Greece Flashcards
Who lived on Crete?
The Minoans
Who discovered the Minoans?
Sir Arthur Evans
What was life like for the Minoans?
Luxury, trade with foreign lands
What types of writing are found on Crete?
Linear A, Linear B, Hieroglyphic Script
Linear A
Pre-Greek writing, we cannot read it
Linear B
Mycenaean writing, we can read it. Derived from Linear A, Greek
Hieroglyphic Script
Less popular script, we cannot read it
When was the New Palace Pd?
1750-1490
New Palace Pd
Many palaces were on Crete (many kingdoms OR n main ruler with many provinces)
Knossos
Biggest palace on Crete
Features of Knossos
Multiple stories, columns that taper down, similar to Babylonian palaces, complex, magazines, grand staircase, theater, shrine, throne room, residential quarters, etc…
Bull leaping
Leaping bulls, events with bulls, leaping over bulls may have been a religious event
Minoan Art
Colorful
Bright
Abstract
Rectangular, waspish people
Minoan State Formation
Perhaps influenced by the Near East, peaceful, rich environment, complex society
Function of palaces
Redistributive centers
What was in palaces?
Magazines, Linear A tablets, seals
Thera (Akrotiri)
Volcanic Island, likely blew 1650, 150 years before the fall of the Minoans
When were the Mycenaeans?
1600-1200
Who discovered the Mycenaeans?
Heinrich Schliemann
Heinrich Schliemann
Rich man obsessed with Troy
When did they use Grave Circles?
1600-1500
What were grave circles?
Family burials
What were in the grave circles?
Warlike art, goods, weapons, gold, shields, daggers, masks
What were the gold masks?
A mask, famous one likely that of a king that was stylized and bearded, found on most men, and children were given full body coverings
Citadel
Seat of the ruler, where his family lived, defense, and seat of gold
Wall around Mycenae
20 ft thick, cyclopean masonry, ashlar masonry
cyclopean masonry
Rough- later Greeks thought cyclops made them
Ashlar masonry
neatly cut blocks
Megaron
ceremonial throne room
Entrance to Mycenae
Lion gate
Lion gate
The wall juts out, massive stones, ashlar blocks, natural rock, relieving triangle, had 6 ft lions
Lions on the lion gate
Metal heads, biggest ancient sculptures, looking at you
Ramp at Mycenae
leads up to the courtroom, was destroyed
Postern gate & Sally port
Small, hidden gates with secret tunnels leading to underground water sources
When was the wall arrange Mycenae built?
1400-1200
Wanax
Mycenaean ruler
Basileus
Means king in Greek, but only a minor bureaucrat in Mycenae
Tholoi tombs
Tombs of the ruler and his family
12th century destructions
Mycenaean centers and palaces on Crete are destroyed, Hittites fall, Egypt is attacked, some Mycenaeans leave, half of Greece goes away, becoming the Philistines, Linear B disappears
When is the Geometric Pd.?
1100-700
When did Homer live?
8th century
Lefkandi
New light on the dark ages. Geometric pd was traditionally thought to be a “dark age” but a tomb revealed great trade during this time
Euboeans
Key players in Mediterranean Trade Network
Geometric tomb
Stone foundation, 40 m long, rectangle w/ curved end, wooden columns.
Likely a public building of chieftain’s house. ended up as a tomb
Who was buried in the pits
Man cremated in an urn (heirloom)
Inhumed woman
sacrificed horses
weapons with the man, chest plate of gold with the woman
Art in Geometric pd
Usually not figural
Centaur sculpture
Scratch on the knee- likely Cheiron, mentor of Achilles
Greek Renaissance dates
8th century
What happened during the Greek Renaissance?
Homer, Intro of Greek Alphabet, figural and narrative art, mythology, creation of Polis, increased population and trade
When was the Archaic Pd?
700-480
What was the Archaic Pd?
Cultural revolution: new politics, economics, military, and philosophies
New politics
not based on aristocracy
new economics
New $ vs old $
New military
Hoplite Armies
Hoplite army
citizen soldiers, state provides armor, organized ranks
New Philosophies
Natural philosophers from Ionia
Artistic Revolution
Personal poetry, monumental art and architecture
Tyrannos
“Big man”
Autocrat who seizes power by irregular means
popular leader
Positive effects of Tyrants
Patrons of art/architecture
Laws
Huge festivals
Stabilize the Polis
Archons replace who in Athens?
Basileus (king)