EARLY PEOPLE OF
THE AEGEAN
Crete was the cradle of an early
civilization that later influenced
the Greeks. The people of Crete
absorbed many ideas from
Egypt and Mesopotamia.
Minoan Civilization
This early civilization is named after the
legendary king Minos
 Reached their height between 1750BC
1500BC
 The success of the Minoans was based on
trade
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They set up trading posts all over the Aegean
They traded with Egypt and civilizations in the
midddle east

They gained ideas and technology
KNOSSOS

The rulers of the Minoans lived in a vast
palace
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Working areas for artisans
Religious shrines
Walls were covered in frescoes

Teach us about their society
MINOAN CIVILIZATION ENDS

Around 1400BC the civilization vanished
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Volcanic eruption
Earthquake
Invaders

Mycenaeans the first Greek-speaking people
MYCENAEANS
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They conquered the Greek main land before they
conquered the Minoans
They dominated the Aegean world from 1400BC 1200BC
Like the Minoans they were skilled sea traders
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They went beyond the Aegean Sea to Sicily, Italy Egypt
and Mesoptamia
They learned skills from the civilizations they conquered
and traded with
They lived in villages
separate city-states were warrior kings built walled cities
and ruled over the surrounding
TROJAN WAR

1250BC a conflict began as a result of an
economic rivalry between Mycenea and
Troy


The war was fought over the control of the
vital straits (Dardanells) that controlled the
water passage that connected the
Mediterranean and Black Sea
Legend


Fought over a women
Greeks burned Troy to the ground
MYCENAEAN END

After the Trojan War the Mycenaean
civilization fell apart as a result of attacks
from a wave of Greek speaking people
Dorians.

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Trade declined
Cities were abandoned
Greek civilization took a step backwards

Skills were lost like reading,writing,and art
HOMER
Life during the time of the fall of the
Mycenaean civilization is best explained to
us from two epic poems written by Homer.
 He was a blind poet that wandered from
village to village telling his stories which
were past on orally
 The importance of his stories is to tell us
about the Greeks values

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Honor
courage
ILIAD ODYSSEY

Iliad
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Odyssey
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Story of the Trojan War
Achilles hero
Story of the hero Odysseus struggle to get
home to his wife after the fall of Troy
These stories had huge impacts on writers
in Europe