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The period known as the Dark Ages was greatly due to the Norse and their pagan beliefs, even though this period was not as dark as its given credit for. It was also a time of great exploration and blending of cultures. Some feel the Vikings simply disappeared after 1066, but the fact is they were still strong in their native lands and successfully assimilated into the other nations they had contact with....

The sword (500020) was still the preferred weapon in the early medieval period and was used almost exclusively in tangent with a shield (801506). Two hand war swords were used as well (500794), and one could deliver heavy blows with one, but the user lost a great deal of protection that a shield provided, so unless you were the swinging justice of the headsman or breaking a pike line, you often times opted not to carry one with you....

Sparta HelotsOf all the Greek states it was Sparta that stood out in their fanatical beliefs about battle and war. They were the only city-state that had a full time army consisting of the entire male population. The one thing that made this possible was the helot. The helots were subjugated tribes that the Spartans held in slavery to perform all domestic trade and agriculture duties, thus freeing the citizen males to dedicat...