Western Civ. 1-10: An Overview of Mycenean Greece

     In our study of history, we encounter many great civilizations. Many today see the greatest among these as the Hellenistic civilization. Within a period of only two hundred years, Greece had achieved more than every civilization that came before it. It produced the likes of Socrates, Aristotle, and alexander the great. But each civilization must have an origin, and understanding that origin is critical to the study of its history. Thus in order to understand Hellenistic civilization, we must understand its ancestor: Mycenean Greece

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycenaean_Greece

    The History of the Mycenaeans begins with the Early Mycenaean period and the Shaft grave era (c. 1750–1400 BC). Not much is known before this era. Various theories have been developed to discover the origins of the greeks, but none have been proven. This period saw trade and contact with the surrounding regions. The period is named for the burial style of the elites; burials which have uncovered treasures like the mask of Agamemnon

    The Shaft Grave Era was succeeded by the Koine era or Palatial Bronze Age (c. 1400 BC–1200 BC) 

Following the eruption of Thera around 1500, the Mianoan civilization declined. This disaster allowed a common, or Koine civilization to take power in the Mediterranean. Following this shift, greek trade increased and a number of new colonies appeared in places like Miletus in southern turkey. The tradition of the trojan war may stem from a war with the Hittites In this period. It is believed that the people of this time were governed by 'palace states' which controlled all economic and political affairs. They say nothing lasts forever, and Koine Greece was no different. 

    Following the devastation of the bronze age collapse or Postpalatial Bronze Age (c. 1200–1050 BC), everything fell into decline. Literacy, government, peace, trade, and architecture for example. There was widespread looting and bringing of cities into mainland Greece, but the invaders have not been recorded anywhere. It is proposed these were barbarians from the north or Sea People. A 300-year dark age would follow, but on the other side, Greece emerged as a beacon of civilization and progress. 

    Politicly the City-states seemed to have been governed by a hierarchical, authoritarian monarchy. Nearly all Linear B records have to do with controlling the civil and economic discourse. Everything from perfume to ceramics was regulated by the state. Large-scale construction of workshops, harbors, and fortifications was ordered. What is unique about the koines is the extent of their trade and exchange with other cultures. Scollars have noted trade all over the meddeteranian and near east as far as Spain and Georgia. 

  

  In terms of Religion little is known. most of the gods in the later pantheon appear including Posidon and Hera. they exist in slightly primitive forms, with fewer refining characteristics. several deities aoear who have no later equivalents including Marineus, Diwia and Komawenteia. As far as we know eligious sites were not very numerous or elaborate. Preistesses seemed to have many important duties, including presiding over festivals, sacrifices, and shrines. Worship took the form of a hierarchical cult with key positions granting authority and autonomy to the members. 

    We do not know much about the daily life of these people, beyond what is typical anyway. A few things do strike historians as peculiar. It seems men and women were viewed as roughly equal within the hierarchy, though with different duties. Men tended to be dedicated as hunters, warriors, or other occupations. Women and children were shown to dwell in 'workgroups' and did not belong to any particular household. they were assigned a task and would work collectively to complete it. It seems women could gain privileges like acquiring property by becoming a preistess or being born a nobel.

the preistly profession seemed to be inheritable by birth.

    The finest forms of Koine Architecture are seen in the megaron palaces of the cities. Each city state had a remarkably uniform iconography and layout. The throne room was build around a hearth with four collums surrounding it. Each one had beutiful frescoes and carvings which display the cultural beauty of the greeks. These and their fortfications were built on top of hills nearby r in the cities they dominated. The fortifications themselves are impressive and have been described as "cyclopean" for their incredible size. The Domestic architecture however, is nothing you wouldn't expect of a 'palace state'. plain mudbrick built around the palace, simple, but functional. 

    The Greeks of this era were warlike. They based their armies around heavy infantry with spears. Swords were less useful for the peasent populations and were snly used secondarily. Chariots and armor became less important in later eras. The armor and sheilds of this era resembled those of later ones, though more primitive. It seems the city states were territorial and in conflict with each other, though total war was proboby out of the question.

    Initially the art of myeanae was characterized by the Minoan styles. Everything from marine frescoes and potery to bull-leaping was copied. In later eras, however, it took on a character of its own. Drinking vessles and meatalwork began to depict animals heads and war more frequently. No great sculptures have been uncovered, but carved symbols of the letters Psi and Phi as feminine were popular religious symbols. As time goes on the quality of art deteriorated, probably due to the increasing levels of conflict in the region.  

    Sp what can we conclude from these findings? If we summarize the rise and fall of Mycanean greece we are left with the picture of a common culture which rose in the ashes of another great people. They shared much with the earlieir mycaneans including art, government, and a text script. The Koine civilization was not so much its own as it was minian, and as it traded with the rest of the world it became a thousand other things as well. Then again, isn' that true of every nation? We see only a shadow these people today, but their culture was the ancestor the the greek, which itself had the greatest influence on rome and the west. Surley we owe a great deal of who we are today to the people of that past time. 

Mycenaean Greece. (2022, October 5). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycenaean_Greece