Who are the 'wild men'?

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Just to toss some more red meat into the dog-pit, I'll observe that the "fall" of Rhudaur (from the Numenorean standpoint) was effectively an Angmar-aided revolt of the native population against their minority Dunedain overlords.

[Elmo]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

Just to toss some more red meat into the dog-pit, I'll observe that the "fall" of Rhudaur (from the Numenorean standpoint) was effectively an Angmar-aided revolt of the native population against their minority Dunedain overlords.

Gondor conquered swathes of Rhun and the Harad as well. Small wonder men from the Northern Waste to the Southern heats turned to Sauron to drive out their Numenorean oppressors.

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Elmo

Gondor conquered swathes of Rhun and the Harad as well. Small wonder men from the Northern Waste to the Southern heats turned to Sauron to drive out their Numenorean oppressors.

Which begs an interesting question of what life under Sauron's domination was like?

Tolkien spoke of the Easterlings and Haradrim being relatively primitive until the Numenoreans and Sauron (under pressure from the Numenoreans and desiring to have tools at his disposal to compete with them) started uplifting their material culture. I suspect the Numenoreans and Sauron both only wanted to give them so much to help them, but only so much as to prevent them from getting "ideas."

I wonder, was serving Sauron a choice that the ordinary Easterling or Haradrim disliked and regretted or did the two not seem so different to them?

[Leaf]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

I'll observe that the "fall" of Rhudaur (from the Numenorean standpoint) was effectively an Angmar-aided revolt of the native population against their minority Dunedain overlords.

Originally Posted by Elmo

Gondor conquered swathes of Rhun and the Harad as well. Small wonder men from the Northern Waste to the Southern heats turned to Sauron to drive out their Numenorean oppressors.

I think it's important to be a little bit more precise. You are not making any distinction between ordinary people ("native population", "men") and the nobility, or a local political elite, as if they were identical. It seems more likely to me that a political elite (i.e. the King of Rhudaur, "Black Númenóreans") saw the opportunity to join Sauron and, with his aid, overthrow the current "oppressors" to become the undisputed "oppressors" themselves.

But then again, I don't know the exact passages in the text. Maybe you could provide them for the discussion.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by William Cloud Hicklin

Just to toss some more red meat into the dog-pit, I'll observe that the "fall" of Rhudaur (from the Numenorean standpoint) was effectively an Angmar-aided revolt of the native population against their minority Dunedain overlords.

Númenóreans were known as cruel tyrants during their years of colonization, so it's not surprising the Dúnedain leaf didn't fall far from the tree.

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Númenóreans were known as cruel tyrants during their years of colonization, so it's not surprising the Dúnedain leaf didn't fall far from the tree.

Yes, but not all Numenoreans were the same, and the Arnorians were of the nicer variety.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Kuruharan

Yes, but not all Numenoreans were the same, and the Arnorians were of the nicer variety.

Nice enough that many of the Dunlendings and their kin had removed to Eriador to become willing subjects of the Northern Dúnedain settling at Bree, and going so far as to abandon their former language and customs.

[Elmo]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Nice enough that many of the Dunlendings and their kin had removed to Eriador to become willing subjects of the Northern Dúnedain settling at Bree, and going so far as to abandon their former language and customs.

I'm sure the Dunlendings migration happened in the Dark Years of the Second Age, where they moved North to escape Sauron's shadow and so long pre-dating the establishment of Arnor.

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Elmo

I'm sure the Dunlendings migration happened in the Dark Years of the Second Age, where they moved North to escape Sauron's shadow and so long pre-dating the establishment of Arnor.

It could have been a mix of both.

However, I think this serves to highlight the point I made earlier that the foundation of Arnor did not cause disruption to the Bree-folk.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Elmo

I'm sure the Dunlendings migration happened in the Dark Years of the Second Age, where they moved North to escape Sauron's shadow and so long pre-dating the establishment of Arnor.

Alien too, or only remotely akin, was the language of the Dunlendings. These were a remnant of the peoples that had dwelt in vales of the White Mountains in ages past. The Dead Men of Dunharrow were of their kin. But in the Dark Years others had removed to the southern dales of the Misty Mountains; and thence some had passed into the empty lands as far north as the Barrow-downs. From them came the Men of Bree; but long before these had had become subjects of the North Kingdomof Arnor and had taken up the Westron tongue.

ROTK Appendix F

It doesn't give the reason for the move north, but you could be right. Point is though, that those migrant Dunlendings didn't harbor enough ill will toward the Dûnedain to induce them to resist Arnor. The Bree-men, at any rate, had no qualms with being subjects of the Northern Kingdom.

[Kuruharan]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

It doesn't give the reason for the move north

I think "during the Dark Years" may be indicative that they were fleeing Sauron.

However, it is interesting because during certain periods the area they moved across was an active war zone and not all that empty, at least of military forces.