| The Age of the Palaces. The middle-Minoic era | | | | resemblances. The Achaeans were just like the |
| was the time of prosperity for Crete. Cities | | | | Cretans excellent tradesmen. Their pottery |
| started to develop in the period between 2200 | | | | was found in Sicily, Rhodes, Cyprus, Italy, |
| and 1450 BC, but they were huger blocks of | | | | Asia Minor, northern Syria and Milete. In |
| palaces like the Syrians built them, rather | | | | some of these places their influence seems so |
| than conglomerations of private houses. | | | | strong that it is not unlikely that they had |
| Examples of these palaces are Cnossus, | | | | permanent strongholds there. However, they |
| Phaistos and Hagia Triada. The palace of | | | | could not enter Asia Minor very far as the |
| Cnossus was spread out over two hectares, and | | | | Hittites were still too strong. That is the |
| counted so many rooms that it formed the | | | | reason why their colonization, if we can even |
| basis for the famous myth about the labyrinth | | | | speak of colonization, was very limited. Both |
| of the Minotaur. It seems that Crete has been | | | | nations also shared the same form of |
| a collection of local kingdoms, mostly | | | | government monarchy. The Cretan and Mycenaean |
| subsidiary to the dominating Cnossus where | | | | monarchies were based on a widespread feudal |
| the profits of the ruler were collected, | | | | system of lords with a strongly centralized |
| managed and distributed. Remarkable are the | | | | and bureaucratic palace-economy. |
| huge storerooms with the big pots from | | | | |
| products like corn, wine and olive oil. | | | | The End of the Minoic Civilization. Around |
| | | | 1500 Thera was hit by and earthquake. The |
| The Late Helladic and Minoic Periods. Since | | | | western half of the island was the top of a |
| 1700 BC the Achaeans became more and more | | | | volcano, which exploded and completely |
| influenced by Crete. Out of this interaction | | | | destroyed most of the island. The results |
| between the Cretan and Helladic cultures | | | | were noticeable in a large part of the |
| developed a Mycenaean palace culture, which | | | | Mediterranean; the whole Aegean area was hit |
| was initially dependent on Cretan models. | | | | by a huge tsunami. The Cretan fleet probably |
| This new culture was named after the powerful | | | | was destroyed for the biggest part. The rain |
| city of Mycenae, the city of the legendary | | | | of volcanic ashes covered Crete in a grey |
| Agamemnon who was one of the leaders of the | | | | layer of 10 centimeters thick, and had a |
| expedition against Troy. Soon Mycenae, with | | | | catastrophic effect on the crop for many |
| its palace on a fortified acrois, surrounded | | | | years. Because of this, and more reasons, |
| by cyclopean walls and its marvelous Gate of | | | | many believe that Crete was the legendary |
| Lions, became the dominating power in the | | | | Atlantis. Fifty years later Crete was struck |
| Peloponesse. This period is different from | | | | by another disaster. Everywhere on the |
| the middle Helladic one, not only because a | | | | island, the palaces went up in flames. Only |
| sudden explosion of wealth took place, but | | | | Cnossus was saved. The only logical |
| also because throughout Hellas palaces were | | | | explanation for this is that the Achaeans |
| built. These palaces had a more logical | | | | from Hellas had attacked Crete for unknown |
| ground plan than the ones on Crete, and they | | | | reasons, and settled themselves down in |
| were in fact huge fortifications unlike the | | | | Cnossus. The explosion of Thera had decreased |
| palaces on Crete. The most famous Greek | | | | the strength of Crete so much that they did |
| palace of this period was found at Mycenae, | | | | not find much resistance. This theory gets |
| but other palaces were found in Pylos, Thebe, | | | | more convincing as you know that Cnossus is |
| Athens and Iolkos. Another difference with | | | | the only place outside Hellas where Linear-B |
| the Minoic culture was that the Achaeans | | | | tablets were found. We do not know for how |
| developed their own script. It was called | | | | long the Achaeans controlled Crete, but |
| Linear-B, and was based on the Cretan | | | | somewhere around 1400 BC Cnossus got |
| Linear-A script, but it eventually became a | | | | destroyed. The destructions were so spread |
| script on its own. Linear-B is a | | | | out over the island that it seems most likely |
| syllable-script, and the language was Greek. | | | | that Crete was not attached by a foreign |
| The linear-B tablets which were found do not | | | | force, but that a revolt against the |
| tell us much about life in the palaces as it | | | | Mycenaean rules had taken place. Whatever the |
| was just like Linear-A only used for | | | | reason might have been, this was the end of |
| accountancy. Of course there were also | | | | the Minoic culture. |