The Minoans Flashcards
Where were the Minoans?
What did they bring to Europe?
They lived in Crete, a large island to the south of Greece.
They brought civilized skills to Europe for the first time.
When diid the Minoan civilization begin?
Why did it vanish?
It began in about 2700 BC.
It reached it’s height in about 2200 - 1450 BC
It probably suddenly vanished due to the eruption of the volcano on Santorini.
Where does the name ‘Minoan’ come from?
It comes from the myth of king Minos.
Mino was the son of Europa.
She was a princess who was seduced by Zeus in the shape of a bull.
What did Minos build?
What is significant about the title ‘Minos’?
He built a maze in which he kept a monster called the minotaur (half man with a bulls head).
The title was probably given to every Cretan king
What in particular was an important Minoan religious rite?
Catching a bull by the horns and leaping over it.
How did the Minoans gain their wealth?
They were great seafarers and traded all over the E. mediterranean.
What was at the centre of each Minoan town?
There was a palace.
Examples of towns are Knossos, Zakro, Phaestos and Mallia.
The largest palace was at Knossos. It covered 20,000 square metres and housed over 30,000 people.
