The Hyborian Age - an essay by Robert E. Howard on the Conan the Barbarian setting

an essay by Robert E. Howard on Hyboria

[@conanzimmermann4721]

[Stɪdʒia], no [Stɪgia]

[@ifenewsome505]

idk how to even make those characters on a keyboard

[@shaftlamer]

lol at name

[@patrickmullane30]

He most certainly did but just as certainly kitbashed geography history eons cultures but wonderfully 😂❤

[@graveatlas3482]

I know it's been a solid while since this has been posted, and I am fairly late to the party, but my Hyborian Age itch came back full force and then I found this. Well done sir, and may Crom be with you!

[@brindlebriar]

Clearly, the guy knew a lot of real History.

[@jburt779]

He did. And he read voraciously.

[@juliankirby9880]

And lots of false history. He seems to have researched the weird stuff that we now know to be some pseudo history. Like lemuria.

[@brindlebriar]

@@juliankirby9880 You know this how? There's a difference between knowledge and belief. _I_ certainly don't know whether or not there was ever a place called Lemuria. How could I possibly know that?

[@Hero_Of_Old]

@@juliankirby9880 you mean real history that has been supressed

[@grendel8342]

@@juliankirby9880 He read about fictional continents, older concepts in history, science, and over all history to form his writing in a more interesting way. This doesn't mean he literally believed it existed, thats like saying anyone who researches the bigfoot myth believes in actual sasquatches.

[@jonathanwells223]

Rule number 1 of empire building: never teach a potential enemy how to effectively attack you Rule number 2 of empire building: never attack your allies Rule number 3 of empire building: never over-tax your populace Rule number 4 of empire building: never overextend your armies

[@dragonchr15]

There should be something in there about convincing conquered people that they are better off under imperial rule than independent nations....

[@riassslave558]

Don't forget 'An allied Kingdoms Princesses are a no-no🧐☝

[@SweetChicagoGator]

Always have great armies ! No such thing as overextended !! This is why we are well protected in the US with our $700 trillion defense budget.

[@SweetChicagoGator]

@@dragonchr15 NO ! NO Putrid monatchy !

[@SweetChicagoGator]

@@riassslave558 Not true slave boy ! 😁 Alll is fair in Love & war.

[@dominickholmes3721]

Thank you so much for this. I quit life for an hour, dusted off my Hyborian Age map and had a great time following along.

[@JB-1138]

Good job. Because of this video I just bought the first Conan book.

[@dennismartin5821]

I loved it when I was a kid. I still do, great world building, and stories.

[@turtleanton6539]

There is a complete collection a blackbook and there is a matching chluthulu one

[@skwerlmouse]

Turtle Anton yah Es z I’m z u

[@chrissteckler7250]

Enjoy!

[@hairylettuce686]

The Savage Sword of Conan is a pretty good uncensored series if you're into graphic novels.

[@dragonchr15]

Howard was very well educated and knowledgeable about other cultures even non-Western ones.....surprising for someone who grew in rural Texas in the 1920s....

[@whome5091]

This is very appreciated and appealing to the ear. The story is epic and worthy of telling. Thanks for the videos.👍

[@Arkanoid1212]

my pleasure

[@Mephilis78]

In the context of Conan, this is like Howard's "Silmarilian", or "War of the Ring" book.

[@deanwaller8283]

Only far less prosey and better told.

[@Mephilis78]

@@deanwaller8283 Yeah, the Silmarilian feels lIke reading the Old Testament lol

[@KesselRunner606]

The Silmarilion reads like a very true work of mythology. It encompasses history with theology and even astronomy. It's a story that tells you how mountains were formed, how stars came to shine, where the wind comes from. And it tells how Good and Evil came into the world. It could, in a very real sense, be the basis of a religion. While Howard's essay is far shorter and more brief, it has a very real sense of an actual secular _history._ Like all Conan's book, there's a gritty realism to it. It reads like an essay of a larger body of work one would submit for a Historical Undergrauduate Degree. And both have similarities. Both have Atlantis and its collapse as a central pivotal moment (Numenor in Tolkien). Apparently, according to L Sprague DeCamp, who met Tolkein at one point, he mentioned he "rather liked" Howard's work.

