1. Environment of Greece and the Aegean and its Consequences

                    within the Mediterranean

                            Aristotle: "The Hellenic people occupy an intermediate geographical position"
                            Plato: "We sit like frogs around a pond"

topographical map

pattern of fragmentation

mountains

Pindos range (north)

Mt. Olympus (north)

Mt. Helicon (central)

Mt. Parnassus (central)

plains

rivers: not very large (biggest Strymon and Acheloos)

sea and islands

coastline

settlements built around natural formations for defense: Acropolis, Acrocorinth

climate and weather
 

2. Bronze Age Aegean

Minoan civilization: ca. 2200–1400 B.C. (Crete, Knossos, King Minos)

Mycenean civilization: ca. 1600-1100 B.C. (mainland, Mycenae, Pylos)

A. contact with east:

Bronze Age trade in the Mediterranean

sources of commodities at Troy

Minoan Crete and the Aegean

1. The Discovery of the Bronze Age: Early Archaeologists

eastern Mediterranean

19C: Heinrich Schliemann and Frank Calvert discovered Troy

Sophia Schliemann wearing "the jewels of Helen"

other Mycenaean sites in Greece: Pylos, Thebes, Gla, Athens, Sparta, Ayia Irini, Tiryns

1899: Sir Arthur Evans discovered Minoan civilization on Crete (Knossos)

          map of Crete: other palaces at Phaistos (palace and disk), Gournia, Ayia Triada
  
          the West's first thalassocracy (rule of the sea)

Knossos: labyrinthine palace, throne room with frescoes (birds, dolphins, bull "jumping")

Knossos from air

Akrotiri (trade center) on Thira/Santorini

 2. Characteristics of Mycenean civilization

• king: wanax; chiefs: basileis (sing. basileus)
  
• palaces and monumental architecture

  Mycenae

  Lion Gate (detail) (from above)

• fortifications (compare Crete)

  Tiryns (interior gallery): ca. 13th century B.C.

• tombs, burials and riches

• control of extensive territory
• complex economies
• trade and industry
• polytheistic, cultic (snake goddesses)
  
• eastern influences and artifacts

  Mycenean dagger

• writing: Linear A and B
  

 Linear A: on Crete and Santorini, not deciphered

 Linear B: on Crete and mainland, deciphered

    Michael Ventris: "The language is Greek!"

    logosyllabic (like cuneiform)

    used for palace inventories and records