Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-101.174.54.47-20130226060747/@comment-74.184.197.28-20150529210623

If anyone wants a canon source here you go: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Real_Barenziah

Read volume two, and you will see it is stated that all Elves can live up to at least 1000 years (without magic). This is something Humans obviously envy. Elven mages have been known to live up to at least 4000 years (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Divayth_Fyr). Snow Elves seem to have even longer lifespans. Gelebor (http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Knight-Paladin_Gelebor) has lived since before the 1st Era.

Orcs are included in this eglonated lifespan as proved by Urag gro-Shub who has been maintaing the Arcanaeum at the college of Winterhold since the 2nd Era which was over 634 years by the time TES: V Skyrim takes place in 4E 201. This would mean that Urag himself is closer to 700 years old.

The real Barenziah has appeared in three TES games (Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim), and so I take this as being the most canon source.