Sauron's Armies - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Elmo · 01-28-2007, 05:02 PM

I'm sure I've read Bouddica (don't ask me how its spelt) army was 100,000 and Melkor knows how many troops Xerxes had at Thermopylae so it is possible to have that larges armies in pre modern eras. and as for providing food orcs seemed to enjoy eating any flesh so I'm sure that can't have been much of a problem

Kuruharan · 01-29-2007, 06:46 PM

Quote:

I'm sure I've read Bouddica (don't ask me how its spelt) army was 100,000 and Melkor knows how many troops Xerxes had at Thermopylae so it is possible to have that larges armies in pre modern eras.

And, of course, ancient historians are not at all known for inflating the numbers in their texts.

The Sixth Wizard · 02-03-2007, 11:55 PM

I don't think there could possibly be that many orcs at the 'book' Pellennor Fields, simply because it would be impossible to win the battle. 6,000 Rohirrim, the garrison in Minas Tirith (which we don't know the number), 3,000 or so reinforcements from Dol Amroth, and a couple of hundred northern Rangers (in the book there was no Army of the Dead at the actual battle of Minas Tirith, they had fulfilled their oaths killing off the Corsairs). All in all not many, considering there were nine Nazgul, heaps of Mumakil and countless Trolls and Orcs against them. So I'd say 50,000, no more, in the book-version of the battle.

As for the movie, well, anything's possible in a movie so whatever you want.

And I don't think Sauron would have left the majority of his troops in Mordor, though the line

Quote:

Hardly has our strength sufficed to beat off the first great assault. The next will be greater.

begs to differ.

Rhod the Red · 02-04-2007, 04:28 AM

The figure? I guess maybe up to 300,000

02-22-2007, 12:28 PM

I think Tolkein stated that the numbers at Mordor were more than 10 times the match of the 10,000 strong army sent by Gandalf to the Black Gate. It is also mentioned that The Witch-King sent forth one of, & not the greatest, army from his Kingdom into battle against Gondor. If this is so, the army he rode with was probably slightly less than what remained in Mordor, perhaps 100,000 soldiers. Any more than this then I doubt if it could not have been the greatest host sent.

01-28-2007, 05:02 PM	#1
Elmo Pittodrie Poltergeist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: trying to find that warm and winding lane again Posts: 633	I'm sure I've read Bouddica (don't ask me how its spelt) army was 100,000 and Melkor knows how many troops Xerxes had at Thermopylae so it is possible to have that larges armies in pre modern eras. and as for providing food orcs seemed to enjoy eating any flesh so I'm sure that can't have been much of a problem __________________ As Beren looked into her eyes within the shadows of her hair, The trembling starlight of the skies he saw there mirrored shimmering.

02-04-2007, 04:28 AM	#4
Rhod the Red Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: May 2006 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 257	The figure? I guess maybe up to 300,000 __________________ Head of the Fifth Order of the Istari Tenure: Fourth Age(Year 1) - Present Currently operating in Melbourne, Australia

02-22-2007, 12:28 PM	#5
Mansun Guest Posts: n/a	I think Tolkein stated that the numbers at Mordor were more than 10 times the match of the 10,000 strong army sent by Gandalf to the Black Gate. It is also mentioned that The Witch-King sent forth one of, & not the greatest, army from his Kingdom into battle against Gondor. If this is so, the army he rode with was probably slightly less than what remained in Mordor, perhaps 100,000 soldiers. Any more than this then I doubt if it could not have been the greatest host sent.