Early People of the Aegean The story of Europa Daughter of the king of Phoenicia Went to put flowers on the horns of the Bull (Zeus) and he swept her away to the island of Crete. Eventually she married, and the King of Crete gave her name to all of the land. Europe

Today’s Discussion Questions Where did the earliest Greeks live? Which group lived first? How many years earlier? Did any of these early Greeks overlap? Discover 5 ways that the Minoans and Mycenaeans were alike. What happened to the Minoans and Mycenaeans? Was the Trojan War real? How do we know? Were the Dorians civilized? Defend your answer. Why is Crete called the “Cradle of Civilization”?

The Minoan World: mid-2M B.C.E.

Minoan Civilization Name after King Minos Between 1750 bc and 1500 bc is when the Minoans reached its greatest success. Success was based on trade, not conquest.

The Palace of Knossos Housed the royal family and included religious shrines which were areas dedicated to the honor of gods and goddesses. The walls are covered with frescoes. Frescoes- watercolor paintings done on wet plaster.

Palace of King Minos - Interiors

Minoan Culture - Religion Minoan Snake Goddess Minoan Priest

Bull Cult

Minoan Trade Coast of Crete “Bireme” ship

Early Writing System: “Linear A” (Undecipherable) Canon?

Civilization is believed to just disappear The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius is believed to lead to the decline of the Minoans.

Rulers of Mycenae Dominated from 1400 bc to 1200 bc Lived in city-states-areas created by warrior-kings that had thick-walled fortresses from where he lived and ruled the surrounding villages

The Mycenaean World: mid-2M B.C.E.

Aerial View of Mycenae

Lion’s Gate Entrance to Mycenae

Mycenaean Writing System: “Linear B”

The Trojan War Took place around 1250 bc. Had its roots in the economic struggles between Mycenae and Troy (Turkey). Troy controlled the straits that linked the Mediterranean and Black sea.

Romantic Story of Troy The Trojan Prince Paris kidnapped Helen, the beautiful wife of a Greek king, the Mycenaean's sailed to Troy to rescue her. For the next 10 years, the two sides battled until the Greeks finally seized Troy and burned the city to the ground. Believed to be a fairy tale until Heinrich Schliemann

Migrations in the Aegean Region (DORIANS}

The Age of Homer The Mycenaean civilization soon crumbles under the attack of the Dorian's. We get hints about what life was like during this time because of the two epic poems written by Homer.

The Iliad Written by the blind poet Homer around 750 bc. Chief source about what happened in the Trojan War Story involves god, goddesses, and even a talking horse named Pegasus. This is where we get our story about Achilles, the great Greek warrior.

The Odyssey Written by Homer Tells of the great struggles of of the Greek hero Odysseus. On his way home to his wife (Penelope) Odysseus encounters a sea monster, a race of one-eyed giants, and a beautiful sorceress who turns men into swine.