The Lord of the Rings contains characters as old as time and characters who are barely adults by human standards, but it can be hard to work out how old anyone is. Peter Jackson’s famous The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies were based on renowned fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkien’s works, pulling in characters of numerous fantasy races. These races ranged from the immortal Elves and Ainur to the long-lived Dwarves and Hobbits, to the mortal Men. Other creatures had darker stories and more mysterious origins but were no less important as characters.
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Some of the best Lord of the Rings characters appeared old and grizzled, belying a soul that would never age. Meanwhile, some characters looked baby-faced but were actually thousands of years old. The titular Tolkien books of both of Jackson’s trilogies were published in Tolkien’s lifetime, unlike most of the vast legendarium, published posthumously. These posthumously published works offer alternate versions and early drafts of stories, complicating characters’ objective arcs but often providing detail that helps to establish character age – birthdates, dated story milestones, and relationships.
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15 Arwen Undómiel
Age In T.A. 3019: 2,778 Solar Years
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Arwen Undómiel was one of the youngest Elves in The Lord of the Rings movies. Liv Tyler’s graceful beauty made Arwen seem like a young maiden, but Elves lived forever in The Lord of the Rings unless killed somehow. Even if their bodies faded in Middle-earth, Elves’ undying spirits would remain. Arwen and Aragorn’s relationship may seem surprising to some, given Aragorn was 88 in 3019, while Arwen was thousands of years older. Arwen and Aragorn’s birth years can both be found in “Appendix B” of The Lord of the Rings book.
J.R.R. Tolkien’s son, Christopher Tolkien, published collections of Tolkien’s essays, poems, notes, drafts, and stories in a book series called
The History of Middle-earth.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King‘s ending was set in the final year of the Third Age, 3021. Out of all the characters that appeared throughout The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, the oldest 15 mostly made it to 3021, but some died in 3019, during the War of the Ring. Therefore, it makes most sense to estimate the ages of the oldest 15 characters in the movie franchise as of 3019, when they were all last alive. Arwen was born in the year 241 of the Third Age, making her 2,778 in 3019.
14 Legolas Greenleaf
Age In T.A. 3019: 2,932 Solar Years
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Legolas Greenleaf wasn’t given a birthday in Tolkien’s legendarium, or even a birth year. However, The Lord of the Rings: Official Movie Guide, by Brian Sibley, set Legolas’ birth year at 87 in the Third Age, making Legolas 2,932 in 3019. Legolas would have been 2,931 in 3018, the year that The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring was set.
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Aragorn was born in 2931. Perhaps whoever picked Legolas’ age had Aragorn’s birth year rattling around in their mind, subconsciously choosing a familiar date. Or, perhaps any similarity between Aragorn and Legolas is a coincidence. Either way, there’s not too much in Tolkien’s work to recommend Legolas’ age.
13 The Witch-King Of Angmar
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 4,778 Solar Years
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The Witch-king of Angmar was thousands of years old, having been around since the Second Age of Middle-earth. The Third Age alone consisted of 3,021 years. Estimating the age of the Witch-king of Angmar is far from easy, but it is not a fool’s errand, with a few dated events here and there to assist. Sauron made Rings of Power in the Second Age with Celebrimbor and killed him to acquire the rings during the Siege of Eregion in 1697. There’s no detail of when exactly Sauron gave out the Seven to Dwarves and the Nine to Men.
However, these acts were mentioned in the same breath as the siege in The Silmarillion. If Sauron gave rings to humans of at least 15 years of age in S.A. (Second Age) 1697, that would put the Witch-king at 4,778 at his time of death in 3019. The terrifying Ringwraiths first appeared in S.A. 2251, so the Witch-king would have had 554 years to turn from human to wraith. Given that Gollum was around 600 in 3019 and looking thoroughly transformed by the effects of his ring, this seems about right.
12 Elrond Peredhel
Age In T.A. 3019: 6,518
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The War of the Jewels gave Elrond’s birth year as the year 532 of the Years of the Sun in the First Age, which would make him 6,518 in the year 3019 of the Third Age. The eleventh of Christopher Tolkien’s The History of Middle-earth series, The War of the Jewels was published in 1994. So, Elrond’s age was a mystery for a while after The Lord of the Rings was published.
