1. 11/10 Focus: Important Terms: Do Now:
The earliest civilizations in Greece were the Minoans and the Mycenaeans
Both were trading societies but both disappeared and were replaced by Greek city states
Important Terms:
Frescos, Dark Age
Do Now:
What geographic feature made it difficult to unite ancient Greece

2. Minoan & Mycenaean Civilizations
Ancient Greece
Minoan & Mycenaean
Civilizations

4. Minoan Civilization Developed on Crete 3,000 BC -2,000 BC
Sailed and traded throughout the Aegean Sea
Established colonies on islands in the Aegean

5. Minoan Civilization Minoan Life Archeological evidence
Named Minoan civilization after King Minos
Knossos
Capital city
Minos’s palace located here
Lack of defensive walls
indicate they were not afraid of attack

6. Minoan Civilization Had a written language Frescos
Historians have not been able to decipher
Frescos
Minoan artwork painted on walls
Provides much of the information on Minoan life

10. Minoan Civilization Frescos tell us :
The importance of the sea in Minoan life
women had high status
Minoans enjoyed sporting events and nature

11. Minoan Collapse Civilization ends around 1200 BC Theory
Natural disasters weakened the Minoan civilization
Large volcanic eruption on the nearby island of Thera
Eventually conquered by Mycenaeans

13. Mycenaean Civilization
Indo-Europeans migrated into Greece
Begin trading with the Minoans
Adopted Minoan culture
Architecture
pottery
Frescos
Become expert sailors and traders
Increased wealth and power

16. Mycenaean Civilization
Mycenaean cities were ruled by powerful warrior kings
Built fortified cities
Warfare was very common

17. War
Mycenaean kings launched a series of wars against Hittites in Anatolia
The Trojan War
Legendary war discussed in Greek Mythology and literature (Homer’s Illad and the Odyssey)
Archeological discovery in western Turkey may be the city of Troy
City appears to have been destroyed in battle

18. End of Mycenaean Civilization
War, drought, famine, and economic decline brought an end to Mycenaean civilization
Led to a dark age (1100 BC)
People left cities
People struggled to survive
Written records stop
Frequent attacks from outside invaders

19. Closure
Identify one theory as to why to Minoan civilization collapsed.
Identify one theory as to why the Mycenaean civilization collapsed.
What knowledge was lost in Greece for a period of time after the collapse of the Mycenaean civilization.