During the Bronze Age, there were two major civilisations that dominated ancient Greece. The Minoan culture emanated from the island of Crete, while the Mycenaean civilisation was established on Greece’s mainland. Though the Minoans had been a powerful people from around 3000 BCE, the Mycenaeans became Greece’s prominent power from around 1600 BCE to 1100 BCE. Named after the impressive hilltop fortification of Mycenae, the civilisation has fascinated archaeologists and historians alike as they have tried to learn more about the society that dominated trade in the Aegean, faced off against Troy in the Trojan War, and became the homeland of Greece’s mythical heroes. Relying on the vast archaeological remains left behind, experts have, over the centuries, been able to determine some of the answers to questions about the Mycenaeans, though new discoveries continue to be made. But, at least for now, here’s everything you need to know about this impressive ancient civilisation.
THE CHIEF CITY OF THE CIVILISATION WAS MYCENAE
The stronghold of Mycenae is situated in Argolis in the northeastern Peloponnese, around 120km away from the city of Athens. The first stronghold built at the site is believed to date to the Neolithic period, with the oldest archaeological remains dating back as far as c.5000 BCE. Thousands of years later, by around 1600 BCE, the settlement at Mycenae had expanded dramatically and was becoming the central state in a new Greek era. The location of the site itself was impressive, sitting up high on a hill that provided natural fortifications for the citadel, with a view of the
