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SETTING THE STAGE Buddhism spread to Southeast Asia and to East Asia mainly through Buddhist traders. In the Mediterranean, the same process took place: traders in the region carried many new ideas from one society to another by the sea. They carried new ways of writing, of governing, and of worshiping their gods.
Minoans • Dominated trade in Mediterranean • Lived on Crete in the Aegean Sea • Traded pottery, swords, figurines, and metals • Named after King Minos
Minoans • “According to legend, Minos was a king who owned a half-human, half-bull monster, called the Minotaur (MIHN•uh•TAWR). He kept the monsterlocked inside a labyrinth, a complicated maze from which no one could escape.”
Minoans • Knossos: Minoan capital • Advanced, thriving city…not fortified • Painted walls depicting a graceful, athletic people who loved nature and beautiful objects • Women • Higher rank than neighboring cultures • Mother Earth Goddess
Throne Room and Store Room Throne is a solid block with the back painted with a floral motif. Frescoes contained flowers, trees, water, animals, etc. which brought the outdoors indoors. The bathroom contained a huge tub. There was hot and cold running water.
Linear A and Linear B Minoans: Linear A was syllabic with a straight line, not deciphered Mycenaean: Linear B was an early form of Greek and contains trade records and a system of lists including wheels, stored rations paid to textile workers, gifts to deities, and ships stationed along the coast.
Minoans • In 1470 BCE a series of earthquakes rocked Crete. The quakes were followed by a violent volcanic eruption on the neighboring island of Thera. Imagine the shaking of the earth, the fiery volcanic blast, then a huge tidal wave, and finally a rain of white volcanic ash. The disaster of 1470 B.C. was a blow from which the Minoans never fully recovered. This time, the Minoans had trouble rebuilding their cities. Nonetheless, Minoan civilization did linger on for almost 300 years. After that, invaders from Greece may have taken advantage of their weakened condition to destroy them. Some Minoans fled to the mountains to escape the ruin of the kingdom.
Mycenaean • Settled on Greek mainland around 2000 BCE • Leading city: Mycenae (my-SEE-nee), fortified city • Led by strong rulers and warrior kings • Influenced by and adopted Minoan culture (alphabet, sea trade, pottery, politics, religion…) • First Greek speaking people
Trojan War • Advanced through trade AND CONQUEST • 10 year war: Mycenaeans vs. the Trojans (Troy) • Homer: wrote the epics, Illiad and the Odyssey • Illiad: Trojan War • Odyssey: Odysseus’ journey home 10 years after the war ended
Grave shafts for the dead. They buried their dead with grave goods for the afterlife
Mycenaean • Not long after the Trojan War, Mycenaean civilization collapsed because of numerous attacks • Dorians move in • Art of writing lost, no written records for 400 years • This is supposedly when Homer told his story of Iliad and the Odyssey (maybe 750 to 700 BCE)
Dorians1100-700’s BCE • Entered from north with iron weapons probably acquired from the Hittites. Ruled by warrior kings • DARK AGES OF GREECE • Trade all but stopped • Poverty increased as people lost skills including writing • Refugees settled in Ionia and the adjoining islands • Responsible for creating polytheistic gods that were immortal and had human characteristics
Greek Mythology • Develop myths: stories about their gods • Sought to understand mysteries of nature and human passion • Zeus: ruler of the gods, lived on Mount Olympus with wife Hera…ladies man… • Athena their daughter, goddess of wisdom
Phoenicians • 1100BCE Most powerful along the Med Sea, modern day Lebanon, Israel and Algeria (Carthage) • Wealthy city states spread out…competed with each other…trading centers • Sidon and Tyre: important city-states…known for red-purple dye
Phoenicians • Extensive trade throughout region (to Spain and Northern Africa • Gave them access to many resources: silver, bronze, copper, glass, wood • Awesome shipbuilders and seafarers • Trade routes as far as East Asia • “Sea peoples”
Phoenicians • Carthage: greatest Phoenician colony in Northern Africa (Algeria)
