BArn.i: H HIM. \TIUNS. H>r, 



Horses used for war could not be less than three years old, 

 except in cases of great danger, when they could be taken at 

 the age of two years. 



One of the formations of an army was that of " Svinfylking " 

 (swine-array), or a triangle. This array was adopted in the 

 Bravalla battle, 1 where it is said to have been introduced by 

 ( )din himself, thus showing its great antiquity. 



Sigmund Brestisson, the famous champion of the Faroes, 

 in the time of Hakon Jarl made a raid into Sweden. One of 

 the chiefs of the King of Sweden, by name Bjorn, gathered a 

 numerous host and cut Sigmund off from his ships. One day 

 \\hcii they saw the host of the laud, the men of Sigmund 

 talked <>f what they should resolve to do. Sigmund said : 



"'There are yet many good chances, and very often 

 more numerous host does not gain the victory, if there are 

 fearless men against them. Now \ve will make a resolve to 



cj 



arrange our host in swine-array. We kinsmen, I and Thorir, 

 will be foremost, and then three and five white shielded men 

 shall stand on the flanks ; and I think it our best plan to rush 

 at their array, and see if we can thus get through it, and tin- 

 Swedes will not stand firmly on the field.' This they did, 

 rushed at the array of the Swedes, and broke through it ' 

 (Flateyjarbok, i., p. 140). 



It seems the shieldburg was at the apex of the triangle. 



" If thou art in a battle on shore, and hast to fight on foot. 

 and art at the point of the svin-fi/lking, then it is very important 

 in the earlier part of the battle that good care is taken that the 

 locked shieldburgh be not broken or opened" (Konung's 

 Skuggsja, p. 8.". 



They had their army formations like trained soldiers. 



The hosts, when in order of battle, were divided into sreitir 

 (detachments), and a number of these formed a fylkiny ; the 

 strength of each probably varied according to the number of 

 men who took part in the war. 



"King 



Olaf made the following speech to his host before 

 the battle of Stiklastadir : ' We have a large and tine h<-t. 

 Now I will tell you how I want to array my men. I want to 



1 In the account of this battle the 

 hanialt is used synonymously with 



svinfvlkinsr. 