[@riassslave558]

Brilliant I haven't read this since i was a kid in the 70's thanx!🤘🤔

[@adamkember]

56:43 - So in this fiction, if the Cimmerian lands became what we know as England, Ireland, and Scotland, then in a broad sense that would make Conan pre-Celtic?

[@graveatlas3482]

I know I'm a bit late, but yes. Cimmerian people became the Celts in Howard's works.

[@noybmyob9663]

Yes.

[@viktord2025]

The Hyborian Age is set 10,000 years before the first ice age, as the history of the Hyborian Age is cyclical in nature

[@zekun4741]

One thing I did not quite understand until reading 400 pages of Conan stories, is that "Hyborian", although gives the name to the Age and the Supercontinent that the stories are set in, is actually a word which refers to the people of the West, the Hyborians, which includes Nordheim, Cimmeria, Aquilonian, Hyperborea, Kosh, Nemedia, Zingara, Argos, Zamora and many more. Hyborian basically means European or white people. In Khauran it's explained that the royalty and nobility are Hyborian, described with white European traits, while the commoner population are not, they are local aboriginals and described as more swarthy. Stygia, Turan and Shem are obviously not Hyborians.

[@seanstuckey4849]

From what I can tell, The Hyborians are based indo-European cultures, while Shem and Stygia are based on Semitic cultures while Turan is based on Indo-Iranian cultures

[@abrahemsamander3967]

Love Robert e Howard. Your narration was perfect! Felt like an actual history, but very engaging.

[@orlandomarin3031]

It’s actual history ;)

[@elvarwinston]

I like the Conan stories a lot however as I'm not a native speaker I do find it hard to read them as they are full of difficult words .The images his writing conjures in your head though while reading is excellent and the world is just as fascinating if not more. I listened to this while looking at maps of the world found on google and it made it even better. Its very immersive and I cant wait to explore it more through Howards stories. I just love the idea of different races in war/alliances, Dangerous jungles full of savage's/deserts etc. Are there any other books that have as immersive worlds like Howard's?

[@jimlassiter749]

I would recommend Thieves World (they may be out of print which would be a damn shame), World Of Tiers & Ringworld. Also, the various RingWorld books & extended Niven Universe stories are pretty good too. The Gor book series are also damn good too... Stay away from the old really crappy Gor movie.... I would recommend more but my 2000 or so books are in storage...

[@dubuyajay9964]

It's more sci fantasy, but the 80s and 90s Battletech novels. 2000 and later? Not so much.

[@ConspiratorialReport]

I read the words while listening to someone else reads the stories which gives me time to pause and look up the words.

[@AOkie68]

Check out de Camp and Lin Carter. They finished some of Howard's stories and even wrote some on their own when stories were incomplete

[@TA-by9wv]

Clark ashton smith's hyperborea and zothique stories are amazing, as well as Jack Vance's dying earth stories. Those may be difficult to read though. You could try Michael moorcocks elric saga the stories are great and in my opinion easier to read than Howard's writing, mainly because moorcocks stuff was written more recently, and because of that it has less antiquated words.

[@keithbell9348]

Kull of Atlantis. Bran Mac Morn, chief king of the Picts. Then there is Solomon Kane. But Conan the Cimmerean of Hyborea, is the toughest of his characters.

[@frankberst9849]

I'd have to say that Kull is just as fearsome, ferocious, and formidable a warrior as Conan. Kull was the colossus of the Thurian Age, and a legendary demigod by Conan's time, wiping out the Serpent Men and driving them to extinction virtually single-handedly. An absolutely titanic feat. Now that's tough.

[@keithbell9348]

@@frankberst9849 Shows how much I know. Thanks for revealing that.

[@frankberst9849]

No problem bro. I love Conan and all of Howard's creations but King Kull has always been by far my personal favorite. If you haven't already, check out his two greatest Kull stories - The Shadow Kingdom and By This Axe I Rule. You won't be disappointed l promise you.

[@hellsing507]

I love Conan to death but Solomon Kane is still my most favorite, I love the English Gothic setting and the unyielding zealous moralist Kane is. My favorite paragraph described Kane finding a raped and murdered woman on the road and he covered her up, swearing no oath to god or devil he just said "Men will die for this" no question, no philosophical meandering, just pure godly justice.

