From roughly 300 to 700 CE there was a period of enormous change in Scandinavia, sometimes described as the “Golden Age of the Norse”.

As rearrangements in Europe took place, with the destabilisation of the Western Roman Empire, migration increased and was not always peaceful. Norse trade networks grew and there is evidence of Viking raids during this period.

Furthermore, changes occurred within Scandinavia as Norse society became more hierarchical with power held by the new warrior class.Developments in weaponry, agriculture, and social structures provided cultural and economic foundations from which the Viking Age grew.

In addition to seeking new trade opportunities, and escaping the hierarchical restrictions described above, it is likely that the development of the sleek long ships also contributed to the increase in the viking raids.