Ancient city of Mycenae. Mycenaean fortress (Mycenae, Greece) Mycenae Greece history

Mycenaean Greece

Greece entered the historical arena later than those countries mentioned earlier. Thanks to a visit to Greece in the 70s of the 2nd century AD. Pausanias, we have a unique opportunity to draw rich and varied information from the “Description of Hellas” (10 books). The forerunner of the future glory of Greece, as is known, was the Crete-Minoan civilization, which created the first state and original writing. Therefore, scientists often begin their narration with “Achaean Greece” or “Mycenaean Greece”. As we have seen, Mycenae was an important political center of Hellas for centuries, and the Mycenaean dialect was the oldest dialect of Greek. According to tradition, the founder of Mycenae was the ancient hero Perseus. Here he allegedly lost the tip of his sword, considering this a sign for the founding of the city. According to other versions, the name of the city was given by a water source or by a woman (princess Mycenae), whom Homer wrote about as “magnificently crowned” in his “Odyssey.” A. Losev even expressed the following guess: “If Homer speaks of some forgotten heroine Mycenae, then the question arises whether at one time Mycenae was not the goddess Mycenae, as in subsequent times Athena was the patroness of Athens.”

An extremely important role in the study Ancient Greece It also takes up the study of written monuments of that time, starting from 2000 BC, the time when the tribes came to the territory of Hellas. From those former Achaean kingdoms, Knossos and Pylos, many documents remain in the form of written tablets. Although the Achaean scribes kept only current documentation on clay, not particularly caring about the long-term preservation of the tablets, their creations nevertheless reached our era. Remaining unfired and only drying out, the documents were able to reach us safe and sound, apparently only thanks to an accidental, completely unforeseen burning in the fires that destroyed the premises of the palace archives. These sources, along with the works of scientists and writers, are taken into account in the subsequent analysis.

Perseus and Andromeda

Pausanias, giving a description of those places, at the same time pointed to the fiercest rivalry among the Greek tribes and policies: “The Argives destroyed Mycenae out of envy. During the invasion of the Medes, the Argives did not show any activity, but the Mycenaeans sent 80 people to Thermopylae, who took part with the Lacedaemonians in their feat (fighting next to them). This glorious behavior of theirs brought them death, irritating the Argives. To this day, part of the city wall and the gate on which the lions stand still remain from Mycenae. They say that all these structures are the work of the Cyclops, who built the fortress wall for Pretus in Tiryns. Among the ruins of Mycenae there is an (underground) spring called Perseus."

In the chain of historical connections, it should also be remembered that Atreus was the son of Pelops (i.e., the grandfather of Agamemnon and Menelaus). The entire history of the Atrid family is full of murders and crimes. They rose to power through killing brothers, stealing sons, persecuting them, and training them to be killers of their fathers. Apparently, in the past, Pelops, who is called a Lydian and a Phrygian, was defeated and expelled from Troy by its king, Ilus. Thus, the war of the Atrides against Troy (according to this version) takes on a completely different meaning, namely their return to the land of their ancestors. According to ancient legend, Ilion could only be taken if the bones of Pelops were transported under the walls of Troy. In Mycenae, in the underground structures of Atreus and his sons, their treasures and wealth were kept. “Here is the grave of Atreus, as well as the graves of those who, together with Agamemnon, returned from Ilion and whom Aegisthus killed at the feast. And those of the Lacedaemonians who live near Amycles lay claim to the tomb of Cassandra; the second grave is Agamemnon, then the grave of the charioteer Eurymedon, then the graves of Teledamus and Pelops. They say that they were twins born by Cassandra, and that they were stabbed to death by Aegisthus as infants, killing their parents. And (the grave of) Electra; she was the wife of Pylades, given in marriage to him by Orestes. Hellanicus reports that from Electra Pylades had two sons - Medont and Strophius. Clytemnestra and Aegisthus are buried a little away from the wall; they were considered unworthy to lie within the walls of the city, where Agamemnon himself and those who were killed with him were buried.”

Treasury and Tomb of Atreus

The Mycenaean civilization occupied an intermediate position between Egypt and classical Greece, reaching its peak around 1600 BC. Then she spread her influence to most of the then ancient world (Egypt, Troy, Italy, the Eastern Mediterranean). Many works are dedicated to her, including the work of the Greek scientists K. Tsountas and I. Manatt “The Mycenaean Age” (1897) and the book by W. Taylor “The Mycenaeans”. According to long-standing Greek tradition, it is believed that the Dorian tribes invaded the Peloponnese from the north at the end of the 2nd millennium, and then penetrated Crete and the Dodecanese islands. Taylor believes that it is likely that the ancestors of the Greeks came from the east, passing through the northern Anatolian plateau to Troy (by land or sea - it is not clear). In other words, he admits that they could have Indo-Aryan origins, since Mycenaean pottery was in some ways similar to the gray ware from northeast Iran. The invaders brought with them new types of weapons, most notably cavalry and chariots, which allowed them to hold territory.

Mycenae settlement plan

During migration, certain tribes brought their language to new places of settlement. The Greeks themselves recognized the existence of three dialects: Ionian, Aeolian, Dorian and assumed the existence of three large tribes. According to many, “Mycenaean” is an archaic form of the Greek language, showing monotony wherever it was found - in Knossos, Pylos, Mycenae, Thebes, etc. S. Marinatom (Athens) says the following about the Mycenaean culture. The first “Greeks,” in his opinion, invaded Greece at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. In the 16th century, the earliest Mycenaeans appeared, representing an agrarian population living in small villages or towns. The largest of these at that time was Orkhomenes. At that time, urban civilization existed only in Crete, which had a population already around 1580 BC. was familiar with Minoan culture. This was proven by excavations in Mycenae and confirmed by work in Peristeria (Triphylia). However, in other Mycenaean settlements the living conditions themselves were still very primitive. The scientist believes that the first rulers of those places may have come from Syria, which was at that time in contact with Egypt. They brought with them elements of eastern material culture and the influence of Minoan art. Having captured Mycenae and taken possession of its wealth, they became its first ruling dynasty. An eastern origin is indicated by the presence of a double royal family and the custom of making a mask representing the dead alive, a custom well known in the Neolithic era to the inhabitants of Egypt and Syria. Unfortunately, archaeologists have not yet found the city archives of Mycenae, and therefore the history of Mycenaean Greece (Ahiyava) is studied from artifacts, in particular from Hittite writings.

