Geography & Early People of Greece. Geography Greece is located on the Balkan Peninsula in Southern Europe Land covered with mountains(Pindus Range) o.

Geography & Early People of Greece

Geography

  Greece is located on the Balkan Peninsula   in Southern Europe

Land covered with mountains(Pindus Range)   

o cover ¾ of Greek mainlando protected and isolatedo limited contact between communitieso effect: Greece never unites w/ one govt.

Geography

natural harborso no place more than 50 miles from the

coasto effect: many make living from the seas

Geography

• some fertile land o effect: some farming(barley

wheat grapes and olives), but Greeks will look for more

land and will set up colonies• people raised sheep

and goats• mild climate (not hot

like Egypt)o effect: people spend time

outside and socialize

Minoans

• lived on Crete, traded in Mediterranean           region between 2500 and 1500 BC• British archaeologist Arthur Evans

(1893)• Believed to have come from western

Asia…not actually Greek• Legend of King Minos

Minoans

• known for labyrinth palace at Knossos

• frescoes show scenes of Minoan life and religion

• Relates to story of Theseus and the Minotar

The Throne Room in the Palace of Knossos

• v

Frescoes tell of the Minoan’s attachment to the sea

Minoan fresco

Frescoes tell about the sport of bull leaping

The Bull Chamber at the Palace of Knossos where a bull leaping fresco was found

Minoan fresco

Really???http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1L-8xLI_5c&feature=fvw

Minoan fresco

Decline of CivilizationDecline of Civilization

• Minoan trade dominated eastern Mediterranean until about 1380 BC

• Something happened, maybe a volcanic eruption or other natural disaster

• Culture was further weakened by Mycenaean attacks and influences between 1400 and 1100 BC

Mycenaeans

• perhaps came from central Asia

• intermarried w/ natives on mainland

• set up kingdoms around hilltop fortresses

• Mask of legendary King Agamemnon

Mycenaeans

• adopted Minoan customs

• said to have fought in legendary Trojan War

o Heinrich Schliemann – German archaeologist who discovered Troy

o The Lion’s Gate

Trojan Horse

Dorians

• invaded Greece from the north• Mycenaeans weakened by infighting• Dorians easily won using iron weapons

Dorians

• Dorian period known as a “dark age”• refugees fled to Ionia (west coast of Asia

Minor)• Ionians gradually come back, reintroduce

culture