History Main / OlderThanPrint

Note: this is older than ''UsefulNotes/JohannesGutenberg's printing press'' (1439 CE), not metal movable-type characters (ca. 1230 CE, Korea), movable-type printing (1040 CE, China), and certainly not wood-block printing (220 CE or earlier, China again). These earlier printing methods could be used to cut down the cost of reproduction, but they each had drawbacks. Wood blocks used for printing would wear out and have to be disposed. In short, the Middle Ages -- assuming you don't take Petrarch's definition for it, as he lived in the 1300s. Even [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare all things Shakespeare]], Literature/DonQuixote, and many late medieval and high Renaissance era books are only OlderThanSteam.

Note: this is older than ''UsefulNotes/JohannesGutenberg's printing press'' (1439 CE), not metal movable-type characters (ca. 1230 CE, Korea), movable-type printing (1040 CE, China), and certainly not wood-block printing (220 CE or earlier, China again). These earlier printing methods could be used to cut down the cost of reproduction, but they each had drawbacks. Wood blocks used for printing would wear out and hsve to be disposed. In short, the Middle Ages -- assuming you don't take Petrarch's definition for it, as he lived in the 1300s. Even [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare all things Shakespeare]], Literature/DonQuixote, and many late medieval and high Renaissance era books are only OlderThanSteam.

From the fall of Rome during the 5th century (c. 476 CE) to the invention of printing. The precise dates vary from region to region, but this was a time when literacy was low and books rare. Most western folklore originated here, often echoing earlier tropes. ChivalricRomance developed in this era.

Note: this is older than ''UsefulNotes/JohannesGutenberg's printing press'' (1439 CE), not metal movable-type characters (ca. 1230 CE, Korea), movable-type printing (1040 CE, China), and certainly not wood-block printing (220 CE or earlier, China again). In short, the Middle Ages -- assuming you don't take Petrarch's definition for it, as he lived in the 1300s. Even [[Creator/WilliamShakespeare all things Shakespeare]], Literature/DonQuixote, and many late medieval and high Renaissance era books are only OlderThanSteam.

* ProxyWar: The 6th century conflict between the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its chief rival the Sassanid (Persian) Empire saw one of these play out over Yemen, with both powers sending rival missionaries to convert the Yemenis and gain their allegiance. The Romans supported efforts by their East African ally Axum to convert Yemen to UsefulNotes/OrthodoxChristianity,[[note]]Which had not at this point fully split into the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox branches[[/note]] while the Sasanids encouraged the spread of UsefulNotes/{{Judaism}} (not because they were Jewish--they were actually [[UsefulNotes/{{Zoroastrianism}} Zoroastrians]]--but because they had a strategic alliance with the Jewish leadership to oppose Christian/Roman power). When the Sassanids succeeded, the Romans got Axum to invade and conquer Yemen.

* ProxyWar: The 6th century conflict between the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its chief rival the Sassanid (Persian) Empire saw one of these play out over Yemen, with both powers sending rival missionaries to convert the Yemenis and gain their allegiance. When the Sassanids succeeded, the ERE got their East African ally Axum to invade and conquer Yemen.

[-[[caption-width-right:197:The ''[[http://www.abdn.ac.uk/bestiary/intro.hti Aberdeen Bestiary]]'', c. late 12th century]]-]

* SkyPirates: Agobard of Lyon's "On Hail and Thunder" is centered around debunking the common belief that larcenous sailors from the cloud realm of Magonia would come on flying ships to steal crops damaged by storms.

* WiseSerpent: Snakes being wise, knowledgeable, and cunning creatures is a concept that has appeared in several mythologies such as Myth/{{African|Mythology}} (Danh-gbi god of wisdom and bliss), Myth/{{Aztec|Mythology}} (Quetzalcoatl, founder of priestly wisdom), Myth/{{Chinese|African}} (snake-like dragons are sages), Myth/{{Greek|Mythology}} (snakes are associated with wisdom and hidden knowledge), Myth/{{Inca|Mythology}} (Amaru is the symbol of wisdom and has knowledge on its scales), and Myth/{{Korean|Mythology}} (same as Chinese). Naturally, religions also present cases of this -- e.g., Literature/TheBible (snakes are crafty and wise, Lucifer takes the form of one to trick people), UsefulNotes/{{Buddhism}} (thinkers and philosophers include naga in their names, after the half-serpent creatures), and UsefulNotes/{{Voudoun}} (Damballah is the keeper of knowledge and wisdom).

* FieryRedhead: [[Myth/NorseMythology Thor]], in spite of what later adaptations (and not just the Creator/MarvelComics one) would have you believe, was always described as red-haired and red-bearded. As for his temper, his description in ''Literature/TheEddas'' is:

* StandardFantasySetting: The setting of most of Myth/NorseMythology, most notably Literature/TheEddas. Long before the modern {{fantasy}} genre took shape, Norse Mythology envisioned a world where rugged warriors lived alongside semi-human elves, dwarves, and giants, questing for treasure and doing battle with monsters. Much of the standard vocabulary of fantasy is even ripped directly from the tales of the Norsemen, with terms like "Elf" and "Dwarf" derived from the Old Norse ''"Alfar"'' and ''"Dvergr"''; even [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings "Middle Earth"]] is a literal English translation of the Old Norse ''"Midgard"''. In short: the StandardFantasySetting was the Standard Norse Setting before the fantasy genre existed.

* HeartSymbol: ''Roman de la poire'', dating to the 13th century, has the first known depiction of the use of heart symbols to represent love.

* HeartSymbol: ''Roman de la poire'', dating to 13th century, has a first known depiction of the use of heart symbols as love.

* IsThatWhatTheyreCallingItNow: ''Decameron'', 14th century CE. [[http://dante.ilt.columbia.edu/books/decamer/eng/Day_03/novella_03_10.html Day 3, Story 10]]

* SecretStabWound: In one Myth/KingArthur story, Sir Gareth inflicted one of these on a BlackKnight in a joust; said knight abruptly fell dead during the ensuing swordfight.

* SimpleStaff: Little John, ''RobinHood'', 14th century

* The ''Literature/TaleOfGenji''

* {{Bishonen}}: [[Literature/TaleOfGenji Prince Genji]].

* DirectLineToTheAuthor: ''Literature/TaleOfGenji'' and ''Literature/TheCanterburyTales'' both have this.

* WifeHusbandry: Hikaru Genji does this with/to Murasaki in ''Literature/TaleOfGenji''. King Conchobar of Ulster tries to do this with Deirdre in ''Literature/TheExileOfTheSonsOfUisnech'', but it doesn't work.

* SpoiledSweet: Kaguya-hime, the Shining Princess from the 8th or 9th-century Japanese FairyTale of the same name (or "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter").

* DangerousBackswing: In ''Literature/TheSagaOfThePeopleOfVatnsdal'' Ingolf Thorsteinsson, fighting alone against a band of outlaws, swings his sword over his head so that he hits and kills a bandit standing behind him, then kills the bandit standing in front of him with a forward blow.