Elrond’s seniority in Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies went without saying – the Council of Elrond marked the formation of the Fellowship of the Ring and was pivotal in the plot. Elrond was not one of the first Elves to awaken in Middle-earth. Nor was he one of the Eldar who had traveled from Middle-earth to Valinor and back. But Elrond was descended from great families of Elves and even an Ainu, generations ago – Melian the Maia.
11 Thranduil
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 6,956 Solar Years
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Thranduil’s age was never supplied in The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, but it can be guessed. “The History of Galadriel and Celeborn” in Unfinished Tales provides a fair bit of detail on Thranduil. Appendix B of this story tells how Thranduil came from Doriath into the east and was inspired by Doriath’s architecture in the establishment of his realm in Mirkwood.
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The fair woodland kingdom of Doriath came to an unfortunate end in F.A. (First Age) 506 during the Years of the Sun. By Unfinished Tales’ measure, Thranduil must have been old enough to note Doriath’s architecture before its ruin – perhaps at least 10 years old. If Thranduil was 10 when Doriath fell, he would have been born in F.A. 496, making him 6,956 in T.A. (Third Age) 3019.
10 Shelob
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 7,000 Solar Years
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Neither Shelob’s birthday nor birth year is given in Tolkien’s legendarium, but Shelob’s age in Lord of the Rings can be estimated based on her origins. Shelob was a child of the primordial spider Ungoliant, who helped Morgoth destroy the Two Trees. Ungoliant fled to Middle-earth after this heinous act. The Elves awoke years later, starting the First Age – according to Morgoth’s Ring. Ungoliant had children at some point after fleeing to Middle-earth, one of whom was Shelob.
“The Annals of Aman” lists many
Lord of the Rings
dates and can be found in
Morgoth’s Ring,
the tenth book in
The History of Middle-earth
series.
There were 48 solar years between Ungoliant’s arrival in Middle-earth and the start of the Years of the Sun, followed by the 590 First Age Years of the Sun. If, hypothetically, Ungoliant had children about 100 years after arriving in Middle-earth, Shelob could have been born around F.A. 50 of the Years of the Sun. If Shelob was born in F.A. 50, that would make her 7,000 in 3019, considering the full 3,441 years of the Second Age and 3,019 years of the Third Age that she lived until her death.
9 Celeborn
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 8,300 Solar Years
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Celeborn is of unknown age in The Lord of the Rings, but his association with Galadriel helps to estimate his age – Galadriel’s year of birth was provided in the legendarium. Celeborn was already in Doriath in the First Age when Galadriel arrived, according to The Silmarillion. When Galadriel arrived in Doriath, she proceeded to fall in love with Celeborn.
While pure conjecture, Galadriel and Celeborn could be considered to be roughly similar in age, due to their falling in love when they met. That said, the age difference didn’t appear to matter much to Elves, judging from Arwen’s love of Aragorn. Also, there were conflicting accounts of Celeborn’s origins in Lord of the Rings.
8 Galadriel
Age In T.A. 3019: 8,372 Solar Years
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Morgoth’s Ring’s “The Annals of Aman” gave Galadriel’s birth year as the year 1362 of the Years of the Trees, which would make Galadriel the second-oldest Elf in Middle-earth in T.A. 3019. The Years of the Trees were counted in Valian years, which were each worth 9.582 solar years. The Years of the Trees were worth 1,500 Valian years or 14,373 solar years.
J.R.R. Tolkien started a rework of his timeline whereby each Valian year was worth 144 solar years, but he never finished this rework. Therefore, it makes the most sense to go with the timeline and the logic Tolkien completed, whereby each Valian year was worth 9.582 solar years.
Galadriel was born in Y.T. (Years of the Trees) in 1362. She lived for the remaining 138 Valian years of the Years of the Trees, which is equivalent to 1,322 solar years. Add to that the remaining 590 solar years of the First Age, the 3,441 years of the Second Age, and 3,019 years of the Third Age, and the result is 8,372. Therefore, according to Morgoth’s Ring, Galadriel was 8,372 in T.A. 3019.
