The Mycenaeans

The Mycenaeans (1900-1100 BCE)

The Mycenaean Legacy

Greeks recognize Mycenaean civilization as part of their heritage.

Political System: Feudal Rigid class structure – exploited those who were not

warrior class or above. Family ties, marriages, tentative alliances and sketchy

truces bound local rulers into smaller kingdoms Buried dead with honour, surrounding them with

precious objects and pottery (Egyptian influence?) Worship of Heroes – “The Age of Heroes” – Homeric

epics the Iliad and the Odyssey – pursuit of heroic excellence

The Mycenaeans

“Archaean” invaders entered mainland Greece around 2500 BCE from Asia Minor

By 1600 BCE they had developed a complex culture around the Peloponnesian peninsula

One of the central cites names “Mycenae”

Mycenae Remains

Mycenaean Palace States

A number of palace states fought each other for power, each has a warrior king who was both a military and religious figure

Warlike society controlled by the ruling class, peasants and craftsmen served the nobles

Agamemnon Alleged Mask of

Agamemnon found by Schliemann

Famed king of Mycenae in Greek Myth

1250 B.C. attacked city of Troy Long and exhaustive

leads to weakened

Interior reconstruction of a Megaron

Mycenaean Religion

Many Gods, including Zeus, supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and of the Pantheon of gods who resided there, and Poseidon

Other gods were nature divinities and spirits

Shaft graves and burial practices

Religious practices influenced later classical Greek culture

Zeus

Mycenaean Achievements

Perfected Linear “B” Elaborate royal graves

(first shaft graves, then beehive shaped)

Defeated the Trojans in the “Trojan War” in 1250 BCE

Agamemnon a famous king

Decline of The Mycenaeans

The long and costly war with Troy weakened the city state of Mycenae which fell around 1100 BCE

“Dorians” form the north invaded with iron weapons

Dark Ages – 3 centuries Invasions also came from

many sea peoples