Age of Heroes Historical Parallels?

[starklinson]

Hi! This is one of my first discussion topics.

I've seen countless people making ties between the ASoIaF events and real-life history. Valyria = Roman Empire, Starks vs. Lannisters = Yorks vs. Lancasters, and so on.

Has anyone noticed Age of Heroes parallels? I've been trying to think, but my conclusions are quite vague. Does anyone have any ideas?

(I checked to see if this was already a thread and found nothing, but sorry if I missed it)

[AryaNymeriaVisenya]

The Dark Ages?

Called Dark because the lack of widespread writing meant we know little about it. Stories of Arthur and his Knights come from this period.

[MercyTheBlindUglyLittleCat]

I feel its essentially what it sounds like, a mythic age where the myths of houses and their origins, as well as other myths that don't fit elsewhere, are placed. These "myths" are just the closest things to history, the Maesters have for the supposed period before the Andals, and more reliable recent history (which I will continue to suspect as being also misinformed to varying degrees, especially with regards to the timeline). Hopefully the World book gives us some new perspective on it.

In the real history of real history, there are equivalents; meaning ages given for the myths that are the only, and closest thing to, history, or pre-history. Modern dating sciences and archaeology have done much to give a better idea of history in a given illiterate past and place. Like how archaeologists have shed light on a very different history of the holy land than what the Bible would lead one to assume, which gives a more "Age of Heroes" account for the Jewish people and the land.

[TheButcherCrow]

I think what's more interesting is that although the same process of fact becoming legend and legend becoming myth has happened in the real world, in Martin's world there exists the possibility that the stories from the AoH are literally true or at least that there is more truth to them than many Maesters would think. Very few living people in Westeros have seen magic of any kind, it's not an unreasonable conclusion to come to, that.all the old tales of magic were BS but magic did exist, it exists still so, who knows? Maybe some of the stories are true?

[Bowen]

The way I see the age of heroes is in the biblical accounts of pre flood.

It's been theorised that many of the Greek legends could go back to this time,as an example the sons of the Nephilim were called the men of fame,let's say this was true then they are still famous today through all the Greek mythological tales.

I think it's a very clever part of GRRMs history of Westeros as in our own society tales get passed down in every country,some are very similar some unique,what fascinates me however is that they don't go away even in our modern age.

[DrunkenGiant]

Hi! This is one of my first discussion topics.

I've seen countless people making ties between the ASoIaF events and real-life history. Valyria = Roman Empire, Starks vs. Lannisters = Yorks vs. Lancasters, and so on.

Has anyone noticed Age of Heroes parallels? I've been trying to think, but my conclusions are quite vague. Does anyone have any ideas?

(I checked to see if this was already a thread and found nothing, but sorry if I missed it)

I think GRRM thought about doing a series on the War of the Roses before ASOIAF.

[Lady Blizzardborn]

I think GRRM thought about doing a series on the War of the Roses before ASOIAF.

He's been quoted as saying that the War of the Roses was the first inspiration for ASOIAF. It started with turtles named after the Yorks/Starks and Lancasters/Lannisters, and it evolved from there, gradually pulling in inspiration from more of history and legend, and homages to other works.

[House Larose]

He's been quoted as saying that the War of the Roses was the first inspiration for ASOIAF. It started with turtles named after the Yorks/Starks and Lancasters/Lannisters, and it evolved from there, gradually pulling in inspiration from more of history and legend, and homages to other works.

This here.

It all started with that. He then branched out a lot. There are no real direct 1 to 1 comparisons, but most everything has some sort of tie to something pre-existing. ie: the Dothraki are loosely based on the Mongols. Yet if you try to look at the history of the Mongols to try to figure out what will happen to the Dothraki, it will likely not match up.

[Arataniello]

The only real world parallels I could think would be remotely similar would be Arthurian legends - "kings" and "knights" of the Dark Ages now remembered in romantic/chivalrous terms.

[The Academic Wolf]

The only real world parallels I could think would be remotely similar would be Arthurian legends - "kings" and "knights" of the Dark Ages now remembered in romantic/chivalrous terms.

The only problem with that is that most of the Arthurian legends actually come about much later, around 1150 onwards rather than the so called Dark Ages. How I hate that term.

Anyway, the point that I am trying to make is that we appear to have been led to believe that these legends come from the Age of Heroes itself, rather than being made up by...people with very questionable motives...centuries and millennia later.