Lion Gate at the Acropolis of Mycenae

The famous Lion Gate, decorated with a relief depicting two lionesses, speaks of how powerful the rulers of Mycenae were. To build such huge fortifications, it took the labor of thousands of people, because it is no coincidence that the legend would then spread that they were created by one-eyed giants - the Cyclops. Matching these structures were the stone tombs of the Mycenaean rulers - tholos. Speaking about one of them, the tomb of Agamemnon, the Polish researcher K. Kumanetsky wrote: “Both in this tomb and in others, what is striking first of all is the monumentality of the building itself: this has never been seen in Crete. Massive doors, more than five meters high, are covered on top by two huge blocks, one of which weighs, presumably, 120 tons... Similar “dome tombs”, or tholos, date back to the late Mycenaean era, i.e. by 1400-1200 BC This was a period of complete dominance of the Achaeans in the Aegean world and the increased power of the Mycenaean kings, who maintained direct relations with Egypt." You can partially imagine the impression the majestic tombs of the kings made on the souls of the Greeks by reading the poem “The Tomb of Agamemnon” by the Polish poet J. Slovacki:

Let the music of a whimsical system

Accompanies the course of these thoughts.

In front of me are underground chambers,

Agamemnon's funerary vault.

Here the blood of the Atrids stained

I sit without words in the middle of nowhere

The golden harp is irretrievable,

Which descriptions have just reached.

I read antiquity in the cleft,

I can hear the speech of the Hellenes in the distance.

Mycenae was one of the most powerful city states. On the eve of the Trojan War, the entire Central and Eastern Mediterranean was under Mycenaean rule, but it was no longer as strong as before. In the middle of the 13th century BC. the capital of Mycenae itself suffered from a sudden invasion. Perhaps this attack happened during the civil war. By the way, the war against Troy is a reflection of the same trend of fierce rivalry between small but aggressive states in the region. Some attribute the fall of Troy to 1260 BC, others agree with Eratosthenes, who gave the date 1184 BC. Apparently, this happened in the last third of the Late Helladic period. Then many fortified cities of the mainland were destroyed: Mycenae, Tiryns, Media, Pylos. It must be said that Mycenae was the oldest city in Greece. G. Schliemann rushed here in 1876, reasonably believing that on the land where the graves of Agamemnon, Erimedon, Cassandra and other heroes were supposed to be located, the most amazing discoveries awaited him. He was not mistaken in paying attention first of all to the inside of the acropolis. The Mycenaean citadel was surrounded by walls made of huge stones (the width of the walls was 6 m). There are similar ruins of fortress walls in Greece, but the inhabitants of the mainland could not tell anything about them.

Cyclops Polyphemus

In Mycenae, Schliemann discovered five tombs, which in their scientific significance eclipsed the treasures of King Priam, which he found on the site of Troy. And this is what he found. In the fourth tomb, the archaeological expedition of G. Schliemann discovered five large copper cauldrons, one of which was filled with gold buttons (68 gold buttons without ornament and 118 gold buttons with carved ornament). Next to the cauldrons lay a rhyton - a silver bull's head (about 50 cm high) with steep, curved golden horns and a golden rosette in the forehead. The mouth, eyes and ears of this bull-rhyton were covered with a layer of gold. Two other heads of bull-rhytons made of sheet gold also lay nearby. In other graves, golden laurel wreaths, tiaras, and jewelry in the form of swastikas were found (which apparently indicates an Aryan source of origin). N. Ionina writes: “But the most remarkable among all the (golden masks) found was one mask, which was preserved much better than all the others. She reproduces features that have been considered Hellenic for centuries: a narrow face, a long nose, big eyes, a large mouth with somewhat plump lips... The mask has closed eyes, the tips of the mustache are slightly curled upward, a thick beard covers the chin and cheeks.” True, P. Faure characterizes these masks as “very ugly.” The graves were literally filled with gold. But for G. Schliemann it was not the gold that was important, although there was almost 30 kilograms of it. “After all, these are the graves of the Atrides that Pausanias spoke about! These are masks of Agamemnon and his loved ones, everything speaks for this: the number of graves, the number of buried people (17 people - 12 men, 3 women and two children), and the wealth of things placed in them... After all, it is so huge that only royal family Schliemann had no doubt that the mask of a man with a beard covered the face of Agamemnon.” Later research showed that the mask was made almost three centuries before the birth of Agamemnon, but it is associated with the Mycenaean king and is called “The Mask of Agamemnon.”

Items of Cretan-Mycenaean culture: golden cup, mask, daggers

Other cities, Gla, Zigouris, Proimna, Berbati, Karakos, were abandoned by their inhabitants. As for the famous campaign against Troy, it probably took place a number of decades before the first events, as Homer and other later authors speak about. Many tribes found shelter and refuge in Greece. As A. Khomyakov wrote, all of Hellas, from the borders of Slavic Thrace to the southern tip of the Peloponnese, was inhabited by a “rabble of tribes.” The Hellenes came from the north. Epirus was the home of barbarian tribes, from the very borders of the Slavic land. And the ancient inhabitants of Hellas, the mysterious Pelasgians, disappeared mixed with northern newcomers, lost their way of life “from the influence of their military activity and forgot their language, in the aggressive movement of alien enlightenment.” In ancient times, the Greeks were called Achaeans (the Italians called them Greeks). Tradition tells us little about the peoples who inhabited Greece before the arrival of the Greeks. They were divided into Dorians, Aetolians, Achaeans, Ionians, Aeolians (these are just names). The Greeks themselves called themselves Hellenes. According to legends, the family of Hellin's father included Aeolus, Dor, Achaeus and Ion. “The whole race of people originates from the Hellenes,” wrote Diogenes Laertius. Of course, both statements are not entirely true. Nevertheless, the great interest in Ancient Greece, the foremother of European civilization, the cradle of Christian Hellenism, is understandable. To this day, European culture sees its “golden childhood” in Hellas, and in childhood there is always a fairy tale.

