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Old 04-13-2003, 09:28 AM   #3
Morwen Tindomerel
Wight
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Minas Anor or Annuminas the Golden
Posts: 187
Morwen Tindomerel has just left Hobbiton.
Silmaril

I sympathize with your quest, Conspiracy Theorist, having struggled to calculate the demographics of Eriador. Unfortunately as Tolkien was not into solid numbers you're on your own.

1) Estimated Population of Gondor circa 3010 TA

Pick a number, any number, that seems logical to you. Personally I favor three million, that being the approximate population of England c. 1400 after the Black death, Hundred Year War, etc.

2) Estimated casualties sustained in defense of Gondor for the years 3010-3018 TA

Pick another number. Historical parallels might be useful here. See if you can find out the casualty rate sustained by the French during the Hundred Year War.

3) Estimated Population of Gondor at start of 3018 TA

I do doubt that losses could have been extreme enough in so short a time to put a serious dent in the demographic.

4) Estimated Polupation of Minas Tirith at start of 3018 TA

Here's a fun one. Pick the population of a comparable Medieval city, maybe one of the Italian city-states? then cut it in half as Tolkien says the city 'lacks half those who could have dwelt there at ease' or something like that.

5)Estimated number of Gondorian casualties dead from June 3018 TA through the destruction of the ring.

Pick another number.

6) Number of Gondorian casualties wounded in same period as number.

Ditto.

Good Luck!
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