The

M YCENEANS
The Age of Heroes
M YCENAEANS – Geography

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AFRICA

SOUTH AMERICA

AUSTRALIA

ANTARCTICA
M YCENAEANS – Geography

EUROPE
M YCENAEANS – Geography

MYCENAE
(Mainland; Mycenaean Base)

CRETE
(Island-base of the Minoans)
M YCENAEANS – Geography THRACE
(ancient name)
SOFIA
SKOPJE
TIRANA ILLYRIA
(ancient name)

ANKARA
M YCENAEANS – Geography
M YCENAEANS – Geography
M YCENAEANS – Geography
M YCENAEANS – Overview
M YCENAEANS – Overview
M YCENAEANS – Overview
M YCENAEANS – Overview
M YCENAEANS – Introduction

▪ The Mycenaean, also known as the

Achaeans , civilization arose in mainland
Greece c. 1600 BCE , and it lasted until c.
1100 BCE
▪ Clearly influenced by the earlier Minoan
civilization, as much of their initial art
styles, architecture and language were
based upon Minoan examples.
▪ The Mycenaeans were named after their
largest city, Mycenae .
M YCENAEANS – Introduction

▪ Archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann excavated the site of

Mycenae in 1876
▪ Schliemann used the ancient Greek poems of the Iliad and
the Odyssey by Homer to identify potential archaeological
sites
▪ In Homer's works, the city of Mycenae was described as a
wealthy and powerful city
▪ Other well-known Mycenaean sites include Pylos, Tiryns,
and Sparta
▪ Different Mycenaean cities seem to have operated
independently
▪ However, there are several shared cultural characteristics
among sites that make the term Mycenaean meaningful.
M YCENAEANS – Citadel

▪ The ancient citadel (fortified city) at

Mycenae is located on top of an isolated
hill
▪ Provided truly spectacular views of the
surrounding area
▪ Made it an ideal location for a
defensive stronghold.
M YCENAEANS – Citadel
M YCENAEANS – Citadel
M YCENAEANS – Citadel
 M YCENAEANS – Citadel

It was said that Perseus , the

founder of the Mycenaeans, had
asked the cyclops for help building
the city
M YCENAEANS – The Lion Gate
M YCENAEANS – Palaces & Grave Circle “A”
 M YCENAEANS – Palace

▪ Like the Minoans, Mycenaean palaces were typically

large complexes that included a main building, which
was a large rectangular central hall, called a megaron .
▪ These complexes also had several ancillary structures
attached to them –
▪ These other structures were used as the residences of the
Mycenaean elite
▪ Several buildings served served as administrative centers
▪ Mycenaean buildings were constructed on a large
scale and relied heavily on stone.
▪ This is still seen today in their elaborate fortifications
around their cities
▪ Consequently, their fortifications are some of the most
impressive examples of ancient architecture
M YCENAEANS – Palace

Hearth (fire
pit)

Columns

Vestibule

Entrance
M YCENAEANS – Palace
 M YCENAEANS – Cities

▪ Each Mycenaean city, although operated

independently, had similar layout &
structures –
▪ High defensive walls & fortifications
▪ Palaces enclosed with walls within the
walls of the acropolis
▪ While not planned in a “grid pattern” of
modern cities today, they were all planned
for defense
▪ Made it easier to train soldiers for combat
to defend their cities
M YCENAEANS – Cities
M YCENAEANS – Art

● Mycenaean art reflects their warrior

culture and religious beliefs
● Gold masks, jewelry, and weapons found in
tombs showcase their skilled craftsmanship
● Frescoes and pottery depict scenes of
hunting, warfare, and religious rituals.
● They adopted and adapted artistic styles
from the Minoans
● Their art and culture provide a glimpse
into their values, beliefs, and daily life.

Click on Pottery for link to Fun Activity!!!

