Rethinking 'Dark Age' armies of Britain

[Erpingham]

There is a Saxon law book, I'm struggling to remember which, dishes out names for different size forces; pretty much anything over 30 men can be an army.

We discussed the Laws of King Ine earlier in the topic here and following. To recap, it is a law code defining classes of wrong doers by size. To be classed as an army, you need 36 or more men. It doesn't tell you how big the average army might be, or whether what it is defining is something we would recognise as an army.

[Imperial Dave]

Sorry, no idea regarding Picts or Welsh folk 

We'll let you off 

[kodiakblair]

We discussed the Laws of King Ine earlier in the topic here and following. To recap, it is a law code defining classes of wrong doers by size.

Aye, that's the one.

Sorry, I've not been following this topic too closely so missed it's earlier mention.

We could probably make an informed estimate regards king's and noble's retinue size by looking at "Great Hall" dimensions, at least for Saxon folks. The foundations at Rendlesham measure 75 ft x 33 ft, Yeavering is slightly bigger. Roman cohort of 480 men in 6 ranks covers an area of 240 ft x 36 ft so I'm inclined to see those halls holding no more than 300; less if you deduct space for tables, benches etc.

[Adrian Nayler]

We could probably make an informed estimate regards king's and noble's retinue size by looking at "Great Hall" dimensions, at least for Saxon folks. The foundations at Rendlesham measure 75 ft x 33 ft, Yeavering is slightly bigger. Roman cohort of 480 men in 6 ranks covers an area of 240 ft x 36 ft so I'm inclined to see those halls holding no more than 300; less if you deduct space for tables, benches etc.

Presumably after the deduction of an allowance for furniture the space available must accommodate sleeping persons rather than standing? Does that alter your estimate David?

[kodiakblair]

Presumably after the deduction of an allowance for furniture the space available must accommodate sleeping persons rather than standing? Does that alter your estimate David?

Not really Adrian, the boys probably slept where they sat.


Makes sense when you think about it. Lassies coming in the next day to set the room to rights would have a far easier job shifting hungover men from a bench than if they were in a huddle on the floor 

[Imperial Dave]

Or strung up over a rope....

[Cantabrigian]

Where there is little relevant evidence, authors can be tempted to fabrication.

Interestingly, AI programs have a similar problem.

[Jim Webster]

Where there is little relevant evidence, authors can be tempted to fabrication.

Interestingly, AI programs have a similar problem.

I confess that I have wondered, when AI hallucinates, whether, in reality, it's not 'making it up' but remembering incorrect nonsense that it has read somewhere on the web.
After all, we know it reads fantasy and sci fi novels 

[Imperial Dave]

Add a virtual pipe and roll neck sweater and you're there

[Cantabrigian]

I confess that I have wondered, when AI hallucinates, whether, in reality, it's not 'making it up' but remembering incorrect nonsense that it has read somewhere on the web.
After all, we know it reads fantasy and sci fi novels 

There may be an element of that, but I've seen a couple of examples where an AI was asked about a really obscure subject and was scrabbling to make some sort of connection between pretty unconnected facts in order to give some sort of answer.

When people say that AIs aren't like people, the biggest problem we have is that we really don't have a clue how the human brain works, so how can we be sure that they are different?

I remember a composer of popular songs saying that all the best musical ideas come from mistakes.  Maybe we're just seeing the dawn of AI creativity?

[Imperial Dave]