The Varangian Guard were Viking mercenaries who operated far from their homelands as an elite force within the Byzantine Armies. Descendants of a legendary line of warriors, the Varangian Guard was established after a significant contribution of a group of Viking mercenaries to the victory of Byzantine Emperor Basil II against rebellious forces in 988 AD. These 5,000 men were maintained as the personal guard of Basil II and provided loyal service through numerous successive reigns of the imperial throne.

Often called "foreigners" (Society), they were nonetheless absorbed into a new Paleolithic unit under the leadership of an officer called Then, who was either Norwegian or Rus (Norwegian settlers in Russia). The Varangians wore mixtures of their traditional clothing and armor combined with an elegant Byzantine costume. However, they were most famous because they kept their traditional war axes, which in fact became a sign that the emperor was personally on the battlefield. This is an insightful look into one of the legendary guards of the Middle Ages, etc.