Spartans or Beserkers?

Question

Who would win in a battle to the death? Spartans or Beserkers?

Answer 1

Berzerkers were ferocious, but the problem with them was that their charge was a suicide charge. Berzerkers would charge ahead of the main lines and plow into the enemy line, trying to cause as much carnage before they were finally hacked down. in sustained combat, Berzerkers would have fatigued rapidly, which would have been a significant problem against a phalanx, which was historically famous for its staying power. Alexander used the staying power of the Phalanx to provide the anvil, while his elite cavalry provided the hammer. He conquered one of the richest empires in history using that tactic.

Phalanx on Phalanx combat was more of a pushing match, the close order warriors protected each other well enough that casualties were rare. The berzerkers simply would not have been able to penetrate deep enough into the lines to cause the necessary damage.

However, they never truly encountered the phalanx, which presented a wall of spears, at least, certainly not the greek phalanx. And Spartans would have been armored from head to toe in Bronze, which is contrasted with dark age warriors, who typically didn't wear anything at all, or possibly padded armor, and rarely chainmail.

Spartans were trained specifically to take head on threats. Their decline had more to do with the increased use of ranged weapons and cavalry. Two blocks of infantry with no other distractions in a field was what the Spartans were literally bred for. The berzerkers would not have been able to inflict enough damage on the initial charge to sway the battle, especially against the steel discipline of the Spartans.

My money would be on the Spartans.

Answer 2

I would say Spartans. Though the Beserkers are big and scary at times, the Spartans have a cool head and are better organized. The Beserkers are also an unorganized lot which doesn't work to their advantage. Not only that, if 300 Spartans can hold off 1 million Persians for three days, then they can kick an army of Beserkers flat on their rear.

Answer 3

Beserkers.

Answer 4

According to one tradition, berserkers were Vikings who got horrendously drunk and then just went out with their swords and battleaxes and hacked apart anyone who came close enough. Others claim that they were not drunk but fought so ferociously that their opponents assumed that they had to be drunk to fight as fearlessly as they did.

The Spartans were more orderly but equally fearless and willing to fight to the death.

So, assuming we could warp time and put them up against each other, it would probably be a stalemate.

Answer 5

You answer:

Who would win in a battle to the death? Someone who knows what he fights for or someone who doesnt?

Answer 6

beserkers -- stick with my ancestors.

Answer 7

There's a difference between the two?

Answer 8

BESERKERS-- they were on magic mushrooms :)