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Minoan Greece 3100 BCE – 1400 BCE. Western Civilization. Greek Origin – 1 st to define themselves in relation to older civilizations in the east & south & 1 st to use Europe as a geographic area Romans saw themselves as ‘western’ from ‘eastern’ civilizations History – What is it?.
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Western Civilization • Greek Origin – 1st to define themselves in relation to older civilizations in the east & south & 1st to use Europe as a geographic area • Romans saw themselves as ‘western’ from ‘eastern’ civilizations • History – What is it? • Herodotus – Father of History
Why Greece? • Greeks 1st to explore the questions that continue to concern western thinkers today • Strove to understand universe & their place in it • Where philosophy & science were born • Concept of politics created • Reason & freedom replaced superstition & despotism • Religion seen as individual effort & personal
Geography of Hellas Contributed to differing develop-ments Independence encour-aged political partici-pation North – fertile Attica – commercial Pelopponesus – self sufficient
Minoan Civilization • Earliest evidence from archeologists at the start of the 20th cent. • Sir Arthur Evans & Crete • Matrilineal/Pacific • Patriarchal? Bull Cult • Crete – central location, traded surplus goods with neighbors
Minoan Life • Palace center of social, political, economic, religious activity • Knossos – indoor plumbing, drainage, sanitation, hot & cold H2O • Palace demonstrates power & prosperity • Linear A - undecipherable
Cultural Diffusion, Trade, Arrival of Greek Speaking Peoples • Peaceful contact at first • Evidence of trade, jewelry, woven items, potters, tanners • 1450-1400 BCE attacks on Crete • New civilization emerges