The "Dorian Invasion" is a term used to describe the supposed migration or invasion of the Dorian Greeks into the Peloponnese after the fall of the Mycenaean civilization. Ancient Greek sources like Herodotus and later historians portrayed this movement as a cataclysmic event that reshaped the Greek world. According to tradition, the Dorians displaced the Mycenaeans and introduced new dialects and social structures.
However, modern archaeology has not confirmed a large-scale invasion. The concept may be more mythological than factual, possibly reflecting gradual migration and cultural change rather than sudden conquest. Nonetheless, the appearance of new pottery styles, burial customs, and dialects in the post-Mycenaean period suggests some form of demographic and cultural transformation.
