Ancient Greece lecture 1

Overview of the Week's Topics

  • Covering historical periods from approximately 7000 BC to the end of Mycenaean culture around 1200 BC.

  • Usage of BC (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) as dating conventions instead of BC/AD.

Prehistoric Greece

Timeline and Dating Systems

  • Starting with prehistory in Greece, back to the Middle Paleolithic period (~40,000 years ago).

  • Reference to the three-age dating system created by Christian Thomsen in the 19th century:

    • Stone Age: Tools made of stone, termed Neolithic for "new stone age."

    • Bronze Age: Era defined by mixing tin with copper to create bronze, resulting in harder tools.

    • Iron Age: Characterized by the use of iron for tools and weapons.

Significant Archaeological Sites

  • Frankthi Cave: Inhabited from approximately 20,000 BC to 3,000 BC, showing developments from hunting-gathering to agriculture.

  • Neolithic Revolution: Domestication of plants and animals originating in the Fertile Crescent, impacting housing and community structure in Greece with a delay.

  • Catalhoyuk: A significant early urban center in the Near East showcasing figurines, particularly a mother goddess, believed to link to agricultural practices.

The Minoan Culture

Geographic and Religious Context

  • Focused on Crete, the largest island in the Greek world, with multiple palatial sites including Knossos.

  • The Minoan culture derives its name from King Minos, a legendary figure in Greek mythology.

Architectural Features

  • Palace of Knossos: Largest power center, showcasing advanced architecture with a central court used for ritualistic functions.

  • Wall paintings, known for the wet fresco technique, depicted significant cultural themes like bull-leaping and Saffron gathering.

  • Redistributive economy centered around the palace, evidenced by large storage facilities.

Ritual and Religion

  • Various religious practices, including mountain peak and cave sanctuaries.

  • Evidence of animal and occasional human sacrifices found in sanctuaries.

Mycenaean Culture

Overview

  • Centered in the Peloponnese, characterized by being a warrior culture, contrasting with the Minoans.

  • Mycenaeans influenced by Minoan culture, absorbing administrative and architectural features but focusing more on warfare.

Key Archaeological Findings

  • Henry Schliemann: German archaeologist who excavated Mycenaean sites seeking connections to the epic narratives in Greek literature.

  • Architecture: Heavily fortified cities, like Mycenae, compared against the Minoan's more open and less fortified architecture.

Writing Systems and Archives

  • Linear A & B: The transition from the undeciphered Linear A to the deciphered Linear B, which represents an early form of the Greek language.

  • Archives at sites like Pylos reveal administrative details and social hierarchies in Mycenaean society.

Conclusion

Discussion Questions

  1. Consider the interpretation of Minoan culture as pacifist due to lack of military evidence. Is this a valid conclusion?

  2. Reflect on reasons behind the Mycenaean focus on warfare. What historical conditions or cultural factors might explain this emphasis?