Rivista di Studi storici del Mediterraneo The Vikings, traditionally known for their raids in the British Isles, France, and other parts of Northern Europe, left an indelible mark on medieval history. Although their fame is primarily linked to the Nordic lands and the coastal regions of Northern Europe, the Vikings also had a significant impact in the Mediterranean, even though their presence in this area is less known and less documented. The history of the Vikings in the Mediterranean is one of exploration, trade, raids, and alliances, showcasing their remarkable adaptability and adventurous spirit.
Vikings in the Mediterranean: some readings
Between the 9th and 11th centuries, the Vikings embarked on a series of expeditions that took them far beyond the borders of their homeland, from Scandinavia to the heart of the Mediterranean.
If you’re interested in this topic, here are some suggested readings to explore it further.
Title: Vikings in the Mediterranean
Authors: Neil Price, Marianne Hem Eriksen e Carsten Jahnke
Date of publishing: 2023
A publication by the Norwegian Institute at Athens that compiles contributions from the papers presented at an international conference held in Athens in 2019. The volume is available for free download from the Institute’s website.
Title: Vikings in the South. Voyages to Iberia and the Mediterranean
Author: Ann Christys
Date of publishing: 2015
The volume is available for purchase on the publisher’s website.
Title: Historia de los Vikingos en España. Ataques e incursiones contra los Reinos Cristianos y Musulmanes “De la Península Ibérica en los Siglos IX-XI”
Author: Eduardo Morales Romero
Date of publishing: 2004
The volume is available for purchase on the publisher’s website.
As for journal articles or contributions in collective volumes, we highlight the following:
C. Cucina, Il pellegrinaggio nelle saghe dell’Islanda medievale, in Rendiconti dell’Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Classe di scienze morali, storiche e filologiche, ser. IX (1998), vol. 9/1, pp. 83-155
F. D’Angelo, Da vichinghi a crociati: gli Scandinavi nel Mediterraneo (secoli IX-XII), in RiMe, n. 6 n. s., giugno 2020, pp. 55-78
Á. Jakobsson, Image is everything: the Morkinskinna account of King Sigurðr of Norway’s journey to the Holy Land, in Parergon, n. 30 (2013), pp. 121-140
H. Pires, Viking attacks in Western Iberia: an overview, in Viking and Medieval Scandinavia, n. 9 (2013), pp. 155-172
