11/10 Focus: Important Terms: Do Now: The earliest civilizations in Greece were the Minoans and the Mycenaeans Both were trading societies but both disappeared and were replaced by Greek city states Important Terms: Frescos, Dark Age Do Now: What geographic feature made it difficult to unite ancient Greece

Minoan & Mycenaean Civilizations Ancient Greece Minoan & Mycenaean Civilizations

Minoan Civilization Developed on Crete 3,000 BC -2,000 BC Sailed and traded throughout the Aegean Sea Established colonies on islands in the Aegean

Minoan Civilization Minoan Life Archeological evidence Named Minoan civilization after King Minos Knossos Capital city Minos’s palace located here Lack of defensive walls indicate they were not afraid of attack

Minoan Civilization Had a written language Frescos Historians have not been able to decipher Frescos Minoan artwork painted on walls Provides much of the information on Minoan life

Minoan Civilization Frescos tell us : The importance of the sea in Minoan life women had high status Minoans enjoyed sporting events and nature

Minoan Collapse Civilization ends around 1200 BC Theory Natural disasters weakened the Minoan civilization Large volcanic eruption on the nearby island of Thera Eventually conquered by Mycenaeans

Mycenaean Civilization Indo-Europeans migrated into Greece Begin trading with the Minoans Adopted Minoan culture Architecture pottery Frescos Become expert sailors and traders Increased wealth and power

Mycenaean Civilization Mycenaean cities were ruled by powerful warrior kings Built fortified cities Warfare was very common

War Mycenaean kings launched a series of wars against Hittites in Anatolia The Trojan War Legendary war discussed in Greek Mythology and literature (Homer’s Illad and the Odyssey) Archeological discovery in western Turkey may be the city of Troy City appears to have been destroyed in battle

End of Mycenaean Civilization War, drought, famine, and economic decline brought an end to Mycenaean civilization Led to a dark age (1100 BC) People left cities People struggled to survive Written records stop Frequent attacks from outside invaders

Closure Identify one theory as to why to Minoan civilization collapsed. Identify one theory as to why the Mycenaean civilization collapsed. What knowledge was lost in Greece for a period of time after the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization.