how big were vikings

Vikings were not giants, but they were generally a bit taller than many people in medieval Europe. A common estimate for Viking-age men is around 172–176 cm, or about 5'7" to 5'9", while women were often around 158–159 cm, about 5'2" to 5'3".

What that means

• By today’s standards, they were average or slightly below average in height.
• By their own time, they often stood out as relatively tall and sturdy.
• Some raiding groups may have seemed even more imposing because the men who went on raids were often physically strong and selected for toughness.

Simple picture

If you imagine an average Viking man standing next to a modern adult man, he would usually look a little shorter, not dramatically smaller. The “towering warrior” image comes more from later storytelling than from the actual skeleton evidence.

Bottom line

So, how big were Vikings? Moderately tall for their era, not huge by modern standards.