Samples of Dorian clothing

Of course, the “golden childhood of the Greeks” is a fairy tale inspired by the brilliant Homer, which is based on some very real events. The Achaean society he described is much more reminiscent of a crowd of wild barbarians, who were deprived of their reason by Zeus the Provider. Unfortunately, there are not many sources from which one can study their gods and cults. Almost all the authentic texts have perished, and what was considered something like a “sacred gate for introduction to the Greek religion” (Homer, Hesiod, Sophocles) is now perceived as a secular source and gives little to the understanding of religion itself. The religion and mythology of the Greeks nevertheless represent one of the most striking and memorable aspects of world culture. Like other peoples, the Greeks had a widespread belief in spirits and cults of the dead. They revered trees, animals, idols, gods. In the traditional cults of the Hellenes we see features of savagery, tribal underdevelopment, and cruelty. For example, in Athens and in the large trading ports of Ionia, even in the 6th and 5th centuries BC, when it was already possible to talk about the “spring of civilization” that had come into its own, the Greeks adhered to the most savage and cruel rules in morality. Thus, in the cities, second-rate human material was specially kept in the form of degenerate human scum (cripples, idiots, etc.). When famine or plague occurred, the authorities usually sacrificed them. The unfortunates were stoned, burned alive, and before that they were beaten on their limbs with ritual rods. The ashes of the poor people who were scapegoats (“pharmacs”) were scattered over the sea.

Three Persian warriors

Or another example. On the morning of the famous Battle of Salamis, when the fate of Greece was being decided, commander Themistocles, hoping to appease the gods, burned three prisoners. These were beautiful young men, dressed in luxurious clothes and decorated with gold, and they were also the nephews of the Persian king. And so the commander-in-chief of the Greeks, an erudite, strangled them with his own hands on the ship, in full view of the fleet. Democritus, a scientist, the founder of atomistic materialism, with the cruelty of a sadist, demanded from young ladies that menstruating girls run around the fields three times before the harvest: supposedly, menstrual blood contains a charge of fruitful energy.

Corinth and Acrocorinth

The conquest of Greece took place over a long period of time. “At the beginning of the 16th century there is an increasing influence of Crete on their culture and, one might say, begins the influence known (to us) as the Age of Mycenae. Mycenaean-type states, similar to those described in the Iliad, began to form in Athens (although not very significant) and in Attica. Mycenaean power was strongest in the Peloponnese, where Pylos ruled Messenia, and in a group of fortresses in the Argolid dependent on Mycenae. Laconia, which lay between these two territories, has been practically unexplored, and its Mycenaean capital has not yet been discovered. It should be noted that all these states occupied fertile plains or hills. There were few such places in Greece, and they were separated from each other by high mountain ranges, so sometimes they could only be reached by sea. The northwestern region of Greece consisted mainly of mountains, so it is not surprising that this area played virtually no role in the history of Mycenae,” writes W. Taylor. The city of Mycenae lasted about 500 years and was probably destroyed around 1100 BC.

Acrocorinth – fortress walls

There is evidence indicating that Mycenaean influence can be traced not only in Greece, but also in Italy, where settlers colonized Apulia (this is confirmed by archaeological finds). Mycenaean influence is also noticeable in Sicily, where features of the same Rhodian culture are visible as in southern Italy. In ancient prehistoric times, violent disputes arose between the Greeks, which led to wars (such as the famous War of the Seven Cities against Thebes, as a result of which both sides were destroyed).

Polis owe their rise and prosperity largely to their geographic location. Such was the ancient city-state of Corinth, founded near Isthmus - the only route from the Peloponnese to the rest of mainland Greece, between the gulfs of two seas - the Saronic and Corinthian. According to Pausanias, Corinth was considered the “son of Zeus”, being part of the power of Agamemnon and at first, according to Homer, representing a wretched settlement. Geographical conditions here were not very favorable. However, it was precisely the strategic and trade advantages of the place (control of routes between the seas, the ability to establish broad trade relations with the centers of the East and West) that made it an important link in the regional system. Availability of sources and high mountain Acrocorinth made it possible to populate, equip, and then defend the citadel from hostile invasions. Before the appearance of the Dorian tribes, the Phoenicians, other eastern peoples, as well as the Aeolian tribes who came here from Thessaly lived here. Around 900 BC The Dorians crossed here on ships. They initially settled in Arcadia, captured Argolis, and then invaded Corinthia. So Corinth was subjugated by them, as a result of which the ethnic composition of the population changed. The poet Eumelus wrote about the distant past of Corinth in his poem “Corinthian History”. It was he who identified Corinth with Homer’s Ephyra, the city in which Sisyphus (Sisyphus) reigned. Eumelus also connected the history of Corinth with the Aeolian-Thessalian myths of Jason and Medea. In accordance with this mythology, Sisif was considered the first king of Corinth. Bellerophon was also a local hero, whose fabulous horse Pegasus became not only the emblem of the city, but also a symbol of poetic ascent.

Fountain of the Lower Pyrene

From about the 8th century BC. the first great flowering of Corinth begins, when Corinth's political dependence on Argos ceased and it founded its first colonies in the West - Kerkyra in 730 BC. and Syracuse in 720 BC. The consequence of this process was the rapid development of its economy, industrial progress, and the export of Corinthian products to the West. Artistic crafts are also developing, as evidenced by numerous Proto-Corinthian and Corinthian vessels, painted tables from the sanctuary of the Archaic era, painted metopes of Fermat, and the Kypsela casket. The Corinthians were excellent sailors, reaching heights in this art during the period of the second Greek colonization. The Corinthian Aminocles was believed to have built it in 704 BC. the first trireme for the Samians. Subsequently, it was precisely the fact that the inhabitants of Corinth began to represent a formidable naval power and carried out intensive colonization that often aroused unfair anger and hatred towards them from Athens. The latter sought to destroy their rival in trade, which inevitably pushed Corinth into the arms of Athens' most formidable enemy, Sparta.

