Board Thread:Theories/@comment-27938131-20160922094959/@comment-33692691-20171118214013

I created my own theory of where the humans could be. Please note that I have not read the mange, but have only watched the anime several times, so if I've missed anything then i am sorry. My theory of where the walls are located is based on architecture, my perception of culture (sort of), trade (ish) and cannons.

First, the names are all Germanic-sounding, and the clothes appear quite Germanic/central European as well. I know it seems weak, but it's a start.

Next, the architecture of aot seems very similar to Germanic architecture, but more specifically southern areas. This is because of both the shapes of the tiles, and the angle of the roofs, which seem much more suited for getting rid of rain than snow; something that northern German roofs are designed to handle, implying that they are in southern central Europe. This leads me to believe that the architecture of aot most closely resembles that of Dubrovnik architecture in Croatia, and along the Balkan-Adriatic coast. (Hardly Germany, but let me continue; perhaps it's a crossover between the two?)

(Dubrovnik architecture (Dubrovnik): https://www.dubrovnik-walking-tours.com/documents/ture/34/Dubrovnik-discover-tour.jpg

Austrian architecture (Graz):  https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/austria-graz-ancient-architecture-austrian-city-31062495.jpg

and aot architecture:   https://media.giphy.com/media/8uknRndKNRyxi/giphy.gif

Next, the cannons. The cannons used by the humans in aot, specifically the ones seen in season 1 episode 2 seems to, in my eyes, most closely resemble those of late 16th/early 17th century cannons, so I believe that the Titan attack began at this time. During this time period, the Austro-Hungarian empire (a largely Germanic-ruled state) controlled North Western Italy, and much of the East Adriatic coast, including Croatia. (see where I'm going). This implies that the human walls could have been set up by Germans (Austrians) near the Adriatic coast, which is the cause of both the Dubrovnik-ish architecture seen, and the Germanic seeming culture of the humans.

16th Century cannon: http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/94dae1dec9de4f1e8340b521378b85cb/military-artillery-cannon-german-twelvepounder-from-the-16th-century-cp1839.jpg

and the aot cannon I referred to: http://www.digitaldingus.com/reviews/hd/0058/images/aot_pt1_le_fullres_2.jpg (Best I could find, sorry)

Finally, I was curious about how people of Asian descent (i.e. Mikasa/Levi) could have made it to the walls. The answer: the silk road (an overland trade route connecting China and the Middle East), the problem: it was mostly shut down by this time.

(Map of the silk road: https://us-static.z-dn.net/files/d30/0f439ce0889970f3dd39952e59debce4.jpgHowever

it doesn't seem too crazy that some Asian merchants could have made it across the old routes to the Middle East (okay yes it does, but it seems to be the most probable explanation okay?). From there, they could have taken a ship across the Mediterranean Sea to a certain city that is famous for trade: VENICE! WHICH IS ON THE NORTH ADRIATIC SEA!!!

This would put them close enough to my supposed location of the walls along the Adriatic Coast so that when the Titans attacked these lucky merchants could make it into the walls before being devoured.

TL; DR, the humans in aot would be on the North Adriatic, somewhere around the meeting points of Austria, Italy, and Slovenia.

I hope you have found this interesting, and that the links/images work.