The History of Finland Podcast

8 - The Friendly Vikings (800/825-1025/1100)

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Finland has been the worlds happiest country now eight times in a row. It all started with Friendly Vikings some 1200 years ago..

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Mentioned in this episode:

Viking museum

Sources

Edited by Joonas Ahola & Frog, with Clive Tulley, Fibula, Fabula, Fact: The Viking Age in Finland, Finnish Literary Society, 2014

Matka muinaiseen Suomeen (Journey to Ancient Finland)

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7 - Minority Report Part I (Sami People)

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 09:44:29 GMT

Episode which is "also a Tom Cruise movie.. of sorts!" This is the first of maybe 3 or 4 special episodes on Finnish minorities. In this episode we will introduce the Sami people.

Welcome back!

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Mentioned in this episode:

Pulttibois

Running sound from Zapsplat.com

Sources

Samuli Aikio, Marjut Huuskonen, Eva Lettinen, Sukelluksia Saamelaisten ja Suomalaisten Suhteisiin, Raakku Kustannus, 2016Pekka Isaksson, Jouko Jokisalo, Historian Lisälehtiä: Suvaitsevaisuuden ongelma ja vähemmistöt kansallisessa historiassa, Like Kustannus, 2005Veli-Pekka Lehtola, The Sámi People: Traditions in Transition, University of Alaska Press, 2004Kukka Ranta, Jaana Kanninen, Vastatuuleen: Saamen Kansan Pakkosuomalaistamisesta, Kustantamo S&S, Helsinki 2019

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6 - Migrations and Merovingians migraines. (375/400-800/825) Migration and Merovingian period.

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 20:09:20 GMT

Before we take a little break from our usual chronological narrative, (Next surprise episode or two) let's take a look what proto-Finns were doing before "Viking Age". We have mysteries, more Tolkien (he was fan of Finnish language after all!), Finnish weapon Angon and much more!

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Mentioned in this episode:

Varkaus

Fennoscandia

Vöyrin Käldamäki

Käldamäki 3D-Face reconstruction

Cassiodorus and Procopious

Israel Alftanus

Sources

Ilari Aalot, Elina Helkala, Matka muinaiseen Suomeen: 11 000 vuotta ihmisen jälkiä, Atena Kustannus Oy, 2017

Georg Haggrén, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen & Anna Wessman, Muinaisuutemme jäljet, Gaudeamus Oy, 2015

Juha Hurme, Niemi, Teos, 2017

Eino Jutikkala, Kauko Pirinen, A History of Finland, Translated from Finnish by Paul Sjöblom, WS Bookwell Oy, 2003

David Kirby, A Concise History of Finland, Cambridge University Press, 2006

Henrik Meinaner A History of Finland, Translated from Swedish by Tom Geddes, C. Hurst & Co., 2011

Pentti Virrankoski, Suomen Historia, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura 2019

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5 - Romans are coming! What!? Wait..? Really? (500 BCE-375/400 CE) Early Iron Age

Fri, 29 May 2020 23:51:05 GMT

I know you’re waiting for Romans and we have them, kind of! Finland was at best in the Roman Empires periphery, but most likely in Romans margins. Finland of course never was a province of Roman Empire, but we have a slice in the coast, that did inhabit people with their cultural influence at least. Bit more about ceramics too, since it is the last time they play bigger role in our Story. Vikings have to wait their turn for bit more.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Tacitus (Germania)

The Roman Army at War: 100 BC - 200AD

The History of Rome (Marcomannic Wars, Episode 93)

Mythologia Fennica (Folklore about cupstones)

Sources

Ilari Aalot, Elina Helkala, Matka muinaiseen Suomeen: 11 000 vuotta ihmisen jälkiä, Atena Kustannus Oy, 2017

Georg Haggrén, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen & Anna Wessman, Muinaisuutemme jäljet, Gaudeamus Oy, 2015

Eino Jutikkala, Kauko Pirinen, A History of Finland, Translated from Finnish by Paul Sjöblom, WS Bookwell Oy, 2003

Henrik Meinaner A History of Finland, Translated from Swedish by Tom Geddes, C. Hurst & Co., 2011

Pentti Virrankoski, Suomen Historia, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura 2019

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4 - Before Romans and Vikings.. (1700- 500 BCE) Bronze age

Sun, 17 May 2020 20:52:26 GMT

Finland has her first taste of Civilization. In this episode we meet a lot of rocks and metals. Some of our rocks are World Famous! We cover the Bronze age to the beginning of Iron Age. We also just hit our 500 download milestone, so thank you all for listening!