Theseus and Ariadne

It is curious that it was under the tyrants (Kypsel and his son Periander) that the economy, art and culture flourished to their greatest heights. Periander was even named among the 7 main sages of ancient Greece. At the same time, Corinth became one of the most powerful powers of that era, developing relations with the kings and rulers of Asia Minor, the East and Egypt. Trade and production of various kinds of bronze and clay products, various fabrics attract more and more inhabitants and buyers here. The city became one of the favorite meeting places for rich people, merchants, sailors, warriors and women of a cheerful disposition. Hetaera was primarily attracted by the opportunity to make good money from a craft, because, to paraphrase Seneca, let’s say: apparently, man by nature is a lustful animal and prone to debauchery and meanness.

Hilt of a Mycenaean ceremonial sword

Love cannot live not only without money, reciprocity, but also without praises. That is why they say that a new genre of poetry arose in Corinth - dithyramb. Among the architectural monuments, the Temple of Apollo stands out. Not only all types of art are flourishing, but also engineering. Periander conceived the idea of ​​building a paved road - a “diolk” (drag) with deep gutters along which empty ships and goods could be transported on special platforms from one side of the Isthmus to the other.

Corinth during the Greco-Persian Wars (5th century BC) is one of the three great powers of the Greek world and participates in all battles against the Persians. Rivalry with Athens for supremacy at sea and in trade led to inevitable clashes with rivals. The rise of Athens and Sparta will soon relegate him, however, to secondary roles. Corinth became perhaps the main instigator of the Peloponnesian War. Corinth would later become the capital of the Achaean League (after 200 BC). However, dissatisfaction with the policies of the Roman power led to Corinth deciding to break away from Rome. In 146 BC. The commander Lucius Mummius defeated the Achaean League in battle and destroyed Corinth to the ground. For a hundred years the city then lay in ruins, until finally Julius Caesar began to repopulate Corinth (from 44). His work was continued by Octavian Augustus. In the 1st century AD As a Roman colony and port, the city again experienced a period of growth and prosperity. It was in Corinth that Emperor Nero arrived to proclaim the freedom of the Greek cities (66-67 AD).

Ancient Greece was an association of city-states (polises), each of which had its own gods and heroes, laws and calendar. Theseus, who was considered the creator of the state, was especially revered in Athens. Many legends were created about him, which any Athenian schoolchild knew very well. The actions of this hero largely predetermined the future fate of the Athenian state. Before him, the inhabitants of Attica were often at odds, being both politically and spiritually divided. Having decided to combine them into one people, Theseus patiently walked around the Greeks, trying to show them all the benefits of living together, the advantages of unity in battles against enemies. Being very strong by nature, he is only in rare cases resorted to force as a last resort. Theseus also approved the general Attic holiday - Panathenaia. Every year in August, various gymnastic and musical competitions were held in Greece (and the Great Panathenaea was solemnly held every four years). The winners of the games were awarded wreaths or amphorae with olive oil. He is also credited with dividing the inhabitants of Attica into nobility, farmers and artisans. Theseus destroyed the previous communal councils, replacing them with a single council. This council was located in the center of the city, which it named Athens in honor of its patron goddess. Having accomplished so many glorious deeds, the Greek hero voluntarily laid down the burdens of power, showing himself to be a wise legislator and teaching a lesson to the rulers of subsequent eras who consider themselves “democrats.”

The “cultural soul” did not immediately find shelter in the hearts of the Greeks... The nomadic tribes that came to Hellas, regardless of whether they came from the Balkans, from Scythia or anywhere else, like other peoples, paid tribute to superstition and primitive savagery. At the same time, they grew cereals, hunted game, planted figs and olives (olives were the main food item of the Greeks), cultivated vineyards and made wine. The land provided them with food and a minimum amount of fruits (oil and wine), which could be put into trade, receiving wheat, textiles, weapons, etc. for them. An important strategic factor was the ownership of the straits, through which all trade with grain markets on the Black Sea coast or in Egypt was carried out. After all, about half of the grain exported to Athens was delivered there from the Bosporan kingdom. The fact that bread in Greece and its colonies was considered a strategic commodity is also evidenced by the oath that the inhabitants of Tauride Chersonesos took: “I will not sell the bread received from the fields of (our) homeland, I will not export it to another place besides Kherson "

As we see, the Greeks two thousand years ago perfectly understood the need for state regulation in their grain farming (which, it seems, our ministers-economists do not understand). Greece's location was conducive to its prosperity. The mainland was divided into three parts: northern Greece, central Greece (or Hellas proper), and southern Greece (Peloponnese) connected to Hellas by an isthmus. The country, located behind the mountain ranges, was a natural citadel, the passage to which was very, very difficult due to narrow gorges, which was brilliantly proven by the 300 Spartans of King Leonidas with their feat (during the courageous defense of Thermopylae).

On the other hand, a number of Greek regions found themselves disunited, divided by nature itself. There are no traces of any large rivers like the Nile, Tigris and Euphrates, Yellow River, Volga and Dnieper here. This complicated connections between the individual ethnic groups inhabiting the peninsula. Hence the difficulty in uniting local tribes. Civil strife more than once brought the Greeks to the brink of death (including in the battle with the Persians). What can we say, even if on the small island of Amorg (21 by 3 sq. miles) as many as three independent political communities were formed. Proximity to the sea also meant a lot (in the Peloponnese there is not a single point more than 7 miles from the sea, in central Greece - more than 8 miles). Of particular importance was the fact that the large number of islands that make up the archipelago form a kind of continuous bridge connecting Europe with Asia. Among the islands on the western coast of Greece was the island of Ithaca, the birthplace of the Homeric hero Odysseus.

