Final answer:
The Iron Age is acknowledged to have taken place from around 1100 BCE to 600 BCE, following the decline of the Bronze Age and the increased use of iron for tools and weapons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Iron Age Timeline
The Iron Age is recognized as commencing around 1100 BCE and concluded by 600 BCE. It starts with the decline of the Bronze Age, marked by a reduced reliance on bronze as trade networks for tin broke down. Iron, in contrast, was more widely available in the Middle East and the Mediterranean and did not necessitate extensive trade routes.
The early part of the Iron Age overlaps with what is often termed the 'Dark Ages' (c. 1100-c. 800 BCE) in the region of Ancient Greece, due to the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization and a general decline in cultural and economic complexity. Subsequently, the period saw a gradual increase in the use of iron for various implements, but the adoption of iron tools and especially weapons spread slowly. Iron became more prominent for tools and weapons towards the later parts of the Iron Age, though bronze remained in use for weapons for an extended period due to difficulties in creating hard and durable iron weapons.