Peoples who invaded southern Greece from the north around the end of the 2nd millennium Be (1100) after the decline of the Mycenaeans. Some speculate that the Dorians were responsible for the Mycenaeans' overthrow. It has proved difficult to recognize their products in the archaeological record and therefore it is hard to discover their origins. In Classical times, the important Dorian dialect was spoken through much of the Peloponnese, the southern Aegean islands, and the southwest coast of Asia Minor. They also introduced the use of iron for swords. The invading Dorians had a relatively low cultural level, however, and after sweeping away the last of the declining Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations, they led the region into a dark age from which the Greek city-states did not emerge until almost 3 centuries later.
Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology, Barbara Ann Kipfer, 2000Copied