Ithaca Island today

The lands of Attica were rich in iron, silver, building stone, marble, and alumina. In the same Attica there was also silver (in the south, in Lavria). In Greece there were cities such as Sybaris, which stood out for the wealth that the silver mine brought. For gold, the Greeks rushed further - to the northern coast, to Macedonia, Thrace, Lydia or Colchis. By the way, the legend about Jason’s journey for the Golden Fleece, according to Strabo, suggested this method of obtaining gold among some peoples: the skin of a ram, that is, the “golden fleece,” was immersed in water, as a result of which grains of gold settled on its wool. The aforementioned Sybaris, owning a harbor on the Etruscan Sea, was the most important intermediary in trade between Miletus and the Etruscans. It was mainly through mediation that he became rich, for which he exempted even the most expensive goods from customs duties. All this turned the eastern part of the country, where the metal deposits were located, into the most developed and prosperous. Oddly enough, being near the sea, the Greeks constantly experienced a great need for drinking water. Fresh water was worth its weight in gold here. Even the oath of the members of the union who guarded Delphi is known. They vowed never to take away “running water from the allied communities.” It is interesting that when setting out on a journey, the Greeks usually said to each other: “Bon voyage and fresh water.”

Ancient Greek ship

In the times described, the sea plays an increasingly important role (in matters of trade, life support and the defense capability of countries). Greece was no exception. If Egypt was created by the Nile, then the fate of Greece, Crete, Cyprus and Phenicia largely depended on how friendly they were with the sea... Pericles proudly told the Athenians: “After all, you believe that you rule only over your allies; I affirm that of both parts of the earth’s surface accessible to people - land and sea - you dominate one completely, and not only where our ships now sail; you can, if you wish, rule anywhere. And no one, not a single king, not a single people can now prevent you from going to sea with your powerful fleet.” Athens, heading the Maritime Union, was the largest maritime hegemon of that era (note that at one time this union included up to 200 states). Dominance at sea made it possible to control maritime trade.

Map of the city of Athens with the port of Piraeus

Streams of foreign goods poured into the port of Athens, Piraeus. It is estimated that the large port of Piraeus alone provided space for 372 ships at a time. The construction of the port cost the Athenians 100 talents (6 million drachmas), which is equivalent to 26 tons of silver. As a result, Athens became a monopolist in the trade of bread delivered from Pontus, Euboea, Rhodes and Egypt. After providing themselves with bread, the Athenians allowed the captains to go to other places, taking care that merchants, travelers, and pilgrims had refuge and shelter in other ports. “When capital is accumulated, it is good and useful to build city hotels near the piers for shipowners, appropriate places for buying and selling for merchants, and similar hotels in the city for those traveling to the city. And if premises and shops were set up for small traders in Piraeus and in the city itself, this would bring both decoration and great income to the city,” noted Xenophon. A very sensible remark.

Hippodamus - architect of Piraeus and a number of cities

The Greeks were well aware of the key importance of the sea in their lives. The temperate climate and generally poor soil did not allow them to rely solely on the riches of the subsoil or Agriculture. “Power over Greece is power over the sea,” the Greeks said. They used to call the Aegean Sea the “Tsar Sea”. The life of the peoples of the Mediterranean is replete with maritime events. Key routes within the Aegean Sea were tightly controlled by the navy. After all, by the time of the Peloponnesian War, Athens had 300 triremes, Corcyra had 10, Chios - 60, Megara - 40 triremes. Even intellectuals took part in the battles for supremacy at sea: for example, the fleet of Samos in 441 was led by the philosopher Melis, who defeated the fleet of Athens led by Sophocles. The tribes in the south and west of Greece, where navigation first developed, soon formed a kind of intertribal community. Each of them “told the other everything that he knew from navigation and ethnography, everything that he had experienced at sea, all the information about shipbuilding.” The earliest to acquire stable maritime skills was the Dardanian tribe, who believed that their homeland was Crete. The historian E. Curtius classifies the Ionians who lived in Lydia as belonging to this branch. Lydia, with its excellent ports, became a rival of Phenicia in trade.

Antique ship in the port

To a large extent, one can judge the power of the Greeks on the basis of the data given in the Iliad. The leader of the Mycenaeans Agamemnon brought a hundred ships to Troy, the second place was for the Pylians - 90 ships, the third place for the Argives and Cretans - 80 ships each, the Spartans and Arcadians - 50 each, the Athenian and Myrmidon fleets - 50 ships each. A total of 1,186 ships arrived at Troy. The base of King Agamemnon's fleet was Iolcus, from where the Argonauts began their journey on the ship "Argo" ("Fast"). Until the end of antiquity, the Argo ship was considered the first floating ship. Agamemnon also had other naval bases, the strategic importance of which was great. It should be added that the marine life of the Greeks, in addition to ordinary trade, was inextricably linked with their robbery. All this was in order. Cretans, in order to clear the archipelago of pirates and become masters of the sea ​​routes, they themselves create pirate-military squadrons on Kiefer and Egilia. The Spartan Chilo always expected an attack from here. Squadrons of Greeks acted against the Phoenician pirates. King Minos went to Greece by sea to avenge his stolen son. His ships are guided by dolphins (in memory of their help, he establishes the cult of Apollo of Delphi). It is said that the busiest sea routes of those times - or the so-called “Apollo paths” - were also paved by smart dolphins.

Dolphins on the walls of the palace at Knossos

Journey of Odysseus. Odysseus and his companions

The sea became an arena of open robbery. The kings were no different from robbers, leading squadrons of pirates and boasting of wars and robberies (Iliad, XIV, 229-234). Achilles raids from Argolis to Mysia, steals Briseis from Lyrnessos, and razes the city allied to Troy to the ground. The son of Peleus exclaims: “I have destroyed twelve populous cities with ships; The eleven on foot took the fruitful Trojan land; In each of them he obtained a lot of priceless and glorious treasures.” Hercules destroys Troy in order to profit from the famous horses. Agamemnon proudly recalls how, having destroyed flowering Lesbos, he took from there many beautiful captives. Odysseus, a “pirate by vocation,” as soon as his ship was washed by the wind and currents to the Thracian shore, immediately begins to plunder the first nearby city, considering this a great merit:

Before Troy went

armored tribe of the Achaeans,

Nine times I'm on the ship

fast with brave

squad

I went against foreign people -

and we were lucky;

I took the best from the spoils,

and by lot also

I got a lot for my share;

increasing your wealth,

I have become powerful and respectable...

