Bronze Age Greece
Core Learning Objectives and Analytical Questions
The study of Bronze Age Greece ( B.C.) focuses on several essential questions regarding the development and eventual collapse of early Greek civilizations:
Identification of the two primary ways Greek geography influenced the development of civilization.
Knowledge of the most important crops grown within the Greek triad.
Analysis of the striking features of Minoan culture and the factors that led to their decline.
Identification of the individual who discovered the Mycenaeans and the specific name given to their writing system.
Comparison of Mycenaean society and government against Minoan structures.
Evaluation of theories proposed to explain the total collapse of Bronze Age Greece.
Greek Geography and Environmental Context
Physical Landscape:
Greece is defined by a rugged terrain where of the land is mountainous.
The region includes a vast number of islands scattered across the surrounding seas.
The landscape is largely non-conducive to traditional large-scale farming; only of the land is considered arable.
Consequences of Geography:
Reliance on Trade: Because of the lack of farmable land, the civilization became sea-based. Trade was not a choice but a necessity for survival.
Localized Populations: The mountainous terrain naturally divided the people, leading to localized populations rather than a single unified land empire.
Mediterranean Climate:
The region experiences a "perfect climate" characterized by mild to hot summers and wet winters.
This environment supports the "Triad of Crops," which are the staples of the Greek diet and economy:
Grapes (used for wine).
Olives (used for oil and food).
Wheat (the primary grain).
The Minoan Civilization ( B.C.)
Historical Background and Discovery:
The civilization was located on the Island of Crete, which served as a major commercial hub in the Mediterranean.
It was discovered/popularized by archaeologist Arthur Evans in the century.
The culture is closely associated with the mythological King Minos and the legend of the Minotaur.
Writing System:
The Minoans used a script known as Linear A, which remains undeciphered.
A notable archaeological artifact from this era is the Phaistos Disc.
Knossos and Urban Life:
Knossos is the largest city discovered in Crete.
Lack of Defenses: Strikingly, Knossos and other Minoan cities have no defensive walls. This suggests the Minoans perceived no immediate enemies or threats of invasion from neighbors on the island.
The Labyrinth: The palace complex at Knossos was built with an extremely complex, labyrinthine layout, feeding into the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.
Religion and Social Structure:
Imagery: Religious symbols frequently include bulls, snakes, and women with exposed breasts.
Fertility: The prevalence of female imagery suggests a focus on fertility.
Status of Women: Women were highly revered and held a higher social status than men. They were often represented by a "snake goddess."
Male Symbols: Men were typically represented by symbols such as the bull or the axe.
Decline and Environment:
Environmental Catastrophe: A massive volcanic eruption occurred at Thera (modern-day Santorini) in B.C.
Akrotiri: This site is referred to as the "Greek Pompeii," where everything was perfectly preserved under a thick layer of volcanic ash.
Tsunamis: The eruption triggered tsunamis that slammed into Crete, effectively destroying the Minoan navy and weakening their maritime power.
Invasion: By B.C., the weakened Minoans were invaded by the Greeks (Mycenaeans).
The Mycenaean Civilization ( B.C.)
Discovery and Archaeological Hunches:
Heinrich Schliemann and Frank Calvert operated on the belief that the stories in Homer's epics were historical truths rather than mere myths.
They discovered the site of Hisarlik in Anatolia, identified as Troy ().
This discovery led Schliemann to search for the kingdom of Agamemnon, eventually uncovering the Mycenaean civilization.
Society and Governance:
Warlike Nature: Unlike the Minoans, the Mycenaeans were extremely warlike.
Architecture: Their cities featured massive walls described as "Cyclopean" (implying only a Cyclops could move such stones).
Political Structure: Mycenae was a collection of independent city-states.
The Wanax: The ruler was known as the Wanax, a term that translates to "king of kings," "overlord," or "boss." This role was modeled after Asiatic kings.
Economy and Writing:
The Mycenaeans were a wealthy civilization with extensive trade networks; their pottery and writing are found across the Mediterranean.
Linear B: Their writing system was deciphered in by Michael Ventris.
The Cipher: Ventris utilized a cipher to translate the script, with the word "Tripod" providing a key breakthrough.
Content: The decipherment revealed that the majority of Linear B writings were administrative records and inventories, opening up vast amounts of previously unknown history.
The Collapse of Bronze Age Greece
Potential Theories for Decline:
The Trojan War: Internal or external conflict resulting from the legendary war.
Environmental Disaster: Potential crop failures or further geological activity.
The Sea Peoples: Mysterious seafaring raiders who disrupted late Bronze Age civilizations across the Mediterranean.
The Dorians: An invasion or migration of a new group of Greeks from the north.
The Aftermath:
Following the fall of the Mycenaeans, Greece entered a "Dark Age."
This period is described metaphorically as a door slamming shut, leading to a loss of literacy and centralized political organization for centuries.
Geography Appendix: Regional Map Labels
Regions/Areas: Illyria, Epirus, Macedonia, Thrace, Asia Minor, Cyclades.
Bodies of Water: Ionian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Crete, Aegean Sea, Black Sea.
Islands: Corcyra, Ithaca, Cephalonia, Zacynthus, Cythera, Crete, Rhodes, Cos, Samos, Chios, Lesbos, Lemnos, Thasos.
Cities/Sites: Olympia, Delphi, Thebes, Athens, Corinth, Mantinea, Argos, Tegea, Sparta, Knossos, Cydonia, Gortyna, Itanos, Miletus, Ephesus, Colophon, Clazomenae, Phocaea, Troy, Sestos, Abydos, Lampsacus, Potidaea, Larissa, Abdera.
Landmarks: Mt. Olympus, Mt. Athos.