Evidence for that theory comes from numerous slipways for military ships from the 3rd century, discovered along the Norwegian coast.
It has long been believed that the Viking Age began in the late 8th century. However, new archaeological studies suggest Viking naval power goes back five centuries earlier. Leading Norwegian archaeologist Frans-Arne Stylegar claims that organized naval forces along the southern and western coasts of Norway were already active between 180 and 540 AD. Stylegar says the naval history of the Vikings may have started as early as the 3rd century.
Large Slips on the North Sea Coast
Along the Norwegian coast, Stylegar’s team found a significant number of ship slips. Many of them are over 20 meters long and date from the 2nd to the 5th centuries.
The size of these slips indicates that the vessels stored within them were much larger than typical fishing boats. Their concentration suggests organized naval bases. Stylegar says the slips should be seen in the broader geopolitical context of the North Sea, where ancient contacts between Scandinavians and the Roman Empire are central to the hypothesis.
Scandinavians in the Roman Navy: Valuable Lessons
By the late 2nd and into the 3rd century, Scandinavians served as mercenaries in Roman armies. Archaeologist Dagfinn Skre suggested that serving in Roman military campaigns transformed Scandinavian society after around 180 AD.
Men from the Norwegian coast may have served specifically in the Roman navy, gaining firsthand knowledge of its organization and maritime logistics at Roman naval bases in Britain and Gaul.
Arkeonews reports that, upon returning home, they adapted that knowledge to Scandinavian conditions. Stylegar argues the structural parallels between Roman ship architecture and Norwegian slips are too clear to ignore.
If so, Roman engineering and naval strategy could have indirectly shaped early northern maritime power.
The authors aren’t claiming Vikings existed culturally in the 3rd century. They argue the structural foundations of Viking naval power may have been laid much earlier than previously thought.
A Real Clue – The Ship from the Nydam Bog
To date, no ships from that era have been discovered in Norway. However, an important find exists in Denmark. In the 19th century, a large ship built of oak around 320 AD was recovered from the Nydam bog in southern Jutland. The vessel, approximately 23 meters long, could accommodate about 45 people, including 36 rowers.
Though that ship was found in another Scandinavian country, it reflects a wider North Sea naval tradition. Stylegar says vessels like it could have been stored in large Norwegian slips.
Photo: Museum of Archaeology in Stavanger
