Beginnings of the Greek Experience

Importance of Historical Context

• Knowledge becomes less secure the further back in history you go.
• In prehistoric periods, knowledge derives from archaeological evidence, which is complex and interpretative.
• Dates and events are approximate and subject to debate.

Emergence of the Bronze Age

• Begins in the Aegean Sea around 3000 BC, possibly adjusted to 2900 BC.
• Introduction of the concept of civilization with permanent cities rather than villages.
• Cities feature non-food producing inhabitants, e.g., priests, bureaucrats.

Minoan Civilization

• First notable civilization in the Aegean area, centered on Crete.
• Excavated by Sir Arthur Evans, dubbed Minoan after King Minos.
• Knossos: major archaeological site with a palace complex reminiscent of Near Eastern civilizations.
• Minoans are not considered Greeks; they spoke a different language.

Mycenaean Civilization

• Greek-speaking peoples arrived around 2000 BC, developed Mycenaean culture by 1600 BC.
• Mycenaeans named after Mycenae, site excavated by Heinrich Schliemann.
• Mycenaeans known through Linear B script, deciphered to reveal an early form of Greek.

Mycenaean Society and Economy

• Fortified cities built on hills, some distance from the sea for safety.
• Economy based on trade, particularly in aromatic oils, olive oil with perfume.
• Cultural unity within Mycenaean towns and across the Mediterranean.
• Centralized monarchy with a powerful king, economic activities controlled through a palace economy.

Collapse of Mycenaean Civilization

• Around 1200 BC, widespread attacks and disruptions occurred across the Mediterranean, including by "Sea Peoples".
• Theories for collapse include internal uprisings, climate shifts, invasions.
• Dorian invasion theory: new Greek tribes, possibly the Dorians, may have contributed to the collapse.

Aftermath and Dark Ages

• Collapse led to a loss of writing and isolation of Greek regions.
• Localism replaced the previous cultural unity.
• Folk memory preserved some elements of Mycenaean culture through legends and epic poetry.
• The Dark Ages characterized by decline in trade, population, and overall cultural wealth.

Legacy and Transition

• Despite collapse, the epic tradition, particularly Homeric poems, preserved some Mycenaean elements.
• Emergence of a new Greek society and culture, distinct from Mycenaean influences.

Future Topics

• Exploration of the Greek Dark Ages and the world of Homer in subsequent lectures.