Late Bronze Age

Question 1

A ‘Minoan Thalassocracy’

Answer 1

• Sea Empire?
• Minoanisation of the Aegean? Lots of material culture found but unsure if this is a precursor to colonies
• 1600-1400 BC, M Minoan IIIA, IIIB, L Minoan IA-B, Neopalatial (New Palace)

Question 2

Main sites showing Minoan traits

Answer 2

• Minoan influence around the whole Aegean Basin
• Kythera - Kastri + Agios Giorgos
• Melos - Phylakopi
• Keos - Agia Irini
• Thera (Santorini) - Akrotiri
• Rhodes - Trianda
• Kos - Sergalio
• Anatolia- Miletus, Iasos

Question 3

Minoanisation = presence of Minoan cultural traits

Answer 3

• Presence of Minoan and Minoanising objects - not necessarily actual Minoans
• Minoan architectural features
• Minoan Frescoes
• Minoan religious customs
• Minoan tombs
• Minoan scripts and administrative system

Question 4

What processes underline the Minoanisation of the Aegean?

Answer 4

• Thalassocracy?
• Colonization: a) Governed colonies, b) Settlement colonies, c) Community colonies?
• Emulation/Acculturation?
• Network Analyses
• Mono-causal explanations not sufficient or useful to explain the variety of ‘Minoanisation’ we see in the archaeological record

Question 5

Keftiu and their curls

Answer 5

• Depicted on freizes in tomb chapel of Rekhmire, Dyn XVIII, c 1450 BC
• Foreigners, bringing ‘tributes’ - may be trade more than offerings - bringing oxhide ingots of copper and distinctive pottery

Question 6

Bull leaping friezes

Answer 6

• Depicted in friezes in Tell el-Daba (Avaris) in Egypt - these paintings are distinctive of Minoan palace decoration
• Site of Tell el-Daba royal seat of Hyksos kings - thought to be an alliance between Hyksos and Minoans but now thought to be later than Hyksos occupation

Question 7

The Thutmoside Empire

Answer 7

• Pharoahs of the 18th dynasty annex large areas outside of Egypts borders, beginning with Thutmose I, likely due to having being invaded from both sides previously - establishes the full extent of Egyptian power
• Reinforced by his grandson Thutmose III - seen as the consolidator of the Egyptian Empire
• Lower Nubia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, some of Syria - local city state rulers kept in power in Syria-Palestine but under power of Egypt
• Children of leader sent to be educated in Egypt
• Nubia becomes a Viceroyalty

Question 8

Tomb of Hatsheput

Answer 8

• All but one female rulers are co-rulers with a male
• Ruled alongside her step-son
• Cartouche scratched out after death - no longer an acceptable individual
• Built her temple at Deir el-Bahari
• Trade expeditions to Punt - best records come from depictions from her memorial temple

Question 9

Mycenae grave circles

Answer 9

• Late Helladic IIA -1510-1430 c -Mycenae reaches peak prosperity and size
• Grave circle A moved inside the walls
• Lion Gate added

Question 10

Mycenaeans in the Southeastern Aegean

Answer 10

• Links between Mycenae and the rest of the Aegean strengthen around 1500-1400 BC
• Similar to Minoans, material culture found around the Aegean but unknown if this is cultural or political power spreading

Question 11

Sacking of Crete

Answer 11

• 1450 BC destruction of all palaces outside Knossos - unknown why Knossos was spared
• By late 15th c BC, Mycenean Occupation - genuine take over, not cultural borrowings - may suggest other material in the Aegean represents genuine Imperial power expansion
• Discovery of baked clay tablets indicates burning, as these were usually unbaked

Question 12

Amenhotep III Plaques

Answer 12

-Stronger links between Mycenae and Egypt in 14th century BC
Dyn XVIII, 1350 BC - Egyptian Embassy travelling the
-Military expansion ended by this point - peak in Egyptian riches and monumental temples built, particularly in Nubia
- One found at Mycenae, in LH IIIB context
- Souvenirs for leaders/rulers during diplomatic visits?

