User blog comment:Kidtragic/Elder Scrolls Races and Cultures Compared to Real Life./@comment-75.133.132.252-20131130050405

From all of my knowledge of history and historic culture (which is a good amount) this is my list. I also would like to point out that not every race is similar to just one culture.

Altmer - They are as far as I know based on the English. High intelligence, thinking they are above the other races, they are highly organized, feel a sense of entitlement, like to point out others flaws, and have an enormous navy. They also have troops in a far away land for enforcing religion just like the English did in the crusades.

Argonians - They are a cross of the Aztecs and the Celtic people of Ireland. They all live in a swampy, hard to navigate land and don't get sick very often. They also all use guerrilla warfare tactics because they know their environment so well. They also all are and were very fierce warriors and when the Argonians drink Hist sap they become stronger just like some Celts drank blood before battle because it made them "stronger". Finally, just like the Celts of Ireland remained untouched by the Roman Empire they remained almost untouched by the Empire.

Bosmer - They are a cross between the Celts (specifically Picts) and Native Americans. They all are great warriors and just like the Native Americans the Bosmer are great archers. They also all love nature and the Bosmer and Celts both have nature gods. They are all considered to be barbaric by the more civilized races for different reasons. They are also all organized into tribes.

Bretons - They are clearly based on the Medieval French (which included the actual Breton people) and maybe a little English (Though they're more like the Altmer). Highly organized and great cooks. Also very intelligent people with different individual states ruled by lords. They also have very French names. They were once ruled by the Altmer and have small traces of Altmer blood just like how the English once invaded and ruled France for a short period of time. The Forsworn are a lot like the Gauls who were the ancient French.

Dunmer - A cross between the Middle Eastern people and the Chinese. Their land is considered to be very strange and far off just like ancient China was and they also worship ancestors. They also wear turbans, have a resistance to fire/heat, and have big spaces of ash with ashstorms just like deserts with sandstorms just like the Middle East. They also have a messiah come just like in the Middle East.

Orc - They are like the Mongols. They are force warriors with honor and discipline who have many tribes. Their armor also resembles Mongol armor and they are a lot more organized than people think.

These next four I will not go into detail explaining because they shouldn't need it.

Imperial - Ancient Roman and Greek

Khajiit - Persian

Nord - Vikings, Celts, and Saxons

Redguard - Northern African and Arabian

And if you're wondering why I didn't mention the Japanese it's because as far as I'm concerned the elves aren't Japanese. The Akavir are clearly the Japanese influenced people in the elder scrolls because they are a distant land that is home to dragons and katanas.