Archaic Greece

Archaic GreeceArchaic Greece

Minoan civilization on CreteMinoan civilization on Crete– Palace economy (redistributive)Palace economy (redistributive)– Linear A writingLinear A writing– Social structure unclearSocial structure unclear

Mycenaean civilization on mainland Mycenaean civilization on mainland GreeceGreece

The Lost Civilizations of Greece

•Minoan (ca. 2200–1400 B.C.) Palace of Knossos, matriarchy?

•Mycenae (ca. 1600–1100 B.C.) Lightweight chariots

•The Greek Dark Ages (ca. 1100–750 B.C.)

•The Iron Age (ca. 900–800 B.C.)

•Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey

•Chiefs, raiders, slaves

The Palace at Knossos

Minoan ReligionMinoan Religion

Female deities: Female deities: Potnia Theron Potnia Theron (Mistress of the (Mistress of the Animals)Animals)

Important symbols: Important symbols: snakes snakes (underworld), bulls (underworld), bulls (power), the double (power), the double headed axe (labris)headed axe (labris)

Minoan SocietyMinoan Society

No good evidence No good evidence for how society or for how society or government government operated.operated.

Male and female Male and female shared some sports shared some sports and activities.and activities.

Not a warlike Not a warlike societysociety

Linear A (Minoan)Linear A (Minoan)

Fresco at Knossos

The Lost Civilizations of Greece

•Minoan (ca. 2200–1400 B.C.) Palace of Knossos, matriarchy?

•Mycenae (ca. 1600–1100 B.C.) Lightweight chariots

•The Greek Dark Ages (ca. 1100–750 B.C.)

•The Iron Age (ca. 900–800 B.C.)

•Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey

•Chiefs, raiders, slaves

Mycenaean Society Mycenaean Society (1600(1600––1100 1100 BC)BC)

Palace economies prevalentPalace economies prevalent More warlike and aggressiveMore warlike and aggressive Linear B tablets: Greek language but Linear B tablets: Greek language but

not Greek lettersnot Greek letters Widespread trading networkWidespread trading network Destroyed in the invasions of the Sea Destroyed in the invasions of the Sea

Peoples c. 1200 to 1100 BCPeoples c. 1200 to 1100 BC

MycenaeMycenae

Left: Lion’s Gate at MycenaeRight: Death Mask of Agamemnon?(found by Heinrich Schliemann)

Hut of a chief during the Greek Dark Ages

Archaic Greece (700-500 B.C.)•Reappearance of trade and written language (825-800 B.C.)

•The Rise of the polis (plural: poleis)

•Panhellenism and athletic competitions (Olympia, 776 B.C.)

•Emigration and colonization

•Aristocrats and sharecroppers

Vase painting of the games at Olympia