Ancient Greece Quizlet Vocabulary and Early Greece 4:Ancient Greece

Trojan War

(Greek mythology) a great war fought between Greece and Troy

Homer

A Greek poet, author of the Iliad and the Odyssey

strait

A narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water

Archaeologists are uncertain how or why the Minoan civilization disappeared. How do you think the Minoan civilization might have ended?

A nearby volcanic eruption or earthquake destroyed the palace at Knossos. A little later, taking advantage of the devastation, another group attacked, conquered, and enslaved the Minoan survivors.

shrine

A place of worship that is often dedicated to a sacred object or person

Analyze Charts

A series of Greek civilizations grew, flourished, and fell on the mainland and islands of the eastern Mediterranean. Which civilizations absorbed ideas from Egypt and Mesopotamia? How did they learn about these ideas? Homer's epics reflected the Greek world view, which later had much influence on the Western world. The poems were not sacred religious texts. The gods played a role, but they had the same weaknesses as humans. The key figures were individual humans who displayed reason, intelligence, courage, honor and restraint.

An Economy Based on Trade

Abundant resources and trade helped Minoans build a prosperous economy. Unlike the early civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotomia, the success of the Minoans was based on trade, not conquest. Minoan traders set up outposts across the Aegean and beyond. From Crete, they exported timber, food, wine, wool, and many other goods. From Egypt and the Middle East, they brought back cargoes of precious stones, copper, ivory, gold, and silver as well as tin. The nearest tin mines were located in Spain, Britain or Persia, suggesting that Minoan traders acquired goods that had traveled great distances.

A Legacy for the Future

After the Dorian invasions, the land of Greece passed several centuries in obscurity. The people lived in small isolated villages and had few contacts with the outside world. Over time they made the stories about Crete and Mycenae a part of their heritage, and they built upon the legacy of those and other civilizations to forge a new Greek civilization. When it emerged, this Greek civilization would not only dominate the region; it would ultimately extend the influence of Greek culture over most of the Western world.

Minoan Civilization Disappears

Archaeologists have found that Minoan palaces were destroyed and rebuilt more than once. But some time around 1400 B.C., palaces were destroyed. Evidence shows fire and sudden destruction. Scholars do not know why Minoan civilization fell. A volcanic eruption on a nearby island may have rained flaming death or clouds of ash on Knossos. Or perhaps an earthquake destroyed the palace, followed by an immense tidal wave that drowned many inhabitants. However, it is certain that invaders played a role in the destruction of Minoan civilization. These intruders were the Mycenaeans (my suh NEE unz), the first Greek-speaking people of whom we have a written record. With the destruction of its palaces, Minoan civilization slowly disappeared, surviving only in the legend for thousands of years. In the last century, its legacy was recovered as archaeologists revealed its influence on later Western civilization

What can you infer about how these cultures conducted trade based on their geographical locations?

Because they were located at the intersection of Africa, Asia, and Europe, the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations were ideally positioned to conduct trade. Since they lived on islands and in coastal regions, their economies relied heavily on ships. Seaborne trade spread their cultures throughout the Mediterranean, and brought them into contact with older civilizations in Africa and the Middle East.

Early Aegean Civilizations, c. 1600 B.C.-1000 B.C.

CIVILIZATION CHARACTERISTICS ACCOMPLISHMENTS Minoan 1600 B.C.-1500 B.C. (Vanished by 1400 B.C.) Sea traders based on Crete Absorbed ideas from Egypt, Mesopotamia Worshiped bull and mother goddess Later influenced Greeks living on European mainland Colorful, graceful frescos at Knossos palace; women perhaps enjoyed more rights than in most other ancient civilizations Mycenaean 1400 B.C.-1200 B.C. (Ended around 1100 B.C.) Sea traders Absorbed ideas from Egypt, Mesopotamia; also reached Italy, Sicily; learned from Minoans (including writing) Lived in separate city-states on mainland; warrior kings rule surrounding villages from thick-walled fortresses First Greek-speaking culture which left written records, spoke Indo-European language Fine gold ornaments found in their tombs Conquered Greek mainland, then Crete; took part in Trojan War, around 1250 B.C. Dorian 1100 B.C.-1000 B.C. Swept away Minoans and Mycenaeans, initiated cultural dark age Originated in northern and northwestern Greece, attacked Mycenaeans from the north Conquered and settled cities of Sparta, Corinth, and Argos, as well as in today's Sicily, Italy, North Africa, and along the Black Sea coast Greek-speaking people, relatively low cultural level, inventors of iron slashing sword Their restrained, powerful, monumental art an important influence on later Greek art

Mycenaean Civilization

During prehistoric times, groups of peoples speaking related Indo-European languages moved into Europe and Western Asia. Among them were the Myceneaens who moved into southeastern Europe and the Aryans who migrated into India.

The Trojan War 2

For centuries, most people regarded the Trojan War as pure legend. Then, in the 1870s, a wealthy German businessman, Heinrich Schliemann (HYN rik SCHLEE mahn), set out to prove that the legend was rooted in fact. As Schliemann excavated the site of ancient Troy, he discovered that the city had been rebuilt many times and included at least nine layers. At the layer dating to about 1250 B.C., he found evidence of fire and war. Though any exact details remain lost in legend, most modern scholars now agree that the Trojan War was an actual event.

