THE MYCENAEANS

ANCIENT GREEK GEOGRAPHY• The sea (Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionian) is the greatest geographic factor. Sea travel and trade were very important because Greece lacked___________.

• mountains cover ¾ of ancient Greece. Mountain division = different regions. Community loyalty eventually = city states.

• What about population?

• moderate temperatures; how does this affect ancient Greek life?

MYCENAENS• Indo-European origins

• 2000 BC

• fortified city of Mycenae

• around 1500 BC, contact made with Minoans

• Mycenaeans basically copy Minoan civilization

• Minoans= peace and trade; Mycenaeans= war and conquest

• Mycenaeans take over Knossus

MYCENAENS• 1200s BC= Trojan War

• Fact or fiction?

• Heinrich Schliemann (1870s)

• Mycenaen civilization mysteriously collapses (Dorians? Sea peoples?)

• The Greek Dark Age (1150-750 BC- no written record)

• For perhaps the only time in recorded history, an advanced civilization forgot how to write!

MYCENAENS• Enter……..Homer

• Iliad and Odyssey (750-700 BC?)

“MASK OF AGAMEMNON”

“MASK OF AGAMEMNON”

LINEAR B SCRIPT