The Lord of the Ringscontains 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 famousThe Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbittrilogieswere 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.
Some ofthe bestLord of the Ringscharactersappeared 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.
15Arwen Undómiel
Age In T.A. 3019: 2,778 Solar Years
Arwen Undómiel was one of the youngest Elves inThe Lord of the Ringsmovies. Liv Tyler’s graceful beauty made Arwen seem like a young maiden, butElves lived forever inThe Lord of the Ringsunless killed somehow. Even if their bodies faded in Middle-earth, Elves' undying spirits would remain.Arwen and Aragorn’s relationshipmay 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” ofThe Lord of the Ringsbook.
J.R.R. Tolkien’s son, Christopher Tolkien, published collections of Tolkien’s essays, poems, notes, drafts, and stories in a book series calledThe History of Middle-earth.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’s endingwas set in the final year of the Third Age, 3021. Out of all the characters that appeared throughoutThe Lord of the RingsandThe Hobbitmovies, 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 241of the Third Age, making her 2,778 in 3019.
14Legolas Greenleaf
Age In T.A. 3019: 2,932 Solar Years
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 thatThe Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringwas 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.
13The Witch-King Of Angmar
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 4,778 Solar Years
The Witch-king of Angmar was thousands of years old, having been around sincethe 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 inThe 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 Ringwraithsfirst appeared in S.A. 2251, sothe 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.
12Elrond Peredhel
Age In T.A. 3019: 6,518
The War of the Jewelsgave 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’sThe History of Middle-earthseries,The War of the Jewelswas published in 1994. So,Elrond’s age was a mystery for a whileafterThe Lord of the Ringswas published.
Elrond’s seniority in Jackson’sLord of the Ringsmovies 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. ButElrond was descended from great families of Elvesand even an Ainu, generations ago - Melian the Maia.
11Thranduil
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 6,956 Solar Years
Thranduil’s age was never supplied inThe Lord of the RingsorThe Hobbit, but it can be guessed. “The History of Galadriel and Celeborn” inUnfinished Talesprovides 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. ByUnfinished 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.
10Shelob
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 7,000 Solar Years
Neither Shelob’s birthday nor birth year is given in Tolkien’s legendarium, butShelob’s age inLord of the Ringscan 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 toMorgoth’s Ring. Ungoliant had children at some point after fleeing to Middle-earth, one of whom was Shelob.
“The Annals of Aman” lists manyLord of the Ringsdates and can be found inMorgoth’s Ring,the tenth book inThe History of Middle-earthseries.
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.
9Celeborn
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 8,300 Solar Years
Celeborn is of unknown age inThe 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 toThe 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 originsinLord of the Rings.
8Galadriel
Age In T.A. 3019: 8,372 Solar Years
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 toMorgoth’s Ring,Galadriel was 8,372 in T.A. 3019.
7Círdan
Age In T.A. 3019: Roughly 11,170 Solar Years
“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-earthbook,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 Elvesto wake up in Y.T. 1050, but since they were “kin,” it seems that they had biological birth parents, and therefore, were not.
Before time
33,537
10,061
Elves awoke in Cuiviénen
4,902
3,441
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.
6Treebeard
Age In T.A. 3019: 11,362+ Solar Years
Gandalf said inThe Lord of the Ringsthat 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, andTreebeard 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, thatTreebeard 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.