7 Círdan
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 11,170 Solar Years
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“The Annals of Aman” stated that Círdan was Lord of Brithombar and Eglarest in Y.T. 1149, so Círdan was definitely older than Galadriel. The History of Middle-earth book, The Peoples of Middle-earth, stated that Círdan was “akin to Olwë” and “thus also akin to Elwë” (King of Doriath, Thingol). No text confirms whether Círdan, Olwë, or Thingol were among the first Elves to wake up in Y.T. 1050, but since they were “kin,” it seems that they had biological birth parents, and therefore, were not.
|
Tolkienian Age |
Event Marking The Start |
Years |
Total Length In Solar Years |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Before time |
Indeterminate |
Indeterminate |
Indeterminate |
|
Days before Days |
The Ainur entered Eä |
1 – 3,500 Valian Years |
33,537 |
|
Pre-First Age Years of the Trees |
Yavanna created the Two Trees |
Y.T. 1 – 1050 |
10,061 |
|
First Age |
Elves awoke in Cuiviénen |
Y.T. 1050 – Y.T. 1500, F.A. 1 – 590 |
4,902 |
|
Second Age |
The War of Wrath ended |
S.A. 1 – 3441 |
3,441 |
|
Third Age |
The Last Alliance defeated Sauron |
T.A. 1 – 3021 |
3,021 |
No birth year was given for Círdan, Olwë, or Thingol, but in Y.T. 1102, Thingol was senior enough to be chosen as one of the Elvish ambassadors to seek Valinor. Being Thingol and Olwë’s family doesn’t necessarily mark Círdan out as a similar age, but given that Círdan was also “one of the highest of… the Sindar,” it could be assumed that he was. For Thingol to be senior enough to be an ambassador of the Elves in 1102, he was likely at least 20. In this case, he would have been born in Y.T. 1070. If Círdan was also born in Y.T. 1070, that would make him 11,170 in T.A. 3019.
6 Treebeard
Age In T.A. 3019: 11,362+ Solar Years
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Gandalf said in The Lord of the Rings that Treebeard was the “oldest of the Ents“ and the “oldest living thing that still walks beneath the Sun upon this Middle-earth.” Tellingly, Gandalf also commented that Treebeard was “A power that walked the earth, ere Elf sang or hammer rang.” Elves awoke in Y.T. 1050, and Treebeard was born before the Elves awoke.
No Ent is given a birthdate or birth year in the legendarium, Treebeard included. But it was clear, at least, that Treebeard lived through the entire First, Second, and Third Ages. Treebeard was probably born before Y.T. 1050, but he could have been born just before the Elves awoke, in the same year. If Treebeard was born in Y.T. 1050, he would be 11,362 in T.A. 3019.
5 Balrog
Age In T.A. 3019: 54,960+ Solar Years
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It seems like the Balrog of Moria was a Maia, like Gandalf and Sauron, and therefore, is one of the oldest five characters in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies. The Balrog is one of the Úmaiar – a dark Maia who chose to follow Morgoth. The Balrogs were “those spirits who first adhered to [Morgoth] in the days of his splendour, and became the most like him in his corruption,” according to The Silmarillion. Morgoth first started corrupting spirits in the Timeless Halls, before Middle-earth even existed.
Only Ainur were around in the Timeless Halls, with the One God and creator Eru Ilúvatar himself. The Balrog that fought Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings was, therefore, most likely older than time itself. Time began when the Ainur sang Eä into existence. Counting the full First, Second, and Third Ages, plus the Years of the Trees before the First Age, and the Days before Days before that puts the Balrog at 54,960, not including its infinite time alive before time began.
4 Radagast
Age In T.A. 3019: 54,960+ Solar Years
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Radagast was an ageless Ainu, alive since before time. The Silmarillion doesn’t indicate whether Eru created all Ainur at the same time or one after the other, but being all-powerful, Eru could have done either. Appearing briefly in The Hobbit, Radagast was confirmed in Unfinished Tales to be one of the five wizards sent to Middle-earth to combat the rise of Sauron. These five wizards were known as Istari and were all Maiar, an order of the Ainur lower than the 15 Valar.
Radagast may not have acted per his task, but he mastered the flora and fauna of his realm and lived among them. Also known as Aiwendil, Radagast the Brown was mentioned in The Hobbit book and was given a big role in Peter Jackson’s movie. Jackson portrayed the wizard as one with nature, protecting animals in his woodland home.
3 Saruman
Age In T.A. 3019: 54,960+ Solar Years
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Saruman was another Istar listed along with Radagast in Unfinished Tales’ “The Istari,” making him an ageless Ainu. This lethal Wizard was originally sent to Middle-earth to fight Sauron, like the rest of the Istari. However, Sauron’s corruption got the better of Saruman, and he ended up on Sauron’s side, before trying to double-cross him and failing.
