1. Minoans and Early Greeks
World Civilizations
Minoans and Early Greeks
© John Stevenson, 2017
Maps by David P. Barrett used by permission

2. What comes to mind when you think of Greece?
Architecture
Language
Philosophy
History

3. Greece
Irregular Coastline
Mountainous
Cyclades

4. Hellas
Crete

5. Crete

6. Minoans

7. Arthur Evans Began excavations in Crete in 1900
Excavated ruins at Knossos
Labeled the culture Minoan after the legendary King Minos

8. Arthur Evans Began excavations in Crete in 1900
Excavated ruins at Knossos
Labeled the culture Minoan after the legendary King Minos
Minotaur
Theseus

9. Periods of Minoan History
Early Period
3600 – 2000 B.C.
Prepalatial
Small settlements
Rising Period
2000 – 1700 B.C.
Old Palace Period
Legend of Theseus
High Period
1700 – 1450 B.C.
Thalassocracy
Palatial Period
Late Period
1450 – 1200 B.C.
Mycenaean dominance
Destruction

17. Early Writing Linear A Linear B Not translated Mycenae
Similar alphabet to Linear A
Deciphered in 1950’s

20. Thera

21. Santorini

24. “But afterwards there occurred violent earthquakes and floods; and in a single day and night of misfortune all your warlike men in a body sank into the earth, and the island of Atlantis in like manner disappeared in the depths of the sea” B Plato

25. Mercantile Culture Heroic Culture Values peace Values war
Gains profit through commerce
Gains loot through raiding

26. The Iliad Paris & the gods Hellen of Mycenae War of honor
Troy !
Mycenae
The Iliad
Paris & the gods
Hellen of Mycenae
War of honor
Achilles vs Hector !

27. Troy !
Mycenae
The Odyssey
Trojan Horse !

28. The Odyssey Trojan Horse Poseidon Offended
Troy !
Ithaca !
Mycenae
The Odyssey
Trojan Horse
Poseidon Offended
Odysseus: Journey & Homecoming !

29. Troy !
Mycenae !
Schliemann

30. Mycenae

31. Mycenae

32. Mycenae

33. “Mask of Agamemnon”

40. Cyclopean
Architecture

42. Minoans Mycenaeans Lived in unwalled cities Walled fortress cities
Houses have a collection of rooms with central courtyard
Houses have central meeting hall with fireplace along wall
Smooth shaven
Bearded men
Painting of social gatherings, plants, animals, trees, religious scenes
Paintings military in nature with some hunting scenes

43. Troy

49. Migrations of 1200 B.C.

50. Migrations of 1200 B.C.

51. Greek Dark Age
1200 – 800 B.C.

52. Thrace Macedonia Ionia Rise of the City-States Thebes Athens Sparta !

53. Athens

59. Freedom as a National Value
National Freedom
Political Freedom
Personal Freedom

60. Is Freedom a Universal
Value?

61. “The American view of freedom has been shaped by five currents” - Rufus Fears
The Old Testament
Athenian Democracy
The Roman Republic
Christianity
Great Britain

62. The Law Giver Solon Laws of Draco Athenian merchant traveler
Wrote laws for Athens
No one could change the law for ten years
Traveled for ten years

63. Who is the most happy man you have ever known?
Croesus
Who is the most happy man you have ever known?

64. Croesus
Cyrus
Oracle of Delphi

65. If you go to war against Persia, a great kingdom will fall”
Croesus
Cyrus
If you go to war against Persia, a great kingdom will fall”

66. Sardis

67. “Solon was right”

68. Hubris
Outrageous arrogance

69. Medes
Astyages
Persians
Mandane
Cambyses
Cyrus II
(the Great)
Harpagus

70. Kingdom of Cyrus

71. Cambyses
Secretly murders his brother Smerdis
Invades Egypt
Pseudo Smerdis

72. Darius the Great Athenian support of Ionian Revolt
Subjugation of Thrace & Macedon
Invasion of Greece

73. Casualties
Persians: 6400
Athenians: 192

74. Xerxes (486-464 B.C.) Argument over succession
Rebellion in Egypt and Babylon
Invasion of Greece

84. The Age of Pericles Political equality between rich and poor
480 – 430 B.C.
Political equality between rich and poor
Political offices by lot instead of election
Treasury of Delian League
Greek theatre

85. The Age of Pericles

86. The Age of Pericles
480 – 430 B.C.
“Those who can think, but cannot express what they think, place themselves at the level of those who cannot think”

87. The Age of Pericles
480 – 430 B.C.
“Nor is it any longer possible for you to give up this empire… Your empire is now like a tyranny: it may have been wrong to take it; it is certainly dangerous to let it go. ”

88. Peloponnesian War Major naval power Democracy Military society
Athens !
Major naval power
Democracy
Sparta !
Military society
Ruled by two kings

89. Spartan Culture Two Kings A military mindset Social Classes Warriors
Periokoi: Merchants & craftsmen
Helots (Serfs)
Slaves

90. Spartan Culture Spartan Social Life “With your shield or on it”
Physical perfection
Military School: Age 7
Barracks: Age 20
Marriage
“With your shield or on it”
The “parthenoi”
War with Athens

92. Alcibiades Leader of expedition Tried for religious crimes
Defected to Sparta

93. Syracuse Nicias Called for reinforcements
Tried to surround Syracuse with a wall
Defeated in battle

95. What lessons can we learn from the Peloponnesian War?

96. Socrates Presented in Plato’s Dialogues
470 – 399 B.C.
Presented in Plato’s Dialogues
What is the Socratic Method of teaching?
Why is this effective?
Charges:
Impiety
Corruption of the youth

97. Death of Socrates

98. Plato Student of Socrates The Republic
428 – 348 B.C.
Student of Socrates
The Republic
Presented as teachings of Socrates
Allegory of the cave
Details problems in democracy
Prefers the wise philosopher-king

99. Aristotle Student of Plato Philosopher-scientist
384 – 322 B.C.
Student of Plato
Philosopher-scientist
Tutor to Alexander of Macedon

100. Plato
Aristotle
The world we see with our senses is only a shadowy incomplete version of the truth
We make systematic observation and analysis to form logical statements about the world
Metaphysical philosophy
Scientific method
Focused on what is important, even if it is not necessarily true
Focused on what is true, even if it is not necessarily important

101. Maps provided by
David P. Barrett
Used by Permission