GRRM inspiration for Valyrian culture and targaryens?

[FC_Lymond]

You are aware that the 'Trojans', as modern scholarship is capable of reconstructing, represent an area in modern day Turkey, yes? You seem to lack a solid understanding of 'greek civilisation'

We are talking about cultural references here. The physical location of Troy does not matter. The Trojan war as a Greek myth, was laid out by Homer (I know that's a big simplification...) and formed a big, big part of Greek poetry, drama, sculpture for the next hundreds of years. The Romans followed the Greeks in this. The Trojan war for them had a large cultural impact with virtually no historical importance to Rome. The Romans did not use Hittite sources for the myths surrounding ancient Troy, they used Greek sources.

So it's easy to say that Trojan myths are a Greek influence on Rome

[The Lost Targaryen]

I would say that if Valyrian culture is based off of any real-world culture it is based off of Ancient Rome. A bunch of sheepherders who eventually organize and begin dominating the rest of the world? The militaristic tendencies, also their domination using advanced technology (dragons.) If we attempt to base all of the ASoIaF cultures off of real ones, the free cities and slaver's bay, along with the culture of Ghis seem to be Egyptian or Persian, and Westeros is obviously Western European, most likely Anglo Saxon.

[mushroomshirt]

I loved reading Moorcock' s Elric but I read him as a cursed protagonist more than

evil. Stormbringer was defiantly evil as it is tied to Elric' s life force and eats its victims souls. I never saw the "best fictional weapons" forum topic.

Stormbringer is definitely top 10.

Yes, I think you are right: he is more cursed than evil.

:eek: Wow. I should have made the connection earlier - I read the Elric books in my teens. Not sure that the classic Valyrian look - silver hair, violet eyes - is "typical" for a Melnibonean; Elric was an albino, but Cymoril and Yyrkoon weren't, IIRC. Wish I still had my books to look it up...

I'm pretty sure you are right that Elric's look is not typical Melnibonian look. But I don't think this means that Elric and the Melnibonian civilization weren't influences on GRRM when he crafted the Valyrians

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

It seems to overwhelmingly be based on Rome, with some other cultures (Egypt) and influences (Atlantis) thrown in.

[Wanderer]

to me its a fusion of the roman rebulic/ greek states/ atlantis

My thoughts exactly.

[Maenys]

“Italy is just about as much as we can manage. Italy is heroic, but Greece is godlike or devilish- I am not sure which. Greece is not for our little lot.”

Quotes from A Room With A View.