A closer look
The image of Vikings purely as mindless sea raiders completely ignores their side hustle as the medieval world’s most hardcore freight haulers. Swedish Norsemen established the brutal Volga trade route, pushing deep into Eastern Europe to tap into the unimaginable wealth of the Islamic and Byzantine empires. When they hit unnavigable rapids or strips of land, they literally hauled their multi-ton wooden ships across the mud and logs using sheer muscle. This agonizing physical labor paid off beautifully, flooding Scandinavia with millions of Middle Eastern silver coins.
