Interest in Medieval Settings + Zombies?

[Wyldwraith]

Hey,
The Old Tyme Dead thread got me wondering if there was much interest in discussing the hypothetical conflict of the undead with medieval societies? It's probably been discussed in some old thread, but I thought some of us might like a break from critiquing f-grade zombie flicks.

So, what historical events/conflicts/critical junctures do you think might've been the most disrupted by the sudden rise of cannibal corpses?

I believe that many of the more militant cultures could've dealt with the undead, but even they would have their history significantly affected. An example would be the Vikings/Norsemen. Armed/armored and proficient enough to fight the dead successfully, and culturally conditioned not to give in to fear/panic in military conflicts. However, if the home settlements in Scandinavia had been subjected to serious + protracted attacks by zombies, the Vikings might've become more insular. Thus staving off the golden age of Viking raids.

The Romans are obviously a great example of a culture in good shape to withstand a zombie epidemic, but the political consequences could've been dire. The perceived need for decisive action might've ended the duration of the Republic far earlier, in favor of an Emperor capable of direct oversight.

The historical consequences could've been profound if Hannibal's campaign had been timed to take advantage of a zombie-related crisis on the Italian peninsula. His lack of siege weapons that ruled out a siege of Rome following the battle of Cannae might not have mattered if the city had appeared more vulnerable due to riotous citizenry and the reserve legions depletion.

So, anyone interested in posing a view hypotheticals?

[Slain]

How about the fictional universe where Dr. Frankenstein created his monster? Suppose instead of using electricity to animated his cadaver directly, Frankenstein juiced up/mutated human spinal fluid or something instead. The doctor injects/reanimated his stitched corpse with the concoction he created. After the monster escapes he infects others with his mutated bodily fluids, and spawns a subspecies of super zombies who are inhumanly strong and practically impervious to injury.

[Wyldwraith]

Would be frightening,
Especially in the era Frankenstein is set in. What would make such undead products of science run amok super-strong and impervious to injury? The Frankenstein Monster owed his strength to his size and the complex surgeries of the mad scientist. How would this effect someone who became a zombie from an attack by a "Frankenstein zombie"?

[Slain]

Frankenstein's monster must have had the ability to regenerate damaged tissue to with stand all the injuries it suffered through out the story. The electricity used to animate the monster must have mutated its cells so it could draw power from a source not available to normal creatures--perhaps the monster drew power from naturally occurring static electricity.

I don't recall Frankenstein's monster actually biting people, so whether or not it carried a contagious disease that could turn others into an undead creature like itself is an open question. It seems unlikely to me a second generation Frankenstein monster would have been as smart or powerful as the original, but would it be way more dangerous than a Romero zombie. I think it would take at least decapitation and/or incineration of a second generation monster to destroy it completely.

[Slain]

Weird and interesting find by archaeologists in England:

"Naked, beheaded, and tangled, the bodies of 51 young men—their heads stacked neatly to the side—have been found in a thousand-year-old pit in southern England, according to carbon-dating results released earlier this month.

The mass burial took place at a time when the English were battling Viking invaders, say archaeologists who are now trying to verify the identity of the slain."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/07/090728-headless-viking-execution-pit.html

This find strikes me as weird since people in the medieval era tended to regard the head of an opponent as a trophy they could take with them and show to the folks back home. Burying the victims naked implies a lack of respect for their bodies, but why would the executioners even bother burying men they didn't respect? One corpse had his fingers cut off; possibly to block a sword stroke, but wouldn't a normal person close their fist while trying to block a slashing sword?

Not saying this archaeological find is proof of a zombie outbreak a thousand years ago in England, but has elements that seem pretty strange.

[Rancid Carcass]

Not saying this archaeological find is proof of a zombie outbreak a thousand years ago in England, but has elements that seem pretty strange.

Always thought there were something a little odd about my ancestry - I guess that explained the funny smell emanating from Uncle Rege... :D

[Wooley]

Battle of Crecy+zombies=win.

Actually, the Zombie Survival Guide had some historical zombie epidemics from antiquity that could make good reading if fleshed out further, or used as a basis for an idea.

I'd like to see what you can do with it, if you decide to go forward.