Battle Axes were used as one- or two-handed weapons by foot soldiers or riders.
As early as the Neolithic period, archaeologists in northern and eastern Europe were able to prove that they were probably from southeastern Europe.
In the later Bronze Age could be detected by finds at graves the first culture around the battle ax.
In ancient times, the Celts and Germanic tribes often used battle ax as a cheaper substitute for swords, later the Franks in the early Middle Ages, the throwing ax. In the course of the High Middle Ages, the battle axles sometimes developed into very large two-handed weapons, from which later the halberd emerged. These were used exclusively by foot soldiers, the riders used instead smaller and lighter axes for the fight.
Knight with a small battle axe
bigger battle axe
Like most bat weapons, the battle ax lost its importance at the end of the Middle Ages, especially since another drawback of this weapon was the risk of armor slipping / bouncing due to its construction.
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