In another place, Odysseus confesses to King Alcinous that when he, who is rumored to be an inventor of tricks, sailed to the city of the Ciconians, Ismar, he, the king of Ithaca, together with his fellow bandits, behaved not at all as a peacemaker, but as a murderer and the robber:

Ismaru: we destroyed the city,

All the inhabitants were exterminated.

Saving wives and all sorts of things

having plundered a lot of treasures,

We began to divide the spoils so that

everyone could take their part.

Thus, the reader should not be mistaken either about Odysseus or about beautiful Greece, the talents and courage of whose sons we will quite rightly admire more than once. Even in the most heroic part of its history, Greece was in fact nothing more than “an ideal place for robbery.” The geographer Strabo also wrote about the undeniable propensity for piracy of the inhabitants of these places, noting their bloodthirstiness. The hunt for slaves gave rise to the profession of andrapodists - “slave makers.” The poet Lucian called the first such andrapodist Zeus himself, who kidnapped the handsome Ganymede. Historian A. Vallon noted the main sources of wealth ancient civilizations: “The richest source of slaves was always the primary source of slavery: war and maritime robbery. The Trojan War and the most ancient wars of the Greeks along the Asian and Thracian coasts gave them numerous captives... The war replenished the ranks of slaves, but with certain interruptions; sea ​​robbery contributed to this more constantly and continuously. This custom, which in Greece preceded trade and accompanied the first attempts at navigation, did not cease even when intercourse between nations became more regular and civilization more widespread; The need for slaves, which became more widespread, stimulated pirate activity with the lure of higher profits. How easy it was for this region, surrounded by the sea, and the shores, accessible almost everywhere, and the islands scattered throughout the sea! The horror that the North African barbarians (Berbers) not so long ago spread along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea thanks to their rapid and unexpected landings reigned everywhere in Greece.” Life back then was simply terrible. This is at least indicated by the custom of killing all strangers arriving from the sea. Among the “civilized” Greeks, Phoenicians, Cretans, Egyptians, Jews, and Assyrians, the rule of the Night of Bartholomew was in effect: kill everyone, God will recognize his own. The gods, apparently, are indifferent to the fate of people.

Odysseus with the sorceress Kirka

Hercules and the Argonauts (with spears, clubs, shields)

Regrettably, in Athens itself, this citadel of ancient democracy, open slavery flourished. Athens, which, according to the requirements of the law, supposedly had to hunt down the kidnappers of free people (having passed a law that punished caught Andrapodist kidnappers with death), in fact, whenever they could not be caught by the hand, they secretly patronize them. It was even forbidden to offend them under penalty of exclusion from citizenship. The reason for such patronage is simple and understandable. The state and individual citizens derived considerable benefits from the slave trade and its mediation. After all, this trade was subject to special taxes, and Athens was precisely one of the main places of such trade. Lucian in “The Auction of Souls,” describing the life of Aesop, draws many examples from the practice of the slave trade in Rome. But exactly the same order reigned in Greece, which, of course, was not and could not be any exception.

Ruins of Corinth

Speaking about this “flawed, restless and fragile” Mycenaean civilization, which lasted no more than 400 years in continental Greece and the Peloponnese, 200 years on the islands and only a few years in the distant colonies of Egypt, Asia Minor and Italy, P. Faure in in his magnificent book “Greece during the Trojan War”, he tried to establish what once destroyed the small kingdoms and fortified cities. He quite decisively rejects the idea of ​​external invasion and destruction. The same mysterious “peoples of the sea” that many sources mention (doing this, however, in a very vague, vague way) could hardly have become the root cause of the total catastrophe of the Mycenaean cities. After all, their independent rulers created powerful fortresses, had a strong army, excellent weapons for those centuries, and strong political and economic structures. Then what caused the deadly threat that swept away between 1250 and 1200 BC. these prosperous and wealthy centers?

Heroes of the Trojan War

It must be said that Faure himself convincingly answered the question posed: “And yet, in order to try to explain the catastrophe that destroyed so many “well-cut” palaces and beautifully fortified strongholds between 1250 and 1200, several reasons must be simultaneously taken into account or put together. The most common mechanism of disintegration could be the following: small monarchies flourished and strengthened so much thanks to agriculture, cattle breeding and the development of crafts that they aroused the hatred of subject peoples and less fortunate neighbors.

The power of the reigning house could be weakened by several misfortunes at once: shortages, shipwrecks, illness, rivalry, lack of mutual understanding, old age of the ruler. All this shocked society from top to bottom. A whole swarm of small feudal lords or local leaders rebelled, refused to pay taxes and submit to bureaucratic control, and, on occasion, did not disdain piracy and robbery. The bravest conspired among themselves and went to take the palaces, where, as everyone knew, there were full of treasures, and the rightful owner, like Odysseus or Achilles, went to Troas to seek luck. Stories of tragic poets about Oedipus, who took possession of the city of Cadmus, or about Theseus, who reigned in Athens and threw the old man Aegeus from the top of the acropolis, about the Seven against Thebes, about the bloody “showdowns” of Atreus, Thyestes and their heirs, about the flight of Alcmaeon, the last king of Pylos, - this whole terrible series of riots and fights over inheritance seems to generally reflect the everyday reality of the second half of the 13th century BC. And, if we look into the history of Greece in the 13th century AD, we will see a completely similar picture, and in the same cities - Thebes, Athens, Corinth, Argos, Nauplia or Modon. Byzantium was destroyed much more by internal squabbles than by attacks from external enemies.” The French historian reasonably believes that there is a high probability that the Greeks fell victim to the onslaught of neighbors or fellow citizens, that is, civil wars rather than external wars.

Although external wars undoubtedly played a role... Just as the aging “fathers of the nation” in the Soviet Union tried to find answers to acute social problems within the country in external expansion, it is possible that the leaders of the Greeks, who gathered on a campaign against Troy, tried to remove a heavy burden of social burdens from part of his people, inviting them to obtain gold, wealth and glory in foreign lands by robbery. Faure writes about the “giant mass of the poor” who had the most meager income. All these carpenters, scribes, blacksmiths, saddlers, weavers and shipwrights, creating material wealth, building palaces and fortifications, themselves barely made ends meet. Naturally, they all looked at him with deep hatred. luxurious palaces tsars, oligarchs, war barons, generals, just like three thousand years later, the poor, often completely powerless workers of Russia look at the fabulous palaces of the new “feudal lords”.

