Early Greece

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Early Greece
Early Greece

• The Minoan
• Mycenaean Cultures

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The Minoans 20001375 B.C.E.

• Began around 2000
• Centered in palace-cities on Crete
• Discovered by Arthur Evans in 1894
• Named after Minos, mythological king

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Maritime Empire
Minoans traveled the seas
Their complex culture influenced later
generations of Greeks
They traded with Egypt and Mesopotamia
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Minoan Palace-City

• Chief city was Knossos
• City was built around a palace
• The palace had at least two purposes
• Royal residence
• Religious center

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Minoan Culture
Decorated their walls with frescos
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Minoan Religion

• Goddess of Fertility
• Bull God
• Probably connected to a priest-king

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Minoan Bull-Leaping

• Religious Sport
• Performed by young women
• May be ancestor of modern bull-leaping

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Minoan Writing

• Has yet to be undeciphered
• At least two different versions

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Minoan CollapseThera

• 1500 B.C.E.
• Volcano explodes on island of Thera
• Devastated Minoan culture
• May have inspired legends of Atlantis

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Minoan CollapseInvasion

• Minoans depended on navy
• There was no army
• Mycenaeans invaded and wiped out whatever was left

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Mycenaeans 15501150 B.C.E.

• Civilization began circa 1800 B.C.E.
• City-states on mainland Greece
• Discovered by Heinrich Schliemann
• Rival was Troy

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Mycenaean Culture

• Borrowed from Minoans
• Never as advanced or complex
• Excelled in metal-working
• Masters of warfare

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Mycenean Religion

• Little is known
• Appear to have worshipped the classic gods
• Zeus, Artemis Poseidon

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Maritime Empire

• Started as Minoanss partners
• Conquered Minoans between 1450 and 1375 B.C.E.

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Rivalry With Troy

• Troy controlled trade coming from the east
• There were many conflicts between them
• In 1220 B.C.E. Mycenaeans conquered Troy

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Mycenaean Collapse

• Unsure of the cause
• Invaders from the north 12001120 B.CE. may have
  devastated Mycenaean culture
• Mycenaean civilization came to an end in 1120
  B.C.E.

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The Dark Age of Greece1200700 B.C.E.

• Began with Myceaean Collapse
• Writing is forgotten/lost
• Greek culture is maintained by bardic tradition

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Preservation of Greece

• Bards travel thru Greece
• Stories of heroes, wars and gods are told

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The Illiad and The Odyssey

• Based on the history of Greece
• Carried history of the Mycenaean times thru the
  Dark Ages