Saruman got his comeuppance in The Lord of the Rings when he fell from the tower of Orthanc after being stabbed by Gríma Wormtongue. This scene appeared in the extended edition of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. As with the Balrog, Saruman’s bodily defeat didn’t mean his death – his immortal spirit lived on.
2 Gandalf
Age In T.A. 3019: 54,960+ Solar Years
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An Istar like Saruman and Radagast, Gandalf was a Maia created before the start of time. Gandalf was an immortal spirit being and his incarnation into his bodily form resulted in him forgetting a lot of his past. The Istari “first appeared in Middle-earth about the year 1000 of the Third Age,” according to “The Istari” in Unfinished Tales. Sent by the Valar, Gandalf’s purpose on Middle-earth was to combat Sauron’s forces, like the other Istar. Contradictorily, Gandalf said in Lord of the Rings “300 lives of men I’ve walked this earth, and now I have no time.”
That would mean that Gandalf arrived in Middle-earth long before T.A. 1000. However, The Silmarillion confirmed that Gandalf was “Wisest of the Maiar,” corroborating the notes in “The Istari” in Unfinished Tales. The Silmarillion was started by J.R.R Tolkien but finished and published by his son after he died. Gandalf’s words in Lord of the Rings were likely a figure of speech but could have represented an inconsistency in terms of Gandalf’s age. There were a few inconsistencies in Tolkien’s legendarium – a given, perhaps, considering how little of it Tolkien published himself.
1 Sauron
Age In T.A. 3019: 54,960+ Solar Years
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The eponymous villain of The Lord of the Rings “was of the Maiar of Aulë,” born before time itself and older than Middle-earth. Originally a student of the Vala of craft and smithing, Aulë, Sauron was corrupted by Morgoth into his service. Sauron became the next Dark Lord after Morgoth, the original Dark Lord, was cast into the Void after his defeat in the War of Wrath.
An immortal spirit like the Istar and the Balrogs, even Sauron’s defeat at the hands of Frodo didn’t kill him. Instead of dead, Sauron’s defeat left him a helpless spirit unable to take physical form or contact the physical world. Sauron had poured so much of his power into the One Ring, that its destruction in The Lord of the Rings “maimed” him and saw him become a shadow of his former self.
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a multimedia franchise consisting of several movies and a TV show released by Amazon titled The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The franchise is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s book series that began in 1954 with The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings saw mainstream popularity with Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
Movie(s) The Lord of the Rings (1978) , The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring , The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug , The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies , The Lord of The Rings: The War of The Rohirrim Created by J.R.R. Tolkien First Film The Lord of the Rings (1978) Cast Norman Bird , Anthony Daniels , Elijah Wood , Ian McKellen , Liv Tyler , Viggo Mortensen , Sean Astin , Cate Blanchett , John Rhys-Davies , Billy Boyd , Dominic Monaghan , Orlando Bloom , Christopher Lee , Hugo Weaving , Sean Bean , Ian Holm , Andy Serkis , Brad Dourif , Karl Urban , Martin Freeman , Richard Armitage , James Nesbitt , Ken Stott , Benedict Cumberbatch , Evangeline Lilly , Lee Pace , Luke Evans , Morfydd Clark , Mike Wood , Ismael Cruz Cordova , Charlie Vickers , Markella Kavenagh , Megan Richards , Sara Zwangobani , Daniel Weyman , Cynthia Addai-Robinson , Lenny Henry , Brian Cox , Shaun Dooley , Miranda Otto , Bilal Hasna , Benjamin Wainwright , Luke Pasqualino , Christopher Guard , William Squire , Michael Scholes , John Hurt TV Show(s) The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Character(s) Frodo Baggins , Gandalf , Legolas , Boromir , Sauron , Gollum , Samwise Gamgee , Pippin Took , Celeborn , Aragorn , Galadriel , Bilbo Baggins , Saruman , Aldor , Wormtongue , Thorin Oakenshield , Balin Dwalin , Bifur , Bofur , Bombur , Fili , Kili , Oin , Gloin , Nori , Dori , Ori , Tauriel , King Thranduil , Smaug , Radagast , Arondir , Nori Brandyfoot , Poppy Proudfellow , Marigold Brandyfoot , Queen Regent Míriel , Sadoc Burrows Video Game(s) The Lord of the Rings Online , Middle-Earth: Shadow of War , The Lord Of The Rings: Gollum , The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria Expand
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