Mycenaean civilization

Mycenaean was called the civilization that developed in mainland Greece from -1600 until -1100, because of the most important center of the time that was Mycenae. The Mycenaeans were closer to the primitive hunting stage than Minoans of Crete, their economic base was agriculture and livestock, in the seas started as pirates. Later, they turned to trade and fought piracy when they realized that piracy killed trade and ultimately produced poverty. The Mycenaeans conquered Minoans when the last were weakened by the volcanic eruptions and at the same time were conquered by their progress and culture. They brought artists and craftsmen from Crete to create art and adopted many elements of Minoan civilization. Palace was designed and decorated in the Minoan way, the ladies of the upper class were imitated and dressed as the Minoans, Cretan vases and frescoes became the object of worship. The Mycenaeans themselves managed to excel in metallurgy, forged gold cups with bullfighting scenes has been found, gold-plated faces that placed their dead, brass handbooks with lions stalking leopards. They have also been pioneers in the construction of vaulted tombs for their kings, and have built enormous walls to protect their cities.


The Mycenaean society was strictly hierarchical and resembled a pyramid; at the top was the king. He, along with his family, lived in the palace, the center of power of each territory. The various courtiers and the priesthood followed the hierarchy. The inhabitants of each region constituted the municipalities. The municipalities were numerous, organized in villages, around the administrative center, the palace. Apart from farmers and breeders, the billboards with Linear B text give us an inexhaustible array of skilled artisans. In the lowest position, as in all the societies of the time, were the slaves. The writing of their signs is syllabic, meaning that each symbol renders a syllable (mi, ka, lo, mo, pi and so) and was named linear B, it is likely to have originated from Linear A of Crete. It was owned only by specialized writers who recorded commercial and economic activities as well as information on administration and religion. The writing disappeared around 1200 BC, after the fall of the palaces and the prevalence of the Achaeans.


The first period of the Mycenaean civilization was named after the royal tombs, as prototype tombs of exceptional style have been found from this period. From -1400 it is called the palatial period as almost palaces are built at the same time as the excavations in Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos and Thebes. the Mycenaean Greek element gradually descends into the sea and spreads to the Mediterranean, creating colonies on the Aegean, Asian and Cypriot islands, which systematically colonize the Phoenicians and the Egyptians and achieve its Hellenization. Their trading activities reached up to Palestine and Egypt. After -1250 we have the dominance of the Achaeans, there is no abrupt division of the Mycenaean civilization and its later phase, the Achaean era, the two ways of life merged into one; they ended up after the siege of Troy.

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