[@frankberst9849]

@@hellsing507 l too am a huge Conan fan, but there's always been something about the character of Kull than appeals to me much more. I think he's a much deeper, much more interesting personality than Conan, inhabiting an even more dangerous and mysterious world. And l agree with what you've observed about Solomon Kane, my second favorite Howard character behind Kull. Kane is like the living sword of God's righteous wrath. Some might call him a fanatic, but his unshakeable moral core and holy code of honor are at once sacred and immutable.

[@Thetemplar33]

Conan is one of the missing primarchs of 40k

[@chadsknnr]

Close! Conan IS The Emperor of Man . . . .

[@MrHullRockers]

@@chadsknnr Unlikely with his aversion to magic.

[@chadsknnr]

@@MrHullRockers Different time, different role . . . .

[@groundedorca3039]

Lmfaooo Also known as Hercules, Samson, Gilgamesh or Kevin.

[@heymay724]

your mistaking him with Sigmar

[@professor4202]

that was an enjoyable way to spend an hour. thanks!

[@Fenris77]

Really awesome presentation.

[@fasthandshero85]

Really enjoyed this!

[@leopoldjenkins]

Greatly enjoyed this.

[@crystalsoul9565]

I love your videos, but could you please make some playlists? Like Lovecraft, Conan, Essays, Warhammer 40k etc? Because sometimes the title is not enough to clearly separate the different worlds or to distinguish the videos. I would really appreciate it!

[@Arkanoid1212]

Yes, i suppose so. Time to build it up again, i guess.

[@Mirepoix_Jones]

Great narration!

[@DivineMasculine0101]

Truth is stranger than fiction.

[@TheLastRoman0000]

Good work.

[@raukoring]

Awesome reading thanks man

[@ras573]

The narrator sounds like Lex Fridman.

[@pauls3585]

thank you for this video

[@cpthurme]

Very good reading

[@jasonsantos3037]

I learn more in the hyperborean age that happened today's world.

[@jeremykern7806]

I belive howard had human evolution down to a T. He knew enough and estimated the rest.

[@orlandomarin3031]

He exposed esoteric history to the masses in a way that they could handle

[@blaircolquhoun7780]

Tis was in the Lanccer edition of the Conan stories and was divided into two parts.

[@Arkanoid1212]

Yes, i noticed there was somehow a common base between the two. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@blaircolquhoun7780]

@@Arkanoid1212 Remember the 1990s cttoonn Conan the Advenurer? It was the first time he was made kid friendly because the writers toned down his cwenching and whoring.

[@blaircolquhoun7780]

@@Arkanoid1212 You're welcome.

[@PAGoldenglovechamp06]

Man this is super interesting where can I learn more about this stuff

[@VinterNacht_]

Did you have to delete the readings of the Conan books? I can't find them anymore!

[@pavelyankouski4913]

After reaching the resource limit i will stop using computers completely, technology make life too easy. No internet, no computers only books movies and life. Combination of book tale and the alternative map - genius. Fallout games are very simmilar, and a lot of other US entertainment production, Howard is underrated, almost unknown genius

[@Arkanoid1212]

Best of luck to you, may you find what you desire.

[@turtleanton6539]

🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@SandroSensei]

I dont like the 10.000 BC timeperiod they (not howard) put the hyborian age in. To me its to short. It would better fit 30.000 BC. What do you think? 🤔

[@Dan-xt7sv]

I imagine the sinking of Atlantis to symbolize to the bronze age collapse, which happened ~1200 BC.

[@ManiacMayhem7256]

Not really. The whole idea is that these civilizations led to the earliest ones. At the end of this essay would be Sumer. 30k BC is too long ago imo. 10000 BC is preferable to me

[@andresalvarez1732]

❤️

[@Shnickers123]

I believe this is the true history of our known world and I’ve also come to find that there are more lands that are being hidden outside the known continents and islands of our current maps, the earth is much larger than what we believe….

[@Humanophage]

Could someone suggest more fantasy works like that, without dialogues and protagonists? Something like Herodotus' Histories or various travelogues, or like fantasy setting books for RPGs.

[@matthewedwards2116]

The SIlmariallion might be what you're looking for

[@Stormg0d]

It's pronounced Sti-gee-ah!!

[@johannesvonmalos7505]

I wonder what story’s take place in the country of the black kings ?

[@Arkanoid1212]

An interesting question. Queen of te black coast for sure. One had to associate the stories to a map.

[@JB-1138]

Wakanda forever!

[@Arkanoid1212]

^^

[@TheLastRoman0000]

I think he also chased Toth Amon down there after becoming king.

[@TheStonehammerFiles]

Red Nails and Jewels of Gwahlur.

[@aFoxyFox.]

So just out of interest, which of the Gods of Howard's Conan Universe (and feel free to throw in Lovecraft's as well since they were peers and throw in Game of Thrones while you're at it and Warhammer too why don't cha!) would you think is "real" or actually worship or follow and believe in? The Gods seem to be inspired by "real life" Gods as well as "real" aspects of life. Even Lovecraft's Gods seem analogous to some real deities and conceptsm, some of which are taken quite seriously today. In the films, it seems a variant if Dagon might have taken on the name Dagoth, similar to how Biblical deity names of "enemy gods" would take on "oth" like Ashtaroth for example. Ajujo of the Black Kingdoms - Combat, Luck, Plague Male Anu of Ophir - Fertility, Strength Male Ashtoreth of Shem - Fertility, Protection Female Asura of Vendhya, Iranistan - Healing, Illusion, Knowledge, Serpents Male Bel of Zamora, Shem - Chaos, Death, Trickery The Masked God Bori of Hyperborea - Strength, War Male Crom of Cimmeria The Grim and Grey God Dagon or Dagoth of Shem, Black Kingdoms -Protection, Water, Weather Male Damballah of Zembabwei, Black Kingdoms - Death, Evil, Serpents Male Set of Stygia Derketo of Stygia, Shem, Black Kingdoms - Healing, Seduction Female Derketa of the Black Kingdoms Erlik of Turan, Hyrkania - Death, Knowledge, Prophecy Male The God of the Yellow Hand of Death and the Golden Peacock of Shem - Blood, Trickery Gwahlur of Keshan - Darkness, Prophecy Male The King of Darkness Hanuman of Zamboula, Vendhya - Beast, Illusion, Knowledge Male Lord of the Black Throne Harakht, Hawk - God of Stygia - Animal, Knowledge, War Male Ibis of Stygia, Nemedia - Knowledge, Magic, Protection Male Ishtar of Shem, Koth, Khauran, Khoraja - Earth, Healing, Fertility, Seduction Female Earth-Mother Shub-Niggurath Jhebbal Sag of Pictland, Black Kingdoms - Beast, Chaos, Strength Male Lord of Beasts Jhil Ghanata of Darfar, Picts - Air, Law, Strength Male Jullah of Black Kingdoms, Picts - Beast, Strength Male Gullah of Pictland Kali of Vendhya, Ghulistan - Death, Fertility, Healing, War Female The Black Mother Mitra of Western Kingdoms - Good, Healing, Protection, Sun Male Nebethet of Punt - Death, Luck, ProphecyFemale The Ivory Goddess Nergal of Shem - Destruction, Plague, War Male Pteor of Shem - Air, Fertility, Strength Male Adonis Set of Stygia, Shem, Black Kingdoms - Death, Evil, Magic, Serpents, Weather Male Father Set, The Great Serpent, Damballah of Black Kingdoms Wiccana of Brythunia -Healing, Plant Female Nature Goddess Xotli of Atlantis - Blood, Evil Yajur of Kosala - Death, Prophecy The God of Yota-Pong Yama of Meru - Evil, Fire Male King of Devils Ymir of Nordheim - Destruction, Strength, War Male