Two Epic Poems

Historians know little about this period when the Dorians arrived in Greece, but we get hints about life at the time from two great epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. These epics may have been the work of many people, but they are credited to the poet Homer, who probably lived about 750 B.C. According to tradition, Homer was a blind poet who wandered from village to village, singing of heroic deeds. Like the great Indian epics, Homer's tales were passed on orally for generations before they were finally written down.

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What virtue does the story of the wooden horse suggest that the ancient Greeks valued?

It suggests that they valued cleverness.

The Palace at Knossos 2

Like other early people, the Minoans were polytheistic, worshiping gods who were thought to control the forces of nature. Archaeological evidence shows the importance of a snake goddess. Figures show this goddess holding a snake in either hand. Much later, the Greeks associated the snake with the god of healing. Along with other ancient civilizations, the bull held a place of honor in Minoan religious beliefs.

A Crossroads Location

Location affected the early people of Crete. They lived at the crossroads of three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Early on, they engaged in seaborne trade. From their island home in the eastern Mediterranean, they crossed the seas to the Nile Valley and the Middle East. Through contact with the older civilizations of Egypt and Mesopotamia, they acquired artistic ideas and technologies such as metalworking that they adapted to their own culture. Minoans developed several systems of writing during their long history. The first used hieroglyphs, although it does not seem related to Egyptian hieroglyphs and has not yet been deciphered. Later, Minoans used two other scripts, each somewhat different. Most writing appeared on seals or disks.

The Palace at Knossos

Minoan civilization reached its height, or greatest success, between about 1700 B.C. and 1400 B.C. During this time, Minoan kings built a vast palace at Knossos (NAHS us). The palace housed rooms for the royal family, banquet halls, and working areas for artisans. It also included religious shrines, areas dedicated to the honor of gods and goddesses. There, ceremonies and rituals were held to please the gods.

Why do historians believe that Minoan women had more rights in their society than women in other ancient civilizations?

Minoan frescoes depicting everyday life show Minoan women appearing freely in public.

Trade by Sea Brings Wealth

Mycenaean civilization dominated the Aegean world from about 1400 B.C. to 1200 B.C. Like the Minoans, the Mycenaeans were sea traders. They reached out beyond the Aegean to Sicily, Italy, Egypt, and Mesopotamia. The Mycenaeans learned many skills from the Minoans, including the art of writing. They, too, absorbed Egyptian and Mesopotamian customs, many of which they passed on to later Greeks.

Homer and the Great Greek Legends

Not long after their victory over Troy the Mycenaeans themselves came under attack from sea raiders and also from another Greek-speaking people, the Dorians, invading from the north. As Mycenaean power faded, their people abandoned the cities and trade declined.

Homer and the Great Greek Legends 2

People forgot many skills, including the art of writing. From the end of the Mycenaean civilization in about 1100 B.C. until about 800 B.C., Greek civilization seemed to step backward. Over time, the newcomers absorbed stories and traditions from the Mycenaeans into their own heritage. In this way, they built on the legacy of earlier civilizations to forge a new, Greek civilization.

Legacy of Homer's Epics

Tales from the Iliad and Odyssey have been told and retold for almost 3,000 years. The Greeks thought of Homer as their greatest poet, a cultural hero. His epics have been admired throughout later Western civilization, and their stories have inspired Western writers and artists to the present. The epics portray a wide range of characters, some brave and courageous, others cowardly and weak. Almost every kind of character written about since then was first captured in Homer's epics, including the faithful dog Argus, who waited patiently for the return of his master, Odysseus.

The Odyssey 2

The Iliad and Odyssey reveal much about the values and culture of the ancient Greeks. The heroes display honor, courage, and eloquence, as when Achilles rallies his troops: In a scene from the Illiad, the water goddess Thetis, mother of Achilles, brings her son new divinely forged armor after his best friend Patroclus dies wearing Achilles's armor. "Let not the Trojans," he cried, "keep you at arm's length, Achaeans, but go for them and fight them man for man. However valiant I may be, I cannot give chase to so many and fight all of them ... nevertheless, so far as in me lies I will show no slackness of hand or foot nor want of endurance, not even for a moment ..." —Homer, Iliad (translated by Samuel Butler)

What stories did the Iliad and the Odyssey tell?

The Iliad tells the story of the trojan war and the Odyssey tells the story of the trojan wars aftermath.

A series of Greek civilizations grew, flourished, and fell on the mainland and islands of the eastern Mediterranean. Which civilizations absorbed ideas from Egypt and Mesopotamia? How did they learn about these ideas?

The Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations were sea traders. They absorbed ideas from Egypt and Mesopotamia while trading in those lands.

Why do you think the Minoans and Mycenaeans absorbed ideas, customs, and skills from other cultures?

The Minoans traded with older civilizations in Egypt and the Middle East, absorbing and adapting important ideas and technology. Their brilliant civilization influenced later Aegean civilizations.

