What historical period directly followed the Bronze Age?

Okay, let's talk about the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age. Think about it like technological upgrades in ancient times. The Bronze Age, roughly from 2500 BC to 800 BC in Britain, saw the widespread use of bronze, a mixture of copper and tin, for tools and weapons. However, bronze wasn't the strongest material, and the ingredients to make it weren't always easily accessible. Then came iron! Iron ore was much more abundant, and while the process of working with it was initially more complex, the resulting metal was stronger and more durable than bronze. This discovery and mastery of ironworking marked a significant shift in technology and society. Around 800 BC, iron started becoming more common, gradually replacing bronze. This transition period is what we call the Iron Age, lasting until the Roman invasion in 43 AD. So, the Iron Age directly followed the Bronze Age because it was the next major technological and societal stage defined by the dominant metal used for tools and weapons. The Stone Age came long before, and the medieval period was much later, after the Romans had left Britain. The Silver Age is a mythological concept, not a historical period.