This lesson explores the interconnected world of the Late Bronze Age and the distinct civilizations of Minoan Crete and Mycenaean Greece. Their trade, political organization, and cultural exchange helped shape the history of the Mediterranean.
During the Bronze Age, approximately 3300–1200 BCE, trade connected Greece and the Aegean islands with Egypt and western Asia. Wine and olive oil produced in Greece and the Aegean were prized goods. Other important exports included cedar from the Levant and copper from Cyprus.
All flashcards
What was the Late Bronze Age redistributive system?
Agricultural goods were collected from farmers as taxes, stored in a palace or temple, and redistributed to people who did not grow their own food, including artisans and officials.
What was Linear A?
Linear A was the writing system used by the Minoans on Crete. It appears on clay tablets but has not yet been deciphered.
What was Linear B?
Linear B was a script used by the Mycenaeans. Scholars have identified it as an early form of Greek.
Who was the Wanax?
The Wanax was the ruler or “lord” of a Mycenaean palace center, according to Linear B tablets.
How did Bronze Age trade connect Mediterranean societies?
Trade moved goods such as Greek wine and oil, Levantine cedar, and Cypriot copper between regions, while contact also supported cultural exchange.
Quiz questions
Which products were prized exports from Greece and the Aegean during the Bronze Age?Answer: Wine and olive oil were valued Aegean exports.
What happened to agricultural goods in the Late Bronze Age redistributive economy?Answer: Palaces or temples stored farm taxes and redistributed them to artisans and officials.
Which statement distinguishes Linear A from Linear B?Answer: Linear A was Minoan and undeciphered; Linear B was Mycenaean and early Greek.
What may large, often unfortified Minoan palaces suggest about Crete?Answer: Crete may have been relatively peaceful and politically unified.
Why may the Iliad preserve memories of ancient places without being a straightforward historical record?Answer: Archaeology confirms places such as Troy, but the poem is not a direct account of events.
Based on World History Volume 1, to 1500 by Ann Kordas, Ryan J. Lynch, Brooke Nelson, Julie Tatlock (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.