The Minoans,Mycenaeans, & the Dorians Who were they? Where did they come from? What did they accomplish? Where did they go?

Minoan civilization arose on the island of Crete.

Minoans – First advanced civilization of what would become Ancient Greece developed around c.2000 B.C.E on the island of Crete. Their legacy was as masters of the sea and great shipbuilders. Due to their location, Minoans made a living trading their goods by ship across the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Products included honey, olive oil, wine, gold, and grains.

Bull Leaping Based on frescoes (painting on fresh plaster) we know the Minoans were lively and active people who enjoyed life. They were fond of animals, dancing, and sports. Bull leaping or bull fighting was both a sport and a religious ceremony. **Don’t try this at home

The Palace One of the largest cities on Crete was Knossos. The legendary King Minos lived in a huge palace with over 1,500 rooms. It was known as - the Palace of Knossos. Even the poor in Knossos had 4-room houses with running water for drinking and bathing as well as bathrooms that flushed!!

The palace had several passageways. The palace had a network of paths (maze) through which it was difficult to find one’s way.

The myth of the Minotaur Myth says, that in this labyrinth, lived King Minos’s son who was half man and half bull. They called this monster the Minotaur.

The Story of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth Every years, seven youths and maidens came as tribute from Athens. These young people were also locked in the labyrinth for the Minotaur to feast upon. When the Greek hero Theseus reached Athens, he learned of the Minotaur and the sacrifices, and wanted to end this. He volunteered to go to Crete as one of the victims. Upon his arrival in Crete, he met Ariadne, Minos's daughter, who fell in love with him. She promised she would provide the means to escape from the maze if he agreed to marry her. When Theseus did, she gave him a simple ball of thread, which he was to fasten close to the entrance of the maze. He made his way through the maze, while unwinding the thread, and he stumbled upon the sleeping Minotaur. He beat it to death and led the others back to the entrance by following the thread.

Painting of Theseus slaying the mighty Minotaur.

Where did they go? No one is certain why Minoan civilization came to end. ** By about c.1400 B.C.E., control of the sea and Crete had passed to the Mycenaeans. ** some say a volcanic eruption or perhaps huge tidal waves that crashed to shore following underwater earthquakes may have played a role in the demise of the Minoan people.

Where did they come from? Mycenaeans (c.1400 – 1200 B.C.E.) The Mycenaeans came from the grasslands of Central Asia and eventually made their way south to the Balkan peninsula, where they settled in southern Greece. Their name comes from their largest and most powerful city, Mycenae. They exchanged goods and ideas with the Minoans (CULTURAL DIFFUSION). Unlike the Minoans, the Mycenaeans were a warlike people known for producing weapons. They built their cities with armed fortresses on hillsides, all connected together by huge stone walls. Their art is mostly of battle scenes, and particularly the Trojan War.

Trojan War The Mycenaeans likely went to war with Troy, a city southeast of the Balkan peninsula because Troy controlled a trade route and unfairly taxed ships sailing between the Aegean and Black Seas.

Homer’s “The Iliad & The Odyssey” About 500 years later, c.750 B.C.E. a blind Greek poet, Homer, included the story of the Trojan war in his famous epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey - but not quite exactly as it happened.

Homer’s version of the Trojan War The Trojan prince Paris fell in love with Helen, the wife of the Mycenaean king. Paris kidnapped her, taking her to Troy. The Mycenaeans followed to get her back. After ten years of fighting, Odysseus suggested they build a large wooden horse and place their best soldiers in it (think SEAL Team 6). Then the rest of the Mycenaeans would return to their ships and sail away. Helen of Troy

Homer’s version continued… When the Trojans saw the horse and the soldiers leaving, they thought it was a gift and pulled it into the city. Once out of sight, the ships turned around and began to sail back toward Troy. During the night, the soldiers inside the horse climbed out, opened the gate and let the returning soldiers into Troy.

Trojan Horse

What happened... The Mycenaeans killed the king of Troy and burned the city. Then they returned to their homes with Helen.

What happened next? However, historians think the more reasonable cause for their collapse given their warlike ways, was the internal conflict between kingdoms within the Mycnenaean region. This conflict made trade almost impossible and in this weakened state, made them easy prey for a new band of invaders. Some historians think that a natural disaster, such as a drought, which would have caused widespread famine might to be blame for their collapse.

Dorians (c.1100 B.C.E. – c.750 B.C.E.) According to Greek mythology, their name comes from a city in central Greece called Doris. Stories tell of a Mycenaean ruler driving 3 sons of Hercules from Doris. The 3 brothers later took revenge by invading the mainland of Greece to reclaim what they saw as their rightful territory. The Dorians did have one advantage. Their weapons were far superior to that of the Mycenaeans (Iron v. Bronze).

“Dark Age” This began a “Dark Age.” During this period, overseas trade stopped, poverty increased, and people lost their skills such as reading and writing and craft making (working with ivory and gold). They even forgot how to paint Frescos. People once again began to herd animals and farm to survive. During the “dark age,” BARDS, or singing storytellers, kept alive Mycenaean tradition.

Here we go again... By c.750 BCE a group of Mycenaeans who were able to flee Dorian invasion and would be known as Ionians started to reintroduce culture, crafts, and skills to their homeland, including the alphabet used by Phoenician traders.

A New Name Eventually a new Greek civilization with Mycenaean elements emerged (began). They developed independent communities and began calling themselves Hellenes (HEH∙leenz), or Greeks.

The rest is history.

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