Early Aegean Civilization

October 3, 2007

Minoans Ca. 2000-1200 B.C. Based on Crete Palace at Knossos Discovered by Arthur

Evans

Minoans (2) Seafaring Culture

Commercial economy Trade with Egypt Relatively peaceful

King and bureaucracy

Minoans (3) Minoans in Greek myth

King Minos and Labyrinth Theseus myth

Sudden collapse Thera? Mycenaeans?

Mycenaeans Ca. 1600-1100 B.C. Inhabited the Greek

mainland Numerous monarchies

based in hill fortresses, palace complexes

Heinrich Schliemann

Amateur archeologist Was convinced Greek epics were grounded in fact Excavations

MycenaeTroy

Mycenaean Culture Violent—frequent warfare Art (pottery, weapons) Trojan War (12th c.?) Peak – 1400-1200 Collapse around 1100

Homer: The Poet

The importance of the poet in the city Was Homer a real person? Head of the literary tradition for Western

civilization Iliad and Odyssey: the Greeks’ “Bible”

Iliad: Plot

Background Judgment of ParisSeduction of HelenAchaean invasion of Troy

Achilles and Agamemnon quarrel Achilles leaves the fighting

Iliad: Plot (2)

Desperation of Achaeans Patroclus rallies Achaeans but is killed Achilles reenters fight, kills Hector, desecrates

body Priam begs for Hector’s body, Achilles gives in Aftermath: Trojan Horse, Death of Achilles

Characters of the Iliad Achilles

Hector

Agamemnon

Themes in The Iliad Warfare Honor and Glory “Immortality” Fate The gods Achilles Shield