 Small kingdoms united by trade & shared culture  Mycenae leading city  Walled cities  Acropolis temples & palaces; homes below outside walls  Royal palace of Mycenae  Evidence of Zeus-Hera, Poseidon, Ares, Hermes, Athena, Artemis, & Dionysus

 Language known as Linear B – early form of Greek  Archaeologist have discovered thousands of tablets  Exciting?: lists of livestock, produce, tasks, daily items, officials  Pottery & ruins reveal much

 Gods and Goddesses (more important)  Tombs – buried with valuable possessions  Great ceremonies for the dead  Death masks of gold for kings Mask of Agememnon

 Warlike people – archaeologist discovered masses of weapons  King = leader of battles, responsible for soldiers  Kings & Nobles wore helmets & bronze armor  Soldiers = leather  Trojan War – 1250 B.C.  Sea-faring people  Trade from Scandinavia to Africa to Eastern Mediterranean

 Causes:  Great famine (Egyptian records)  Internal fighting between cities  Population distribution, people seeking new lands to conquer (Egypt, Italy, and Middle East)  Dorians take over  People of northern Greece  Lost the art of writing