Welcome to the British History Podcast.

My name is Jamie and this is Episode 198.

The Great Keithan Army begins.

This show is free and independent to remember support and as thanks for helping keep the

community going, I offer members only content, including extra episodes and rough transcripts.

In this week, BHP co-producer Z&I launched our very first shop talk episode, where we

discuss our editorial decisions, give you things that get left on the cutting room floor,

and chat about why the Vikings might have had a real reason to fear battle cattle.

Here's a sample.

The fact of the matter is that the way battle works is an evolutionary process.

You go and you see what your opponent is doing and you try and find a way to one up that.

It's why the picks were fighting with cavalry and they were fighting with chariots, but all

of a sudden that just stopped on a dime and even after Rome withdrew, you don't see that

continuing and the reason why is because this shield wall is devastatingly effective against

cavalry charges.

But cattle are fundamentally different and then they're food animals.

You don't have the sort of investment that you do with training a horse.

You're losing a cow, losing a seer, you're going to eat it anyway.

You might lose a couple years off of that animal that you would have otherwise had a

usefulness, but if you're staring down a Viking or raid.

Right.

Or just the mercenaries or whoever.

...