In the last battle scene the Viking loses his shield! My hemroid flared over that. Shield for defence (and some supporting offence) and the sword itself primarily for offence. The Viking Long Sword was part of a weapon system. The Japenese sword is a complete unit offence/defence. Comparing a Viking Long Sword to a Japenese sword is wrong, so wrong. I personally thought the show was very bogus on many of the comparisons.
Here is an episode from the tv series, Human Weapon within which you will find a piece on the Greek Army’s recreation of the physical fitness routine of ancient Greek warriors.
All of which were essential in phalanx warfare. They specialized in close-order choral dances as these taught footwork and balance, and team work. They also danced: the Spartans LOVED music and danced more than any people in Greece. I would assume that they practiced the same gym routine all Greek males practiced: running, leaping, wrestling, possibly pankration, and discus and javelin throwing. They lived off the land, sleeping outdoors on the hard ground year-round. Spartan youths were enrolled into the Agoge (the youth training program) at age 8. She says she exercises, by leaping up into the air and kicking her heals into her buttocks making both thigh and butt firm and shapely. In Aristophanes’ “Lysistrata”, a Spartan women is asked by her Athenian and Theban counterparts what she does to develop and maintain her goddess-like figure. I wish I could help but the Spartans didn’t leave many clues.