 M YCENAEANS – Religion & Rituals

▪ Most of their religious beliefs also came from the Minoans – main "Mother” goddess;
symbolic use of Labrys; bulls/cows as sacred animals
▪ They believed in gods and goddesses who represented these forces, such as the sun god
and the earth goddess
▪ Many of the later Greek gods appeared to have originated from the Mycenaean period,
including Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades
▪ In addition, the Mycenaeans practiced animal sacrifice, and they believed that this
would please the gods and ensure their favor
▪ Animal remains have been found at several Mycenaean sites, including Pylos,
Mycenae, and Tiryns
▪ They buried their dead in shaft graves, which were large burial pits – along with
grave goods, such as pottery & jewelry
M YCENAEANS – Religion & Rituals
M YCENAEANS – Religion & Rituals
M YCENAEANS – Religion & Rituals
M YCENAEANS – Religion & Rituals
M YCENAEANS – Religion & Rituals
M YCENAEANS – Religion & Rituals
M YCENAEANS – Religion & Rituals
The king or chief ruler; the figure who held significant power and
M YCENAEANS – Politics
authority over the political and economic landscape; was central
to both governance and religious practices, serving as a link Wanax
between the divine & his people.
"the leader of the people”; whose role appears mainly
Lawagetas military; activities possibly overlap with the Wanax &
is considered as the second-in-command
Religious leaders made-up of high-ranking land-owning men
responsible for observing feasts, prayers, offerings, etc. Telestai
High-ranking members of the military; also tasked with
Heqetai watching the coast to warn against sea-faring invaders
Members of the bureaucracy beginning with the “governor”;
the deputy prokorete; damokoros overseeing the “people”;
council of elders Gerousia; & the basileus or community Koretai
officials
Slaves or servant Regular working “people” made up of all others such as
be men or childre
s typically work
n, majority were
in production or
cult practice; cou
Demos craftsmen, farmers, and merchants, sailors, builders
across Asia Mino women taken du ld
r, servants of pala r in g military raids
tial or religious o
“high” status in
society
fficials enjoyed a
Doeri
M YCENAEANS – Economy
▪ Mycenaeans were a maritime people and engaged in
trade with other cultures
▪ Initially, they traded with the Minoans, but later would
make economic exchanges with the Egyptians and the
Assyrians
▪ Mycenaean trade goods have been found as far away as
Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, Turkey, and the
island of Sicily
▪ In a similar system to the Minoans, trade was facilitated
by their network of palaces
▪ They also built a system of roads that connected their
different cities and to expand their trading network.
▪ At its height, the Mycenaeans were a wealthy
civilization, with access to valuable resources like gold
and tin
▪ Wealth that was primarily spent on military features
of their cities
 M YCENAEANS – Economy
▪ Perishable items like wine, olive oil, and
perfumed oil were undoubtedly important
Mycenaean exports
▪ While heavily engaged in trade,
agriculture was the backbone of the
economy
▪ The palace-controlled production through
taxation & redistribution on staple crops
such as wheat, barley, olive, grapes
▪ Specialized craftsmen operated within the
palace – metalworkers, jewelers, textile
producers – created utilitarian & luxury
items
M YCENAEANS – Economy
M YCENAEANS – Economy
M YCENAEANS – Society (Military)

▪ Very “war-like” society – recorded by Hittites as

raiders and attempted invaders
▪ Plenty of weapons found in tholoi of kings and tombs
of warriors and soldiers
▪ Palace tablets show arms, food, housing, land, &
slaves awarded to warriors
▪ Tablets also recorded military orders coming from the
Wanax & Lawagetai
▪ Known for their “Boar Tusk” helmets
M YCENAEANS – Society (Military)
M YCENAEANS – Society (Military)
M YCENAEANS – Society (Military)
M YCENAEANS – Society (Military)
M YCENAEANS – Society (Military)
M YCENAEANS – Society (Writing/Language)

▪ Developed writing system known as Linear B ,

adapted from the Minoan Linear A
▪ Used primarily for administrative purposes
–recording inventories & palace activities
▪ Decipherment in the 1950s provided valuable
insights into Mycenaean society & economy
▪ Scribes played a crucial role in managing the
economic and political affairs
M YCENAEANS – Society (Youth)
M YCENAEANS – Society (Fashion)
 M YCENAEANS – Society (Women)

▪ As recorded in the Linear B tablets kept at the palaces, majority of women

were identified as workers
▪ They worked at various palaces with various roles such as textile processors,
food producers, domestic attendants
▪ Some were enslaved or captives and were listed with the names of their
masters/owners
▪ Women of high status appears to have roles largely in religious services –
priestesses, servants of the god/dess,
▪ In this case, they also hold social and economic power as the level of telestai
M YCENAEANS – Society (Women)

▪ In burial practices, women did not appear to have their own tholoi built
and objects made of precious items were very limited in shaft graves
compared to men
▪ Most frescoes depict men engaging in multiple activities like sports,
dancing, music, hunting, etc. – women only appear in religious contexts
▪ Scientific analyses of skeletons found that women, on average, died 10 yrs
sooner than men – likely due to dangers of pregnancy & childbirth
M YCENAEANS – Decline

▪ Mycenaean civilization began to decline c.

1200 BCE
▪ The citadel itself was abandoned
completely around 100 years later after a
series of fires.
▪ May have also fallen to natural disasters,
such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions,
drought and/or famine to a lesser degree
than the Minoans
▪ Overpopulation and internal strife/battles
with other city-states
▪ The advent of the Greek Dark Ages Ruins of Mycenaean Acropolis
 M YCENAEANS – Legacy
▪ Language & Writing*
○ Linear B is known to be the early form of the Greek language and beginning of the alphabet
▪ Classical Greek Religion
○ The concept for having specific deities and naming the earliest Greek gods & goddesses
▪ Trade & Economics
○ Their widespread and far-reaching trade networks and partnerships established and made the Greek civilization known
and famous
▪ Legends, Myths, & Heroes*
○ Idealized society of good, evil, morals, right from wrong, started to emerge through the tales passed on each generation
▪ Engineering*
○ Civil engineering projects – walls, gov’t buildings, bridges, forts, dams, and roads – started getting built in a mass scale
and duplicated across various city-states

*In European contexts only

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The Age of Heroes !!