1. 4. Early Civilizations in Greece
Geography
Minoans
Mycenaeans
Dark Ages
4. Early Civilizations in Greece

3. Impact of Geography Relatively infertile land – 80% mountainous
Isolation = independence
Extensive use of the seas (no part of Greece is more than 60 mi from sea)
Aegean
Mediterranean
Ionian

4. Minoans Island of Crete ~2700 - 1450 BCE Knossos Trade!!
Cultural diffusion
1450 BCE – sudden destruction
Tidal wave?
Invasion?

5. Minoans

6. Greek Mainland – Two Main Peninsulas

7. Mycenaeans ~1600 - ~1100 BCE Indo-Europeans Hill forts Monarchies
Main city=Mycenae
Independent states
Tholos tombs
Burial for royalty

8. Mycenaeans Warrior people Heroic deeds impt Commercial network
Military expansion ?
Homer
Iliad
Odyssey

9. Mycenaeans
Earthquakes
Fighting each other
Invaders 1100 BCE

10. Dark Ages Population declines Food production decreases
~1150-~750BCE = “Dark Age”
Ionian flight
Aeolians = north & central
Dorians = Peloponese
Iron age

11. Greek Alphabet From Phoenicians Version = 24 letters
Homer’s work appears at end Dark Ages

12. Homer Epic poem Trojan war Odyssey Iliad “hubris” “arete”
Heroic excellence won in brave struggle
Preserve honor