Sammendrag
Two graves containing weapons have been excavated at Dalem; one dating from the earlier part of the Roman Iron Age (1st – 2nd century AD), the other dating from the later part (3rd – 4th century AD). The grave furnishings are typical of the weaponry used in these periods. Weaponry, together with hill forts and large boat houses, form the basis of an analysis of the practice of war in Central Norway in the early Iron Age (c. 100-600 AD). In the 1st – 2nd centuries, when the first burial of weapons took place at Dalem, warfare was characterised by speed, active use of terrain and man-to-man combat. Warfare in the later period tended to take the form of open field battles involving large numbers of men. Warfare was highly offensive, mobile and outwardly directed. It was inspired by the Romans, and motivated by the potential for acquisition of goods and wealth. In the Migration Period this offensive form of warfare was abandoned, and warfare became more directed towards internal fights, concentrating on halls and forts. A much more defensive form of warfare evolved, reflecting a strong internal rivalry that contributed to economic and military collapse on the transition to the Merovingian period (c. AD 550-600).
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