# Aging in LOTR



## daisy (Feb 16, 2002)

I have always been confused with the various aging rates in LOTR. Aragron is human, assumedly, yet he is about, what, sixty or seventy when the Fellowship begins yet looks as young as Boromir. 
Aragorn, born 2931 third age - March 1st actually 
meets Arwen when he is twenty.
Boromir is born in 2978 - 48 years after Aragorn yet they look like contemporaries - is this because Aragorn was raised by elves - yet he left Imladris when he was twenty....
What is the deal?
At the Council of Elrond, in 3018, Boromir would be forty but Aragorn would be eighty-seven!!!!

The answer is probably right in front of me or in an appendix I haven't read? Can anyone give me the answer so I can live in peace?

daisy


----------



## daisy (Feb 16, 2002)

Gee daisy, maybe you would know
IF SOMEONE WOULD RESPOND TO YOUR POST!

I wait, alone, bereft, a bit teary-eyed.....


----------



## Landroval (Feb 16, 2002)

Cheer up, Daisy, you are not alone.

I believe that since Aragorn is a direct descendant of the race of Numenor, he would be exceptionally long lived. Also, he finally dies in the 120th year of his reign (120 years after LOTR events.)

He also spent some (significant?) time in Lorien, so perhaps that has had an influence too (anyone?). Just a possibility.

Landroval


----------



## Beleg Strongbow (Feb 17, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Landroval _
> *Cheer up, Daisy, you are not alone.
> 
> I believe that since Aragorn is a direct descendant of the race of Numenor, he would be exceptionally long lived. Also, he finally dies in the 120th year of his reign (120 years after LOTR events.)
> ...



Elros lived 4 over 500 years. He was the 1st king of numenore and the brother of elrond. Daisy have you read the sil? If not numenore was given to the men that fought against an evil lord named melkor (whom sauron was a just a servant) when they helped capture melkor the vala (god like figures) gave the men that stayed loyal an island for the own that was numenore and longerlife then other men. A lot longger by sometimes up to 400 years. Boromir hasn't got the pureblood of numenore in him. As aragorn does so he will live longer.


----------



## Greenwood (Feb 17, 2002)

Daisy

Beleg Strongbow is indeed correct. Aragorn is a direct descendent of the line of Kings of Numenor and hence a long life is "in his genes". Boromir, being of the line of Stewards of Gondor also has some Numenorean blood in him, but not as much as Aragorn. Still, if Boromir had not been killed he would have had a longer lifespan than an average man, but not as long as Aragorn's. Given their longer lifespans, it is assumed that part of this is a slower aging rate so that even though Aragorn is in his eighties at the time of FOTR, this is still less than half his eventual lifespan of 200+, so he should still appear to be a relatively young, but mature man.


----------