The Frost Giant Yog of Darfar, Zuagir - Bats, Blood, Darkness The Lord of Empty Abodes, Camazotz Yun of Khitai - Guardian, Plant Zath of Zamora - Darkness, Spiders or Omm, The Spider-God of Yezud Deities and Demi-gods of the Hyborian Age Nordheimr/Cimmerian Gods Ymir the frost-giant - Nordheimr god Atali - Ymir's Daughter, Nordheimr god Frost Giants/Ice Giants - Ymir's Sons, Nordheimr gods Cimmerian gods Crom - Cimmerian god Lir - Cimmerian god Mannanan - Cimmerian god, son of Lir Badb - Cimmerian war goddess Morrigan - Cimmerian goddess of battle, strife, and fertility Macha - Cimmerian goddess of war, horses, sovereignty Nemain - Cimmerian goddess of the havoc of war Diancecht Dagda Hyborian gods Bori - Hyborian god, chief and king Mitra - Hyborian god Anu - Corinthian sky god Fear - Hyborian god Fate - Hyborian god Ishtar - Hyborian goddess/Shemitish fertility goddess Death - Hyborian god Time - Hyborian god Darkness - Hyborian god Light - Hyborian god Night - Hyborian god Nameless Old Ones - Hyborian gods Nightmare - Hyborian god Ahriman - Hyborian god/devil Night of the World - Hyborian god Stygian gods Ibis - Stygian god of wisdom and the moon Set - Stygian Serpent-god Child of Set - Giant serpent with human head, Stygian god Giant-Kings/Monster Kings - Pre-Stygian Race of gods Derketo - Shemitish/Stygian sea-goddess of pleasure Shemitish gods Bel - Zamoran god, god of thieves Ishtar - Hyborian goddess/Shemitish fertility goddess Derketo - Shemitish/Stygian sea-goddess of pleasure Ashtoreth - Shemitish goddess of fertility, sexuality, and war Adonis - Shemitish god Dagon - Shemitish fish god Baal - Archeronian/ Shemitish god/demon Devil - Shemitish god Pteor - Pelishtim god Vendhyan gods Asura - Vendhyan god Yizil - Vendhyan god Kosalan god Yajur - Kosalan god Gods of the Black Kingdoms Jullah - Kushite god Princess Yelaya - Alkmeenonian, Oracle of Alkmeenon, goddess to Keshan Jhil - Aphaki god, Pictish/Kushite raven god Ajujo, the Dark One - Kushite god Gwahlur - Keshani god Derketa Queen of the Dead - Kushite goddess Jhebbal Sag - ancient deity of men and beasts Ivory Woman of Punt Hyrkanian gods Yog Lord of the Empty Abodes - Hyrkanian demon god Hanuman - Hykanian ape-god Erlik - Hyrkanian god of death and the underworld Tarim - Hyrkanian god Zamorian god spider-god of Yezud Pictish gods and demi-gods Jhebbal Sag - ancient deity of men and beasts Zogar Sag - Pict, Gwaweli tribe, Pictish wizard, shaman, Jhebbal Sag's son Hairy One who lives on the moon - Pictish god, gorilla-god of Gullah Jhil - Aphaki god, Pictish/Kushite raven god Children of Jhil - Pictish raven familiars Khitan gods Yag-Kosha/Yogah of Yag - Demon of the Elder World, from the green planet Yag worshiped by the Yellow-skulled priests of Yun Yun - Khitan god Other gods and demi-gods gods of Yag Thog - Xuthalan god, shadow monster Khosatral Khel - Transmutated sorcerer, the ancient from the Abyss, Dagonian god Ollam-onga - Vampire, god of Gazal dragon gods - gods of Xuchotl Thaug - Giant shadowy monster worshipped by Taramis gods and goddesses of the night worshipped by Taramis Eve - Judeo/Christian progenitor blonde demigod blonde demigod's father devil from the outer dark/bat demon worshipped by the brown women of The Vale of Lost Women

