Assignment: Question #1 page 62 “The Western Heritage”

Brad Jones

HIS100-03 Thursday, JGM 206 (Teacher: Kim Shutte)

Q: Describe the Minoan civilization of Crete. How did the later Bronze Age Mycenaean civilization differ from the Minoan civilization in political organization, art motifs, and military posture?

The Minoan civilization was at least in part the precursor to the Greek civilization, but had many influences of Syria, Asia Minor, and Egypt. Their culture was well developed and unique in character. Their writing system consisted of hieroglyphics like more ancient civilizations, as well as two other forms of script later called Linear A and Linear B.

The differences between the Minoan civilization’s culture and the later Mycenaean culture in terms of their military outlook would seem to show up most significantly in the Minoan architecture. The Minoan’s did not build fortifications or walls as the Mycenaean’s did, leading to some modern speculation as to the Minoan’s apparent lack of military preparedness. It is theorized that either they did not feel the need for protection as they had such a strong navy, or that it was a cultural difference based upon the Minoan’s unwarlike characteristics as it would seem that they were more of a matriarchal society. In contrast, Mycenaean cities were built further from the sea, and some were built on top of hills, and were planned in such a way as to be easier to defend against attack.

This difference is also reflected in the art of the two cultures, with the Mycenaean culture depicting mostly scenes of war and hunting. The Minoan art typically depicted scenes of “landscapes and seascapes, festivals, and sports.” [Kagan]

In terms of political organization, it is actually a difficult question to answer with any certainty. Both cultures maintained large palaces, indicating that both cultures maintained a monarchy, or central government. The evidence is very clear in the case of the Mycenaean civilization that a “strong central authority” governed them, because of the “success of their campaigns and the defense of their territory.” [Kagan] But I am not sure that we know enough about the Minoans to make a clearly established guess as to how their government actually worked, and how it was similar or different than the Mycenaean’s, as these two quotes would suggest;

“Since the kinds of evidence necessary for its political history are unavailable, the story of Minoan civilization does not focus on power, kings (even though the mythical Minos and the legend of the Minotaur are discussed, no real conclusions about Minoan politics can be based on these tales), revolutions, or palace intrigue. Instead, the story of Minoan Crete concentrates on the ways in which people lived and worked, on the social history of that ancient island civilization.”

Myth, Force, and Man: Approaches to the Past IV 109

<http://fhss.byu.edu/history/faculty/holmes/readings/myth/myth108.html>

“Priests instead of military chiefs may have dominated Minoan politics – wealth and power most likely derived more from ‘foreign commerce and religious prerogative than upon land rents and forced services.’ – Would have accumulated enough wealth to maintain various craftsmen and artists to build and decorate palaces without necessity of oppressing the peasantry with heavy taxes and labor demands…”

[McNeill, The Rise of the West (Mentor Book), c. 1963, p. 111.]

<http://www.portergaud.edu/cmcarver/cret.html>

Kagan, Donald and Ozment, Steven and Turner, Frank. Foundations of Western Civilation in the Ancient World. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2004.