ACHAEAN (13- 12TH CENTURY BC)

Information on the military and weapons used in the area of Greece of the Mycenaean period (around 1700 - around 1200 BC) is obtained primarily from archaeological finds, as well as written sources using the so-called Linear B script. It is worth adding that the earliest written records using this script date back to around 1500-1450 BC. Based on this information, one can risk a statement that in the period 1700-1200 BC, the martial arts of the Achaeans (the Greek tribe creating the Mycenaean culture / civilization) underwent a certain evolution. Initially, it was based primarily on heavily armed infantry armed with spears and powerful shields, less often armor. Over time, the infantry equipment has changed to reduce its weight, and from about 1600-1550 BCE, the chariot appears more and more in the armies of the Mycenaean period, and its role on the battlefield is disputed. Perhaps it was initially used in the front line, and over time it became primarily a transport tool. However, this is a moot point. The features that distinguished the Greek troops of the Mycenaean period were specific eight-shaped shields, the use of boar's tusks, and in the final period - infantry wearing heavy bronze armor (actually: plate armor), fighting mainly with a spear. A perfect example of such armor and helmets is the so-called Dendra armor exhibited at the Archaeological Museum of Nafplio. It is worth adding that the martial art of Greece during the Mycenaean era put a lot of emphasis on fortifications, a good example of which is the fortress ("castle") in Mycenae.