average heights query

[burntcopper]

so very crap at google-fu.

trying to find out average heights (or at least ranges) of people in Roman Britain, post-empire, saxons and vikings. Also likely heights of Romans (the italian ones, not the gauls/hispanics/everyone else in the empire) (random bunnies will hopefully SHUT UP if I provide them with random data). Anyone got any links to papers/studies? Or can pull the facts off the top of their heads?

Comments

[bedlamsbard]

Okay, I'm quickly skimming Tacitus's description in the Germania, and he says, "All have fierce blue eyes, red hair, huge frames, fit only for a sudden exertion." Which means that they're taller than the Romans. (I mean, he also says a lot of other stuff, less related. I like Tacitus, he's so bemused.)

...you know, one would not think this sort of thing would be that hard to find. I've definitely heard about it from my professors in classics and history, though.

[burntcopper]

yeah, considering how many skeletons've been dug up, you'd think so. gah.

[bedlamsbard]

Somebody even asked in my Etruscans & Early Rome class the other day! Bah, I say, bah. And I know we talked about in, like, every history/semi-archaeology-ish class I've ever had.