1. Greek History from the Minoans to the Trojan War
Early Greece
Greek History from the Minoans to the Trojan War

2. Geography Smaller area Mountains and the Sea
Isolation along the Peninsula
Peloponnesus

6. Minoan Civilization Bronze Age civilization Discovered by Arthur Evans
Named after King Minos

7. Minoan remains

8. Knossos Remains revealed a rich and prosperous culture.
Remains illustrated a trading society with few military fortifications.
Made contact with Greek mainland and Egypt. Egyptian influence was heavy.

11. Height of Minoans About 2000-1500 BCE
Wrote in an undeciphered language called Linear A.
Elaborate frescoes with bright colors demonstrating a love nature.
Taxes paid to the king in wine and oil

12. Fall of Minoans Shrouded in mystery Earthquake/Tsunami?
War with Mycenae?

13. Mycenaean Greeks
Name derived from a fortified site excavated by Heinrich Schliemann.
Center of their civilization.
Part of Indo-European Groups

14. Mycenae Fortified walls Treasury Society based on war
Led by Warrior aristocracy

17. Warrior Aristocracy Based on Homeric writings/stories?
Intercine warfare
Greek Ideal

19. Mycenaens tradition of War:
*Very evident in their art
*Inward then outward
*Heroic time in Ancient Greece

20. The Legendary Trojan War:
*One of our most enduring myths
*Combines brains/brawn
*Epitomizes Ancient Greece

21. *Cornerstone of Greek Mythology *Oral traditions
How the war began?
*Cornerstone of Greek Mythology
*Oral traditions

22. The Horse: The Greatest Myth of Ancient Greece

23. Trojan Horse

24. Image of Helen and Paris

25. Contributions of Homer?
*Illiad
*Odyssey
*artistic representation of Achilles

26. Players in the Trojan War?
Achilles
Hector
Agamemmnon
Ajax
Menaleus
Zeus
Tithes
Paris
Helen
Athena
Aphrodite
Hera

27. The Kidnap of Helen:

28. Departure of Hector:

29. Mycenaean decline Unknown at the present
Likely attributed to intercine warfare
Also probable was invasion by “Dorian Greeks” that wreaked havoc on their citadels.
Collapsed by 1100 BCE

30. Greek Dark Ages Farming and learning collapse
Greeks migrating throughout region
B.C.E
Writings of Homer
Trojan War
Historical Homer and its pitfalls.

31. Iliad and Odyssey
Iliad a narrative on Achilles and how his wrath led to disaster.
Odyssey: epic romance that recounts the journey home of Odysseus after the fall of Troy.

34. Homer as parable
Does it deal with the heroes of the Mycenaean Age or the tragic conditions of the Dark Ages. Homer’s writing speaks of agricultural woes during a time ruled by ruthless aristocrats.
Greeks and the “ideal”
“my father was anxious to see me develop into a good man and as a means he compelled me to memorize Homer”.