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