Email: thofpodcast@gmail.com

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Mentioned in this episode:

https://freesound.org/people/ShadyDave/sounds/325611/ (Piano jingle in the "Bison story" is by: Shady Dave - My love (piano loop)

Seima axes

Palstave blades

Textile Ceramics

Sources

Ilari Aalot, Elina Helkala, Matka muinaiseen Suomeen: 11 000 vuotta ihmisen jälkiä, Atena Kustannus Oy, 2017

Georg Haggrén, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen & Anna Wessman, Muinaisuutemme jäljet, Gaudeamus Oy, 2015

Eino Jutikkala, Kauko Pirinen, A History of Finland, Translated from Finnish by Paul Sjöblom, WS Bookwell Oy, 2003

Henrik Meinaner A History of Finland, Translated from Swedish by Tom Geddes, C. Hurst & Co., 2011

Pentti Virrankoski, Suomen Historia, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura 2019

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3 - Molon Labe ( 3200-1900/1700 BCE) Late Neolithic Period

Mon, 04 May 2020 19:03:38 GMT

This time we wrap up stone age and prepare to adventure to bronze age on our next episode. We take closer look at housing, farming and something called Battle Axe culture and “giants churches”. Episode is a bit shorter due the remaking of the older episodes as well.

Email for the podcast is thofpodcast@gmail.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Cows let to summer pastures

The History of Finland site

Corded Ware ceramic/ Battle Axe culture

Monty Python (What have Romans ever done for us?)

Pöljä group (ceramics)

Kiukainen culture

The two main groups of ceramics from the period of this episode are:

Corded Ware ceramic/ Battle Axe culture (2800-2300 BCE) found mostly in Southwestern Finland and Southern Ostrobothnia.

Late Stone age ceramic (3300-1800 BCE) mostly found from Southwestern Finland

SOURCES

Georg Haggrén, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen & Anna Wessman, Muinaisuutemme jäljet, Gaudeamus Oy, 2015

Pentti Virrankoski, Suomen Historia, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura 2019

Ilari Aalto, Elina Helkala, Matka muinaiseen Suomeen: 11 000 vuotta ihmisen jälkiä, Atena Kustannus Oy, 2017

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2 - Seals, Huts and Ceramics (5200-3200BCE) Early and Middle Neolithic Period

Sat, 02 May 2020 14:42:32 GMT

In our story we journey deeper into the woods and find out what our earthlings were doing in the beginning of the new stone age. Did things change from Mesolithic to Neolithic and if so, how?

Email for the podcast is thofpodcast@gmail.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Salpausselkä

Operation Chastice

Treaty of Nöteborg (1323)

Henrik Gabriel Porthan

Kierikki

Jäkärlän ryhmä (group)

Jean Sibelius

Giant's churches

The two main groups of ceramics from the period of this episode are:

Comb Ceramic (5200-3250 BCE) found mostly in Southern Finland, Asbestos Ceramic (4600-2500 BCE) mostly found from Eastern Finland. These in turn include sub ceramic groups.

SOURCES

Georg Haggrén, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen & Anna Wessman, Muinaisuutemme jäljet, Gaudeamus Oy, 2015

Juha Hurme, Niemi, Teos, 2017

Pentti Virrankoski, Suomen Historia, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura 2019

Ilari Aalot, Elina Helkala, Matka muinaiseen Suomeen: 11 000 vuotta ihmisen jälkiä, Atena Kustannus Oy, 2017

Markku Liuskari, Hannele Palo, Vesa Vihervä, Forum V: Ruotsin Itämaasta Suomeksi, Otava, 2019

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1 - The Peninsula (12 000-5200 BCE) Mesolithic Period

Sat, 02 May 2020 14:00:16 GMT

What happened in the peninsula, now called Finland when the last ice age ended 12 000 years ago? Tune in to find out! We cover the culture, diet, and the habits of this stone age people living on this swampy patch of land.

Mentioned in this episode:
Das Boot

Laboe Naval Memorial

Wolf Cave

Facebook post with pictures of seas / lakes

El Capitan

Sapmi

Antrea Net

Suomusjärvi culture

SOURCES

Georg Haggrén, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen & Anna Wessman, Muinaisuutemme jäljet, Gaudeamus Oy, 2015

Juha Hurme, Niemi, Teos, 2017

Pentti Virrankoski, Suomen Historia, Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura 2019

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0 - Introduction

Sat, 02 May 2020 13:49:47 GMT

Welcome to the History of Finland podcast. In this short introduction episode I'll cover the basics like what the podcast is and why do I make it. Subscribe now and never miss an episode!
Email for the podcast is thofpodcast@gmail.com

NB, All the episodes had a facelift (new recording, added narrative, tidying the text etc.) on the 2nd of May, 2020!

Podcasts mentioned in this episode:
The History of Rome
Revolutions
The History of the World
Footnoting History
Partial Historians
History is Sexy

Books/people mentioned in this episode were:
Daniel Juslenius - Vanha ja Uusi Turku (Aboa Vetus et Nova)
Henrik Gabriel Porthan (Finnish Livy)
Yrjö Sakari Yrjö-Koskinen - Oppikirja Suomen kansan historiassa (1869–1873)
Mannerheim
Minna Canth

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