The population in Middle Earth - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

09-30-2007, 01:00 PM

One of the flaws in the LOTR appears to be the fact that the world population is quite small, most probably no more than 1-2 million figures from various races. Even a major city, such as Minas Tirith, can only hold around 50,000 people. How can this be? Why are the armies of Gondor & Rohan so small?

ninja91 · 09-30-2007, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mansun

One of the flaws in the LOTR appears to be the fact that the world population is quite small, most probably no more than 1-2 million figures from various races. Even a major city, such as Minas Tirith, can only hold around 50,000 people. How can this be? Why are the armies of Gondor & Rohan so small?

You bring up a very good point. You would think that there would be many more cities. Look at Gondor, and how easy it would be to build a city there, yet there are only 15 at most known throughout the whole country. And I guess the armies are so small because they were not prepared to ever have to defend themselves from the likes of Sauron ever again...that is until the Third Age.

TheGreatElvenWarrior · 09-30-2007, 03:58 PM

Maybe if Middle-earth would have more people then it would get over crowded, and thats not what Tolkien wanted...just a thought.

ninja91 · 09-30-2007, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGreatElvenWarrior

Maybe if Middle-earth would have more people then it would get over crowded, and thats not what Tolkien wanted...just a thought.

True. One of his themes in his works was the defense of nature, and how it is ever-important.

The Might · 09-30-2007, 04:23 PM

So what?
Tolkien said that if we were to consider M-e really existed then it would be about 6000 years between the Fall of Barad-dur and modern times.

So that means 4000 BC.
Now I dunno how many people lived in Europe back then during the Bronze Age or whatever age but I doubt there were many.

So that it makes sense that after much reproduction we now have all these millions that all originate from those first 1 - 2 millions. Of course in this case the Elves (who anyway were only very few) and Dwarves (same goes for them) don't count.

Meriadoc1961 · 09-30-2007, 07:45 PM

Gondor was founded by the Numenoreans, a race that lived thrice that of other mortal men. Therefore, it would stand to reason that a longer lived race would not have to reproduce itself so quickly as a race that does not live as long.

Rohan was founded by a race of people who emigrated from the north. There may have been many more people still there, plus we do not know how many people inhabited the lands to the east and to the south.

Additionally, I believe the plague decimated much of the population of the Rohirrim that also coincided with the Fell Winter.

But I could be wrong.

Merry

09-30-2007, 01:00 PM	#1
Mansun Guest Posts: n/a	The population in Middle Earth One of the flaws in the LOTR appears to be the fact that the world population is quite small, most probably no more than 1-2 million figures from various races. Even a major city, such as Minas Tirith, can only hold around 50,000 people. How can this be? Why are the armies of Gondor & Rohan so small? Last edited by Mansun; 09-30-2007 at 02:22 PM.

09-30-2007, 03:58 PM	#3
TheGreatElvenWarrior Mighty Quill Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Walking off to look for America Posts: 2,230	Maybe if Middle-earth would have more people then it would get over crowded, and thats not what Tolkien wanted...just a thought. __________________ The Party Doesn't Start Until You're Dead.

09-30-2007, 04:23 PM	#5
The Might Guard of the Citadel Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Oxon Posts: 2,205	So what? Tolkien said that if we were to consider M-e really existed then it would be about 6000 years between the Fall of Barad-dur and modern times. So that means 4000 BC. Now I dunno how many people lived in Europe back then during the Bronze Age or whatever age but I doubt there were many. So that it makes sense that after much reproduction we now have all these millions that all originate from those first 1 - 2 millions. Of course in this case the Elves (who anyway were only very few) and Dwarves (same goes for them) don't count. __________________ “The invisible and the non-existent look very much alike.” Delos B. McKown

09-30-2007, 07:45 PM	#6
Meriadoc1961 Wight Join Date: Dec 2001 Posts: 101	Gondor was founded by the Numenoreans, a race that lived thrice that of other mortal men. Therefore, it would stand to reason that a longer lived race would not have to reproduce itself so quickly as a race that does not live as long. Rohan was founded by a race of people who emigrated from the north. There may have been many more people still there, plus we do not know how many people inhabited the lands to the east and to the south. Additionally, I believe the plague decimated much of the population of the Rohirrim that also coincided with the Fell Winter. But I could be wrong. Merry __________________ "If I yawn again, I shall split at the ears!"