Question 13

Aegean Place Name List

Answer 13

• Kom el-Hetan
• Blocks bear names of conquered peoples
• One has name rings of Aegean locations e.g. Mycenae, represented as men with their hands behind their back
• Representations didn’t necessarily show conquering of them - just theological that king owns the whole world
• Does show there was a connection between Amenhotep III and the Aegean world

Question 14

Boars Tusk Helmets

Answer 14

• Shown on papyrus, 14th c BC from Amarna
• Boars Tusk Helmets distinctive of the Aegean - shows there are Greeks serving as mercenaries in the Egyptian army
• Plate armour also worn
• Examples from 16th -13th c, LH II
• Pottery also finds its way from Greece to Egypt

Question 15

Hittite Empire

Answer 15

• 16th C BC: campaigns into Mespotamia
• Mid 15th C BC: formation of Empire in Anatolia and Syria
• Most likely to be a real threat to Egypt
• Nearby Mittani previously crushed by Egypt and became allies
• Hittite empire eventually swallows up Mittani
• Capital at Hattusa - now Bogazkoy - great fortress in the Highlands

Question 16

King Sethy I Syro

-Palestinian campaign

Answer 16

• Depicted at Karnak
• Dyn XIX, c. 1270 BC
• Land changing hands constantly at this point
• Change in art style/depiction from king smiting enemies to king driving a chariot into battle

Question 17

Battle of Qadesh

Answer 17

• Depictions in all of Rameses II’s memorials and temples although Rameses doesn’t come off too well
• Peace Treaty between Kings- earliest surviving treaty in the world
• Rameses II & Hattusilis III signed - depicted on wall in Karnak temple and on baked clay tablets in Hatti
• Both sides claimed they had won

Question 18

Merenptah Year 5: attempted Libyan invasion

Answer 18

-Dyn XIX, 1200 BC
-Israel Stela - only text to ever mention Israel
Libyan’s Allies include ‘Sea Peoples’
• Eqwesh (Achaeans?)
• Lukka (Lycaeans?)
• Shekelesh (Sicilians?)
• Sherden (Sardinians?)
• Teresh (Tyrrhenians?)

Question 19

Egypt: late Dyn XIX civil war

Answer 19

• c1190–1175 BC
• Major problems within the royal family and between North and South
• Ends with female pharoah, Tawasret of the 19th Dynasty

Question 20

King Taa

Answer 20

• Dyn XVII, 1550 BC
• Number of wounds on mummified head
• Dagger thrusts behind the ear, axe wound on upper cheek, other cheek smashed by club
• Native Egyptian leaders throw out Nubias in south and Hyksos in south in this period

Question 21

War of Liberation

Answer 21

King Ahmose I Dynasty XVII 1540-1515 BC

Fully expels Hyksos invaders and a new era begins

Question 22

King Akenhaten and Queen Nefertiti

Answer 22

• At Amarna, first known experiment with monotheism anywhere in the ancient world - worship of the sun disk god the Aten - sun based cult
• Link to hebrew god Yahweh?
• Associated change in art style
• New capital at Tell el-Amarna
• Rapid conversion to traditional religion after Akenhatens death
• Son Tutankhamun originally called Tutankhaten but changed his name when he gave up the Aten cult

Question 23

Amarna

Answer 23

• Akenhaten’s new capital, Dyn XVIII
• Important archaeologically as it was never built over
• Building work begun by Amenhotep
• City abandoned shortly after the 18th dynasty
• Famous letters found here - unsure what order they go in and this could change our view of when things happened
• Written in lingua franca of the time, Akkadian cuneiform
• Includes letters from Hatti (east turkey), Mittani, Babylonia, Assyria, Arzawa (west turkey), Alashiya (cyprus) and Egypt
• Nothing from Mycenae or Crete but we know there was a connection due to Amenhoteps plaques and Mycenaen pottery in Egypt

Question 24

Rameses II

Answer 24

• Most building projects/self promotion
• Abu Simel
• Carries on battles in North Syria against the Hittites, particularly at Qadesh

Question 25

Rameses III

Answer 25

-Dynasty XX ‘Last Great Pharoah’ after which there is the collapse in the Iron Age, c.1200 BC