Warfare during the Dark Ages in Greece (1200 BC to 800 BC)

During the Dark Ages in Greece (approximately 1200 BC to 800 BC), warfare evolved significantly.

Prior to Dark Ages, battles were often fought by armoured aristocrats or nobles engaged in single combat. However, during the Dark Ages, this style of warfare gave way to battles fought by lightly clad infantry.

These infantry soldiers would initially use missile weapons, such as slings and javelins, to weaken the enemy from a distance. Once the enemy was sufficiently weakened, the soldiers would then engage in hand-to-hand combat.

This shift in warfare tactics was likely a result of changes in societal structure and technology during the Dark Ages.

It's also worth noting that this period saw the rise of the hoplite soldier, who would become the mainstay of Greek armies in the Classical period. The hoplite was an infantryman who fought in a tight formation known as a phalanx, armed with a spear and a large round shield.

This style of warfare was quite different from the single combat of armoured aristocrats that had been common in earlier times.

First published by The Historian's Den.

READ MORE: Dispilio, the oldest Neolithic settlement in Europe.