Will a couple of millennia really pass and from the power of these kingdoms, like from the possessions of King Agamemnon in Mycenae or Priam’s Troy, all that will remain is a pile of stones and a domed tomb, where the new Schliemann will look for answers to the secrets of the history of the 20th-21st centuries? And even if a new Homer is born, will he want to describe our life?!

Now, speaking about Ancient Greece, many of us immediately recall cities such as and, however, in historical science this is called the classical period of Greece, and there was a time many centuries before these policies, when Mycenae was considered the main city of Greece and this was three thousand years back.

According to legend, Mycenae was founded by the ancient hero Perseus, the winner of Medusa the Gorgon. However, the exact period of the city's founding is unknown. The first people began to settle in this place about 7,000 years ago, and the city itself appeared at least in 1500 BC, when the Mycenaean civilization began to spread throughout Greece and the surrounding islands.

Mycenae during this period is well known to us thanks to the exploits of Hercules, as well as the campaign of the Greek Army against Troy. The campaign was led by the king of Mycenae Agamemnon. However, after the end of the Trojan War in the 12th century BC, the ancient world fell into decay, and Mycenae weakened and almost completely disappeared. By the beginning of the Greco-Persian wars, when Athens and Sparta rose in Greece, Mycenae was finally abandoned.

The ruins of the city are located in Argolis in the Peloponnese not far from the modern capital of the region - Nafplion. One of the neighboring villages can be reached by bus, but the rest is a car trip. A ticket to Mycenae costs 12 euros, for students of Russian universities - 6 euros. The complex is open from 8 to 20.00, but this is most likely during the warm season

Ruins of Mycenae on the right along the course

The current state of Mycenae is the well-preserved outline of a fortress (Acropolis), which appeared at least in 1350 BC, in which a palace and a number of other buildings were located. Several tombs of giants, where kings and nobles were buried, and a small museum with finds from Mycenae. The inhabitants of the city lived mainly on the hillside near the walls of the fortress, but almost nothing remains of these buildings

City plan

City layout

To the right of the road you can see a small pile of stones - these are the remains of the so-called house with the Perseus fountain. This structure, built 3-2 millennia BC, was located above the sacred spring that supplied the city with water; it was erected either in honor of Perseus or the goddess Hera.

The famous Lion Gate of Mycenae - it was from them that archaeologists guessed what city they were excavating

Lions with two altars and a column - this is the coat of arms of the Atrides - ancient dynasty rulers of Mycenae. The heads of the lions, unfortunately, were not preserved; most likely they were made of a different material and looked at those entering the city. And the Lion Gate itself is known thanks to the Greek historian and geographer Pausanias, who made a description of the gate

The Mycenae fortress was surrounded by a powerful cyclopean wall of blocks, some of which weigh 100 tons, which is why such structures are called cyclopean, since it is believed that only the cyclopes could have built them. The wall was 9 meters long, 6 meters wide and up to 7 meters high

Just behind the gate you can see a small outbuilding that was used to lock the gate

Deadbolt niche

To the right of the entrance behind the gatehouse there was a granary

Big ramp

The first structure that visitors to the fortress encountered was one of the tombs of the giants - a large domed tomb, built before the fortress and included in its territory in the 13th century BC

The domed tomb is just one of the buildings on the lower terrace of the fortress. In addition, behind the wall there were residential buildings, a treasury, religious objects and some other buildings, but now it is difficult to recognize them

The bases of the storerooms where vessels with food were stored, including the famous vase depicting Mycenaean warriors

On the right there is a ramp going up the hill

In addition to the domed tomb and several buildings, on the lower terrace of the citadel there was a cult center, a processional road and altars and temples built in the 13th century BC were located here; these objects were destroyed a century later and replaced by ordinary houses

Ruins of the lower terrace, remains of religious buildings

After exploring the lower terrace, you need to climb the zigzag road up to the palace

The ascent starting from the Great Ramp, under which in the 13th century there were rooms where textiles were produced

There were other buildings at the top of the hill besides the palace.

The northern quarter of the fortress, where there were storerooms and several large houses. This part was abandoned before everyone else, as it was badly damaged by the earthquake

Place of the Propylon of the Palace - the gate of the palace complex with columns in the center

View from the palace

Temple ruins

Almond trees

And here is the palace itself, consisting of a large house - a megarun, as well as a courtyard. The ruler's throne was also located here. Archaeologists have proven that there were other buildings on this site 1000 years before the construction of the palace. In the 13th century, the palace was destroyed by fire, but in the 12th century it was restored, although it no longer reflected its former greatness

At the site of the palace, the space for two columns is clearly visible, as well as the entrance. The palace wasn't big

A road descends from the palace to the part of the hill opposite from the entrance; in the northern part of the fortress there was a large number of buildings, but the purpose of most of them is unknown

Descent to the northeastern part of the fortress

One of the recognized objects in this part of the citadel is the artisans' quarter, among which is a house with columns (two columns in the courtyard). The purpose of the buildings was determined thanks to the blanks, gold leaf, unfinished ivory products, and unprocessed semi-precious stones found here. There were jugs in the house with columns. All houses built in the second half of the 13th century during the same period died in fire (along with the palace located nearby)

Crafts Quarter

House with columns

Northern storerooms and the road to the northern gate

In this part of the citadel there was a cistern with drinking water

Tank

There was also a tunnel to an underground source located at a depth of 18 meters, now it is blocked

There is no further passage

There was also a side, secondary entrance to Mycenae, built during the reconstruction of the fortress around 1250 BC

North Gate

Outside the walls of the fortress, as was said, most of the inhabitants of Mycenae lived. These stones are all that remains of the buildings outside the walls of the citadel, and these are not even houses, but a complex of 4 trading houses, in one they sold shields, in the second olive oil, in the third they found two plaques with sphinxes, the purpose of the fourth house is unknown

And in front of the entrance to the fortress there was a cemetery, mainly consisting of domed graves and shaft tombs

In addition, behind the hill with the fortress is the Mycenae Museum.