The Trojan War

The Mycenaeans are best remembered for their part in the Trojan War, which took place around 1250 B.C. The conflict may have had its origins in economic rivalry between Mycenae and Troy, a rich trading city in present-day Turkey, that controlled the vital straits, or narrow water passages, connecting the Mediterranean and Black seas. In Greek legend, however, the war had a more romantic cause. When the Trojan prince, Paris, kidnaps Helen, the beautiful wife of a Greek king, the Mycenaeans sail to Troy to rescue her. For the next 10 years, the two sides battle until the Greeks finally seize Troy and burn the city to the ground.

How did the Minoans and the Mycenaeans contribute to the rise of classical Greek civilization?

The Mycenaeans attacked the Minoans, and through this contact, they adopted elements of Minoan culture. Over time, both the Minoans and the Mycenaeans disappeared. However, the Greek-speaking Dorians and perhaps other Greek peoples first interacted with the Mycenaeans through trade and conquest. In this way, they integrated both Minoan and Mycenaean culture. Early Greek civilization grew out of the blending of these and other peoples in the region.

Trade by Sea Brings Wealth 2

The Mycenaeans lived in separate city-states on the mainland. In each, a warrior-king built a thick-walled fortress from which he ruled the surrounding villages. Wealthy rulers amassed a treasure, including fine gold ornaments that archaeologists have unearthed from their tombs.

The Odyssey

The Odyssey tells of the many struggles of the Greek hero Odysseus (oh DIS ee us) on his return home to his faithful wife, Penelope, after the fall of Troy. On his long voyage, Odysseus encounters a sea monster, a race of one-eyed giants, and a beautiful sorceress who turns men into swine. In the Odyssey, the first word is man, and the story show the many sides of the man Odysseus. He is a determined resourceful hero who must overcome great odds to make it home.

The Iliad

The epic tale told in the Iliad is our chief source of information about the Trojan War, although it includes many fantastic stories about gods, goddesses, and even a talking horse. At the start of the poem, Achilles (uh KIL eez), the mightiest Greek warrior, has withdrawn from battle because he has been unfairly treated and insulted by his commander. The war soon turns against the Greeks, but Achilles stubbornly refuses to listen to pleas that he rejoin the fighting. Only after his best friend is killed does Achilles return to battle to strike down many Trojans. The Iliad's first word and major theme is anger, especially the anger of Achilles. The singer-storyteller calls on the goddess of memory to tell the story of how anger caused great losses and misery for Greeks and Trojans alike.

What do Homer's epics reveal about Greek culture?

The epics reveal the values of the ancient Greeks with their depiction of honor, courage, and eloquence as well as details of their religious beliefs and warfare

Sea Traders

The merchant made an offering to the sea god Poseidon, praying for a safe voyage through the unpredictable waters of the Aegean Sea. The cargo ship had been loaded with large earthenware jars called amphorae. These bore the wine, olives and olive oil, cereal grains, figs, honey, and eels that he would trade in distant ports. They would be gone for weeks, hopping among the islands of ancient Greece, and from there, venturing east and north toward the Black Sea. Many other ships set sail that day as well—sea traders bound to Rome, Carthage, Egypt, and even more distant ports. The ancient Greeks were seafaring and sea-trading people. Consider how a trade might have helped Greek civilization grow and Greek culture spread.

Minoan Frescoes Show Palace Life

The walls of the palace at Knossos were covered with colorful frescoes, paintings in watercolor done on wet plaster. These frescoes provide evidence of Minoan life. Leaping dolphins suggest the importance of the sea. Some frescoes show young nobles, both men and women, strolling through gardens outside the palace. These images suggest that women appeared freely in public and may have enjoyed more rights than women in most other ancient civilizations. A startling fresco depicts men and women in a dangerous athletic contest, jumping through the horns of a charging bull. Minoan sculptors also created works showing bull leapers. Scholars think that bull-leaping was part of a religious activity

How did trade shape Mycenaean society?

Trade brought wealth and prosperity in addition to contact with the ideas and skills of other cultures. However, trade also brought conflict.

Minoans Prosper From Trade

Washed by the warm waters of the Aegean (ee JEE un) Sea, Crete was home to a brilliant early civilization—and the first European civilization. We do not actually know what the people who built this civilization called themselves. However, the British archaeologist Arthur Evans, who unearthed its ruins in the early 1900s, called them Minoans after Minos, a legendary king of Crete. Minoan civilization lay buried for more than 2,500 years. Excavations by Evans and later archaeologists revealed much about this early civilization. Today, the Minoans are recognized not only for their unique civilization but also for their contribution to the rise of civilization in Greece, on the nearby mainland of Europe.

fresco

a painting done rapidly in watercolor on wet plaster on a wall or ceiling, so that the colors penetrate the plaster and become fixed as it dries.

Knossos

an ancient Minoan city on the island of Crete

How did Homer share his stories of ancient Greek heroes, heroines, and deities?

he travelled from town to town and sung his legends of Greek heroes, heroines, and dieties.

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