Early Greek History. Minoan Civilization Developed on the island of Crete – Writing system –...
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Transcript of Early Greek History. Minoan Civilization Developed on the island of Crete – Writing system –...
Early Greek History
Minoan Civilization
• Developed on the island of Crete – Writing system – Elaborate frescoes decorate palaces at Knossos– Traded extensively by ship across the
Mediterranean and Black seas• Writing, gold work, and architecture inspired by contact
from middle eastern communities • Greeks later adopt Minoan systems of writing
• Culture spread across the Aegean Sea making landfall in Greece around 200 B.C.E.
The Mycenaeans
• Located on Greek mainland, influenced by Minoans
• Developed around 1600 B.C.E. • Each Myceanean town was governed by a
monarchy • Achievements– Bronze weapons and pottery
Dorians • Invaded Greek mainland in 1100 B.C.E. • Led to a period of violence and lawlessness known
as the Dark Ages that lasted until 750 B.C.E. • New civilization formed when mainland Greeks
mixed with the Dorians– Tribal society – Wealth based on land ownership
• Many Greeks also fled from the Dorians– Grew into settlements in remote villages – Developed into city-states
• Major political organization of ancient Greece
The Trojan War
• Warrior from Mycenaean sailed across the Aegean to attack Troy
• For centuries the stories of the Trojan War were recited • 700 B.C.E Homer shaped the stories of the Trojan War
into an epic, the Iliad• Iliad shaped Greek culture, students learned the verses
by heart– The values expressed in the epic became part of Greek
identity• Courage, bravery, strength, honor