Sebbersund
Nyborg
Fyrkat
Trelleborg
Bytoften


#Norwegian Vikings (Norse)
Kaupang
Nidaros
Trondenes
Tønsberg
Lade
Steigen
Reykjavik
Brattahlid
Oslo
Bjørgvin
Alesund
Harstad
Jarlshof
Kvivik
Herjolfsnes
Lahammer
Tune
Brumunddal
Vinland
Aker


I could use some more names, especially for the Norwegian and Danish vikings, and those would of course also be added to the Hybrid list.

Please give me some feedback. Or ignore me if you're tired of the Vikings. But don't spam me - I'll start singing if you do (...lovely spam...)

You might want to add L'Anse-aux-Meadows (one of the only proven Viking sites in North America) and maybe Lake Wobegon (if you've read Garrison Keillor... )

Well, L'Anse-Aux-Meadows is actually there already, just using it's Viking name 'Vinland'

I haven't read Garrison Keillor though. Is the Lake Wobegon site a real site or fictional?

Oh, nitpicking time...

Göteborg (observe the dots), wasn't founded until the late 16th century ( or later the historians disagree on what should be called Göteborg, the name is anyway not viking-time style)

Most of the ther names are medival and not vikinga style, but that is perhaps not a bother ... and the dots are not placed correctly in (correct placement shown):

Nyköping
Linköping
Örebro
Västerås
Östersund (this shodn't be in the list either as it is quite late ..1780 or something). It is quite much noth of the region the vikings where from).

Uppsala should probably be named Aros instead but that could also be discussed. But OTH nearly no swedish citynames was are from vikings...

Thanks - don't worry about nit-picking, that's exactly what I wanted, and especially with the swedish names, as it's really hard to find the original Viking names. Perhaps, they're just not known anymore (or perhaps I just haven't been thorough enough).

And thanks for sorting out the dots - particularily Göteborg which is very embarrassing as I've spent large parts of my youth there

Using Aros instead of Uppsala, might not be a bad idea, but I've generally tried to avoid the Latinized names whenever possible with the exception being where the Latinized name was apparently the one given when the city was founded. (Trondheim/Nidaros for example, where Nidaros was apparently the first name of the city). I believe Uppsala was founded long before the Catholic influence in Scandinavia began, but it's probable that neither Uppsala or Aros was the original name. Incidentally, Aros or Arosia was also once the name my current hometown Aarhus used in medieval times.

I have a list of notes at home, and I'll try to figure out what my original reasoning for including Östersund and Göteburg when I get back from home. Thanks again for the input, and if you have any of the 'real' viking age names for any of those cities, don't hesitate to post them.

Ok, alright, lets sort things out here. Many of the city names you have are later than the vikings. I've removed names from the swedish list that are too modern.
These you can use though:

Birka
Uppsala
Eketorp
Uppåkra
Sigtuna
Skara
Visby
Paviken
Tunafors
Helgö
Ringerike
Köpingsvik
Aldeigjuborg
Könugård

About the danish and norwegian names I cant see many errors except that Oslo is wrong and also that Skiringsal was only a bay. And you forgot Kaupang.
You really dont need that many city names for the vikings since they barely had any large cities in Scandinavia. But they founded such cities as Cork and Dublin.

Thanks superunknown. Yeah, many of the names are too modern, but I chose to include them anyway since there were (AFAIK) viking settlements there, but the names of those have apparently been lost. I guess I consider them 'placeholders' until someone comes up with their original names

Könugård seems like a good addition, thanks

Why is Oslo wrong? From what I could find, Oslo was indeed the original name of the city

Kaupang was left out, as Skiringsal was the original name of that (as far as I can remember anyway, I'm at work so I don't have access to my notes right now)

And the reason for including that many names is actually that I want the Viking civs to be as 'complete' as possible, but you're right that it is a bit of an arduous task when dealing with a people who were, if not exactly nomadic, at least not too attached to their homes

I think I left out Cork and Dublin on account of finding some evidence that they were actually settlements before the vikings arrived, but since i've included Jorvik, I guess it wouldn't be any harm to have them, though I would probably have to find 'different' names, as I believe those two are included in other civ's city lists (Celts, I guess).

Originally posted by Isak

Why is Oslo wrong? From what I could find, Oslo was indeed the original name of the city

Kaupang was left out, as Skiringsal was the original name of that (as far as I can remember anyway, I'm at work so I don't have access to my notes right now)

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Well, I think there was no Oslo until later on, at least not a city. Maybe a settlement.
I'm pretty sure Skiringsal was the bay were Kaupang was situated.
For some odd reason I removed Holmgård. Thats Novgorod and should of course be in there.
You could also add Thingvellir, Jomsborg, Truso.

Edit: forget Thingvellir, that was not a city. Me stupid.

Yes please, keep the input coming

Oslo: You might be right, in fact I have a nagging feeling that you are - I'll check my notes again.

Skiringssal-Kaupang: Well, it does seem like people (archaeologists) use the names pretty inconsequentially, so I'll probably change Skiringssal back to Kaupang. I just dislike the name Kaupang so intensely. It's so un-viking'ish - more like a cartoon sound effect

Holmgård: Yes, don't worry, it wasn't going

Jomsborg: I left it out since most people today seem to think it was a fad or myth, but on second thought I think I'll re-add it as a little in-joke (who says only Firaxis can have easter-eggs??)

Truso: Yeah, ok. That is not a bad suggestion. It was a major trading point, and even though it may not have been strictly Viking, it was at least important to and inhabited by many vikings AFAIK.

