early ancient Greece (world civ)

minoans

from the bronze age civilization on the island of Crete. Trade and wealth helps control a lot of territory. (no military control)

thera (Santorini)

a small island in the Aegean sea. a volcano changed the geography

minos

minoan king. lived in the palace of Knossos (labyrinth) that housed a minotaur

minotaur

a creature with the head of a bull and the body of a man

palace of knossos

no walls, center of society, earthquake proof architecture, granary

frescos

big paintings on walls that show the Minoans knew what was in the water around them

Minoans long distance trade

shown by the murals of African animals

snake goddess

doesn’t have a name- no religion for the Minoans

minoan women

Weren’t respected but they showed out in fashion and style with jewelry and makeup

linear A

writing system from the Minoans that is not translated

mycenaeans

showed up in tomb scenes with the ancient Egyptian pharaohs- more integrated than the Minoans

citadel of mycenae

in between the two main trade routes, and has protective walls

lions gate

main entrance of citadel. shows acculturation with the Hittites. slowed down enemies

linear B

adapted version from the minoans that is only used for lists, inventory, and directions- nothing cultural

tholos tomb

9 of them. built for royalty and is built into the ground- show burial practices

tomb of atreus

best preserved tomb from the tholos tombs

mask of agamemnon

shows the mycenaean kings were buried with their gold and wealth

mycenaean government

monarchy

mycenaean federalism

lawagetas, governors, gwasileis

mycenaean long distance trade

ivory and gold

barbarians

people who are unsettled and nomadic. They speak a different language and religion is different

bronze age

the basis for later Greek myths considered the “Age of Heroes”

end of the mycenaeans

slow decline, they weren’t conquered overnight, new Greeks invaded, literacy disappears and starts the beginning of the “dark ages”

archaic period

the expansion of greek culture, population growth, and colonization of the Mediterranean and Black Sea. the emergence of the dark age

hellene

a common ancestor used by the Greeks to show that they shared the same culture. It was a mythical ancestor of the Greeks

dialects

aiolians, Ionaians, and the Dorians. They could all understand each other.

alphabet

starts from the phoenicians then to the Greeks then to latin. Phoenicians had no vowels, but Greeks added them.

literature

Homer and Hesiod

minoans compared to mycenaeans

mycenaeans show their interest in violence and warrior society from the art they have while the Minoans do not.

minoan influence

mycenaeans bull head - bulls were important Minoan symbol.

Homer

Poet for the famous Iliad and Odyssey. It helped the Greeks feel more connected to a larger Greek culture.

Hesiod

poet that wrote the epic poems called Theogony and Works and Days.

theogony

poem written by Hesiod that talks about the origins of the Greek gods and the Greek religion

works and days

a poem made by Hesiod that shows the Greek’s culture through farming, morals, and daily life

gods

lived on Mount Olympus such as Zeus and others lived where they reigned

temples

individual to gods and goddesses are spread throughout Greece. They reaffirm the collective “Greekness” of the people despite living in independent city states.

oracles

sites where the gods communicated guidance to mortals providing advice through a women.

oracle downfall

earthquake, christianity didn’t believe in it, and the success rate was not good

olympics

Held every 4 years to honor Zeus, had to be Greek, had to be male

arete

the belief of excellence and virtue that was important to Greek society that was shown by art, athletics, war, civil spirit, etc. Be the best you can be

colonization

made to maintain the growing population at a reasonable rate by becoming independent city states, but couldn’t bc of the phoenicians

phoenicians

in constant competition with the Greeks over area for colonization, trade, etc.