The Eras of Ancient Greece
There are several iconic eras in Ancient Greece. When you think of Ancient Greece, you might have a sterotypical only have one image of what life was like.
We imagine booming city-states, strong military forces, thriving culture, bustling markets, etc., however this is only one side of Ancient Greece. There is much more interesting history about the other eras of Ancient Greece.
The Minoan civilization was located on the island of Crete and dates as far back as 3500 BCE. Urbanization began forming around 2000 BCE and flourishing until around 1100 BCE.
The capital of Crete at this time was Knossos. This was a long-lasting civilization that was successful because of a strong navy and trade. Being an island, it was necessary for Crete to develop a skilled naval force in order to better protect themselves.
Since Crete was an island located in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, there was ample opportunity for trade with other places.
During the Minoan Era, there was a written language known as “Linear A.” The written characters in Linear A look like pictures, rather than letters. The Minoan Era’s strong navy, trading, and written language show that these people were intelligent and were a well-developed society.
The Mycenaean civilization thrived on mainland Greece from around 1750-1050 BCE. At the time, there were many dialects spoken throughout Ancient Greece, however the Mycenaeans spoke Greek. They lived mainly in the city of Mycenae, with population nearing 30,000.
There were also other Mycenaean cities which developed into separate city-states. These city-states became very important and had a lot of influence in Ancient Greece. Two of the major cities which became city-states were Thebes and Athens.
When you hear the name “The Dark Ages,” you might be thinking about a similarly named time period in European history. However, this is an entirely different time.
The Dark Ages of Ancient Greece were much earlier. During this period, Greece suffered from natural disasters and attacks from invaders. These events were responsible for a 300-year struggle against famine, drought, and a declining population.
It was also noted that during this time that the Mycenean culture's literacy was lost, making it difficult for historians to pinpoint an exact reason for the fall of their civilization.
The Archaic Era saw an upturn in quality of life and culture in Greece. This period is also known as classical Greece, and the Golden Age. This is the Greece which is often popularized in films and literature today. The Archaic Era saw the growth and flourishing of Greek culture in the city states.