Time is longer than you think
The Viking sacking of Lindisfarne happened in 793 AD, it was a monastary dedicated to Jesus Christ who traditionally was born in 0 AD. Because those two dates are so long ago to modern eyes, they seem relatively close together. Or at least much closer together than they actually are.

The equivalent time from 2011 would be Christ having been born in 1218 AD, which is a long-ass time ago.
( Kroney, Mon 14 Mar 2011, 11:00, 3 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

I find this kind of thing fascinating.
Speaks volumes about me, I think.
( Kroney, Mon 14 Mar 2011, 11:01, Reply)

Woh'

( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Mon 14 Mar 2011, 11:03, Reply)

This occurred to me whilst watching Kingdom of Heaven, which is set in 1184AD
They were 1184 years away fromthe birth of Christ. We are only 837 years away from them.
( Kroney, Mon 14 Mar 2011, 11:08, Reply)

I find it odd that in the Classical era (5-4 cent. BC)
Homer was already considered as being written in an archaic style. It was the equivalent of Shakespeare to the Ancient Greeks. Which makes it pretty fucking old (estimated written 9-8 cent BC, I think)

EDIT: Fuck. Homer was writing set in 12 cent BC, in around 9-7 BC depending on who you ask. That's weird.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Mon 14 Mar 2011, 11:07, Reply)

You don't think Shakespeare's plays are written in an archaic style, then?
Edit: He was transcribing stories based on an oral tradition. The copy of Beowulf that we have now is similarly hundreds of years away from the the events it describes.
( Kroney, Mon 14 Mar 2011, 11:09, Reply)

No, I do, that's my point
the language seemed archaic in fucking 5th century Athens.
( Lampito rise with the moon, go to bed with the sun, Mon 14 Mar 2011, 11:10, Reply)

I was more questioning your use of "already"
as you've said, it was 4-500 years old by the time the 5th century BC rolled around.

Shakespeare, indeed.
( Kroney, Mon 14 Mar 2011, 11:12, Reply)