[@mjayb83]

Black or dark, in this context doesn't mean, Sub-Saharan africans...for our afro-centrist 'friends'.

[@Zennofobic]

Stygian, the best!

[@jaads7910]

Howard was way ahead of the time,

[@PAGoldenglovechamp06]

Who were these black kings

[@sophiawilson8696]

This look like India? Or end of Africa?. I just Google this I find Shem might be Africa. Stygia might be Egypt, Sumer is Mesopotamia the Hydrodian age is about 10,000 BCE. Keshan is Kesh or Nubia. Darfar is Sudan. Khitai is China, Afghulistan is Afghanistan. Punt is Somalia is Horn of Africa. Kush is North Africa, I know I put this before Shem is Arabia, Palestine, Syria. Cimmerian is Russia which that Conan is from. The Conan wiki reads that Eurasia and Africa join together there is no seas.

[@RICHGTV305]

Therefore Conan aka Konan is a Moor

[@anoobthatcould8659]

This is forsure in the so called new world or western Hemisphere. I think the grand canyon gives context to the Country of Black Kings along with the Land of Shem being right to great lake region which can be looked into as Lebanon which has that land of Iran to the so called east

[@noybmyob9663]

Conan is Canaan.

[@Sassssky]

​@@anoobthatcould8659 Shem is the middle East/Levant/where Jesus was born. Stygia is Egypt. India is a peninsular but on the other side of the continent.

[@anoobthatcould8659]

@@Sassssky brutha u got to look into the history of the americas which get mixed with atlantis chronology.... Im literally a descended from the Shamen or Medicine Men of Potawatomi Tribe .... These are the men of Shem that you speak of that could turn themselves into the vehicle or UFOs which shem means vehicle or Automation.... Yes you are right Osiris or Jesus would rise in the West.... Dont take my word for it look it up theres cedars in the Great lake region

[@jaads7910]

I thought he was Sumerians

[@stephentaylor2119]

Pronounced CONN-an, not Koh-NAN

[@alfieingrouille1528]

NO

[@danielbracken776]

Pistol packing Pete Robert e Howard

[@mikedunn8130]

this better not be hagga

[@Lucky14th]

Thanks cause I cant read!

Cimmerians are f.ing OP. They slay every nation on their way and they do it without any presence of technological advantage. Its like they are using a cheat code. I love Howard's work but when it came to Cimmerians it becomes a bit ridiculous. This diminishes my enjoyment from his fictional history a little.

[@jonathanstewart9850]

Aquilonians could slap them if I’m not mistaken

[@crankywombat2598]

What are you going on about?.. I think your the one who needs to go learn some more about this lore kid.

[@jonathanstewart9850]

@@crankywombat2598 lmao ok nerd

[@zekun4741]

The Cimmerians in the Hyborian Age are based on Scythians but with some Irish traits and homeland, depicted as as the ancestors of Irish people. In real life the Cimmerians were part of the Scythian cultures, and the Scythians absolutely defeated everyone who tried to conquer them. Darius the Great was defeated by the Scythians, Cyrus the Great was defeated by the Scythians and Alexander the Great was defeated by the Scythians. The Hyborian Cimmerians are OP because they're based on a very OP real life people. And the Persians and Greeks saw the Scythians as barbarians. So I don't see a reason why this would diminish your enjoyment.

[@alfieingrouille1528]

🤓

[@johngilson7085]

I was the 666th like, is that bad?

[@merketarif126]

The Old World of known Heros was Turkic World. The world of Conans spreading as the first Horsrieders in every corner of the world establishing our Mytholgy. What do you thing where the word Alp (mountains-Turkic Warrior/Hero) come from?

[@Rombizio]

Ssss tee jee ya. Not Sss tee guee a.

[@tomurg]

44:52 ASOIAF reference?

[@awesomeatronik]

This pre-dates asoiaf by nearly 100 years.

[@fredrikgranstrom6743]

lol

[@nickfooz]

Commendable effort, but a teenager’s voice, I can’t... I just can’t. It almost feels like you’re reading fan fiction. I need my George Guidall for this sort of thing.

[@Arkanoid1212]

i have always been fond of hours long lectures about... fluff - there are two others i know of and which are also here and there are a few setting introductions... mmmh maybe i should look into diversifying this some more

[@ericbell564]

Chode

[@Not_An_Alien]

That seems like one of those thoughts one should keep to oneself. Like, "A wonderful thesis, but your face is ugly."

[@nickfooz]

@@Not_An_Alien I’m sorry I offended anyone. But how can I keep this to myself? The voice is a major component in this, and it should be pleasant and fitting to the material. Intelligibility isn’t the only thing that’s important. I understand those qualities are subjective, but it’s the typical sort of opinion one shares for this sort of thing.

[@thebilldozer7970]

I think you did good kid.

[@SweetChicagoGator]

Why can you not find good readers/narrators, but instead expressionless monotone voices like this young man?! 🙄