[Alfirin]

Originally Posted by Zigûr

I don't think there really was anything important further North in Middle-earth, incidentally.

Well, he could have said more about the Men of Forochel and how they lived

Originally Posted by Zigûr

I've often wondered if things like the use of chariots by the Easterlings (a feature of ancient Middle-eastern warfare) and elephant cavalry by the Haradrim (used by a variety of ancient cultures) was meant to reflect significantly on their relationship with the more early-medieval flavour of Gondor, Rohan and the like.

Quite possibly.

This is actually a fairly interesting question. On one hand I agree that Tolkien probably never intended to flesh out the rest of ME since he wanted to keep things mysterious. On the other hand I am fairly sure that the people of the West DID know more of the East and South than we are told of, More importantly the would have wanted to FIND OUT more about those regions as time progressed especially post LOTR. The reason is what you alluded to that those regions HAD been so long under the shadow. It is written that the Men of Harad (presumably both Near and Far) sued for peace post ring war, and that Aragorn granted it. This peace was most likely sued in situ (that is the ones who were suing were the leaders of the forces that were already there with the armies as opposed to additional diplomats being sent from home) But it seems likely to me that part of that post war peace would have been renewal and strengthening of diplomatic ties between the West and East/South. The reason would be the same as the one I mentioned for why I think Gondor would have maintained a presence in Nurn, after the widespread destruction of the War of the Ring and the departing of the Elves (which at least some of the wise of the west would realize would decrease the potential forces firmly on the side of "The Light") ANYTHING that decreased the likelihood of another similar conflict being started soon would be at least considered. Leaving the East and South isolated would be risking letting any remnants of the Shadow have free reign to muster up another force rapidly (since, as far as we know, the lands of the South and East had little to no actual fighting on them they are presumably in much of the same condition as they were pre ring war. Mordor may be an infertile barren wasteland, but Harad and a lot of the lands east of Mordor probably aren't. Nurn was Mordor's breadbasket, but it probably wasn't the sole breadbasket for the whole of the shadow's realm. ) The War of the ring seems to have illustrated to the West the folly of isolation between the kingdoms of the West, that close alliances between them was a key to the regions security. The best way to keep the shadow from being able to win the men of the South and East back to its side would be to win them to the West's side.