Were "Vikings" as barbaric as they are portrayed to be?

The Vikings were a group of people from the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and possibly Iceland that are known for traveling by sea. Through generations, Viking stories have included them being very barbaric. However, since they sailed and explored different areas many years ago, it is difficult to determine if they really committed all of the atrocities that the stories detail. The Vikings began exploring as early as the 8th century and finishing during the 11th century.

Parts of the stories that have been told about the Vikings’ behavior and method of attack seems to be real. The Vikings believed in the Norse religion that was based on gods who were over war. Their style of fighting included their harsh fighting tactics.