Gondor: Population and Casualties - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Morwen Tindomerel · 04-15-2003, 06:48 PM

I'll accept those numbers as an approximation at least. I did a little research myself and discovered that Renaissance Florence had only 60,000 people and most of the cities of Italy had half that number or less, (Naples and Venice were the exceptions with over a hundred thousand people).

The Dunedain's long lives were balanced by low fertility. Four children was an exceptionally large family, one or two was more usual. It seems that their birthrate had fallen below replacement levels even before the Line of the Kings failed, (remember what Faramir says about 'childless lords' spending their time studying genealogy and heraldry).

The Dunedain of the North undoubtedly suffered a similar drop in population though for different reasons. In their case the low birthrate coupled with high casualties from the Witch Wars and later Ranger operations would have had the same effect. Yet it is strongly implied that Aragorn's people for all their troubles are hardier and longer lived, and perhaps even more numerous than their Southern kin.

We must remember only a minority of Gondor's population is Dunedain, even in part. Most are descended from the dark, stocky peoples native to the region or from the blond Northmen. This is probably why the few remaining Dunedain make such a fuss about their 'pure bloodlines', (the concept of hybrid vigor is evidently alien to them).

04-15-2003, 06:48 PM	#10
Morwen Tindomerel Wight Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Minas Anor or Annuminas the Golden Posts: 187	I'll accept those numbers as an approximation at least. I did a little research myself and discovered that Renaissance Florence had only 60,000 people and most of the cities of Italy had half that number or less, (Naples and Venice were the exceptions with over a hundred thousand people). The Dunedain's long lives were balanced by low fertility. Four children was an exceptionally large family, one or two was more usual. It seems that their birthrate had fallen below replacement levels even before the Line of the Kings failed, (remember what Faramir says about 'childless lords' spending their time studying genealogy and heraldry). The Dunedain of the North undoubtedly suffered a similar drop in population though for different reasons. In their case the low birthrate coupled with high casualties from the Witch Wars and later Ranger operations would have had the same effect. Yet it is strongly implied that Aragorn's people for all their troubles are hardier and longer lived, and perhaps even more numerous than their Southern kin. We must remember only a minority of Gondor's population is Dunedain, even in part. Most are descended from the dark, stocky peoples native to the region or from the blond Northmen. This is probably why the few remaining Dunedain make such a fuss about their 'pure bloodlines', (the concept of hybrid vigor is evidently alien to them).