Originally posted by Isak

I just dislike the name Kaupang so intensely. It's so un-viking'ish - more like a cartoon sound effect

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Actually its very vikingish, its the same word as Köping only in "viking-tongue". I didn't like it at first either, but then I realised.

Originally posted by Isak

Jomsborg: I left it out since most people today seem to think it was a fad or myth, but on second thought I think I'll re-add it as a little in-joke (who says only Firaxis can have easter-eggs??)

Click to expand...

It cant have been a myth. Its too cool to be a myth.

Originally posted by superunknown

Actually its very vikingish, its the same word as Köping only in "viking-tongue". I didn't like it at first either, but then I realised.

Click to expand...

Yes, but the spelling still bothers me a bit. 'au' in a viking word - sounds like the historians probably only have german sources for the name (like Adam of Bremen). But I digress, it's commonly accepted by people leagues more knowledgable on the subject than me, so I'll rest my case (for now )

It cant have been a myth. Its too cool to be a myth.

Click to expand...

Yes, it's a bit disappointing if it is, but then nothing to keep a myth alive than the odd mention here and there, so it may sneak it's way into the hybrid list .

Ok, got back to check my notes - here's a recap:

Göteborg: Got included on account of some viking settlements in Nylöse. Though I can't find the source now (started compiling this list 6 months ago), and even if it's true, I guess that would make Nylöse a safer bet. Is it really Nylöse - not Nylösa?.
Östersund: Major blunder - has been removed. Don't know how it ever got on my list.
Kaupang/Skiringsal I yield - it's Kaupang from now on
Oslo: According to my notes, a settlement was there around 800 AD. Can anyone confirm that?

Still considering whether to add Könugård (Kiev), Truso, Cork and Dublin (the latter 2 only, if I can find their Viking names)

Originally posted by Isak
Well, L'Anse-Aux-Meadows is actually there already, just using it's Viking name 'Vinland'

I haven't read Garrison Keillor though. Is the Lake Wobegon site a real site or fictional?

Click to expand...

Oops. Didn't notice the Vinland entry. There I go, jumping in again... Lake Wobegon is fictional - just a (lame) attempt at humour on my part.

Braethraborg, the fort of Ragnar Lodbrok. At present day Copenhagen.
About the Oslo thing, what about using Akershus? Or maybe use both, aren't they on different sides of the fjord?

I don't think "au" is a bad transkription of vikingatime sounds. I pops up rather frequently in old dialects in sweden. I shall check with the more language educated of my friends though...

Well, Oslo was founded (IMO) too late to be a Viking city (1050) and wasn't even the capital of Norway until 1300. And Akershus (Fortress) wouldn't work because that was also founded in the 1300's. Perhaps just "Aker" (named after the river running through Oslo).

Braethraborg: I have only vague recollections of hearing about this place. Would you know where I could find any sources of any kind on it?

Oslo/Akershus/Aker: I checked my notes again, and it turns out that Snorre writes that Harald Hardråde founded the city of Oslo in 1050 (though it's not mentioned whether any site was there before), so it fits with my 'selection criteria' since I deliberately extended the Viking age to 1100 (in an attempt to get more cities included )
It's not going to get included as capital though, that goes to ... grrr.. that other city

Lake Wobegon: Well, it wouldn't be the first fictional site on the list now

Wolin I found this going through my notes again. It seems to have been largely controlled by Vikings for some time. Do you guys think it should be added along with Truso, perhaps. And would anyone happen to know 'Vikingized' names of these cities?

I'll try to compile revised lists tonight - please keep the info and feedback coming.

I've seen a different kind of spelling on Kaupang. In one book it was spelled Koppang. How about that?

Wollin should definitly be included. It was a viking-controlled trading centre for some time, so..

You could also include Grobin, Reric and Limerick.

As to the original viking names I think that may be a hard nut to crack. It these names where indeed known I think they would be used in the books covering the vikings.

To be continued...

I read about the Braethreborg in Harry Harrisons book One King's Way. As it's alternative history, I hope he didn't just make it up.
As I said before, you could use both Oslo and Aker/Akershus as city names. Two for the price of one, eh?

#bump

Thanks for the bump. I thought there was something I promised to do, and now I remembered

I have updated the first post with new lists. A bit of shuffling around has taken place, which is really not worth mentioning, but a few noteworthy changes did take place:

Göteborg - renamed Nylösa
Nyköping - renamed Nicopia (yes, I decided I liked the Latin name better, especially since it is far down the list)
Köpingsvik - shortened to Köping (incidentally I found some not easily refutable claims that Köpingsvik was the real site for Ansgar's Birka, no the island Björkö, but I don't want to change that around right now)
Bergen - renamed Bjørgvin
Grobin - Added, but renamed Seeburg (as it is most likely the town Vikings called Seeburg)
Also added were: Jomsborg, Könugård, Aker, Truso and Wolin

I'll leave out Braethraborg as it does seem to be modern fiction (though it is a cool sounding name )

Reric was also left out, since it was apparently destroyed by Danish King Gudfred/Godfried at the beginning of the Viking age (according to some accounts anyway)

Cork, Dublin and Limerick are just waiting for me (or someone else) to find Viking names for the cities.

About 'au' sounds, I've been thinking, and I guess they do appear often in Scanian (Skånsk), but I can't for the life of me think of Norwegian words with this sound right now. There are probably plenty though, so I'll leave Kaupang as is.