Sandby Borg, ca. AD 500; the ringfort situated on the eastern coast of Öland forms a pastoral scene in the brief Scandinavian summer. Most likely, the fort dwellers are unaware of the imminent threat to their lives. Perhaps some of them have even gone to bed in the 53 little houses forming a small, cramped settlement on the inside of the circular limestone wall. Disaster strikes as armed warriors enter the fort. The attack is fierce and resolute, like a pack of wolves raiding a sheep pen.
For a modern person, the most unsettling fact is the skilfulness of the brutality. The attackers are apparently keeping their cool, although they are faced with the panic of a whole community being exterminated. A forensic analysis of the site bears this out: it…
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Ancient Warfare (Digital) - 1 Issue, AW XVI.6