Remains of a fresco from the walls of one of the cult objects

Figurines found on the site of a quarter of religious buildings

Replicas of royal treasures with the famous mask of Agamemnon

Ceramics

Sacred figurines found above one of the shops

And I talked about the graves of the giants themselves, of which there are 4,

The Achaean Greeks built their settlements on high hills, surrounding them with a ring of powerful fortress walls - their construction became an urgent necessity. Mycenae is such an example. Mycenae- This ancient city- a fortress surrounded by fortress walls made of monolithic blocks. The walls of Mycenae and Tiryns that have survived to this day are impressive, dry-built from huge blocks of stone, so tightly fitted to one another that they created the impression of a monolith. Subsequently, such settlements received the name “ acropolis"-"upper city", The space between the blocks was filled with soil and clay. This is the so-called “cyclopean masonry”. The length of the wall of Mycenae is 900 m, thickness - from 6 to 10 m. Storerooms were built inside the walls for storing food and weapons.

The fortress has two gates - at the northwestern corner there is a main gate, known as the Lion Gate, while on the northern side there is a gate of secondary importance. The main road led to the Lion Gate. Famous " "- crowned by a monolithic pediment with the image of two lions resting on a small double altar.

Lions, whose heads have not been preserved, guard the column - a symbol of the palace of the Mycenaean rulers. The ceiling and lintel supposedly weigh more than 20 tons. The width of the gate is 3 meters. Previously, the gates were closed with wooden doors. We go up to them and take pictures in their doorway as a souvenir. There is a good draft blowing under the gate. From the gate the road rises to the hill where royal palace, the plan of which was distinguished by the simplicity and rigor of the architectural design. We rise even higher. Inside the fortress wall, to the right of the main entrance, there is a famous burial place, which is surrounded by circular fences, forming the famous grave circles.

Archaeological excavations are being carried out here, and we cannot go there; we can only look at them from above. One of his most outstanding stone circle finds was royal burials from 1600-1500. BC, that is, relating to the early period of Mycenaean culture. We climb higher up the mountainside. The sun is already hot here, +24 C’ in the shade. It's not easy to climb.

The Acropolis stands on a triangular hill, the height of which is about 40 m. At the top of the Acropolis are the ruins of a 13th-century royal palace. BC. This place is fenced. In the center of the palace there was once a ceremonial rectangular room (12 X 13 m) with a fireplace in the middle - megaron.

Here at the top you can sit on the stones and relax after a steep climb. Then we go around the rock on the other side and go down the ring road. The northeastern ledge was built in the 12th century BC. e. in order to provide it with water, for which an underground cistern was built in a natural recess in the rock. There was a terracotta water supply leading to the cistern. Secret reservoirs provided the palace with a constant supply of water, even in the event of a siege. We discovered the entrance to the cistern, which is a hidden stepped descent that runs through the entire thickness of the fortress wall and beyond.

It was already a little dark here, and you can use the light from your phone. It's scary to walk far.

Below the mountainside there is an archaeological museum. Under glass there are exhibitions of ancient objects: combs, beads, ceramics.

Family crypt of King Agamemnon

Starting around 1500 BC. The king-generals of Mycenae and other Greek city-states were buried in tombs known as tholos. The tholos, excavated in Mycenae, was called the treasury of Artaeus, since at first it was decided that this was the burial place of Agamemnon’s father, Artaeus.

We pass through a narrow passage into a tomb under the mound. The king's body, along with his weapons and treasures, was placed in a crypt shaped like a beehive. This is a huge domed hall, 12 m high and 14 m wide, built without the use of mortar in 1250 BC. The tomb was built in the 13th century BC. and consists of a long (36 meters) corridor, a round room covered with a dome. Once upon a time, its walls were decorated with bronze gilded rosettes. One king owned up to 400 bronze foundries and many hundreds of slaves. The hall is empty, there is nothing here. The acoustics here are amazing. No traces of burial were found in the tomb; perhaps it was looted in earlier times.

This is a golden funerary mask of one of the first Mycenaean kings.

At first it was believed that it was made from the legendary king Agamemnon, who fought against Troy in the famous Trojan War, but it is now known that the mask dates back to a much more ancient period. But it is still associated with the famous Mycenaean king and is called: “The Mask of Agamemnon.” The mask is in the museum, but naturally it is a copy. The mask depicts the face of an elderly bearded man with a thin nose, close-set eyes and a large mouth. The face corresponds to the Indo-European type of face. The tips of the mustache are raised upward in the shape of a crescent, and sideburns are visible near the ears. The mask has holes for the thread with which it was attached to the face of the deceased.

The descendants of the mythical Perseus ruled Mycenae for many generations until they were replaced by the powerful Atreus dynasty, with which many heroic and tragic events are associated. The son of Atreus, the legendary Agamemnon, who led the campaign against Troy, on the advice of the oracle, sacrificed his own daughter Iphigenia to the gods. After his triumphant return from Trojan War Agamemnon was killed in the bathroom by his wife Clytemnestra, who had not forgiven her husband for the death of her daughter. Clytemnestra, in turn, is killed by her son Orestes, distraught with rage, incited by his sister Electra. What can I say? Cruel times, cruel morals. But after thousands of years, the name Clytemenestra became a common noun in Greece for husband-killing wives.

These legends and assumptions found historical confirmation when the German amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, while searching for Troy, accidentally stumbled upon one of the mine burial grounds. Several more burials of the same type were discovered nearby, and then it became clear why Homer called Mycenae rich in gold. During the excavations, an incredible amount of gold and amazingly beautiful things were found (about 30 kg!): jewelry, cups, buttons, military equipment and bronze weapons trimmed with gold. The amazed Schliemann wrote: “All the museums in the world do not possess even a fifth of these riches.” But the most significant find was a golden death mask, which, according to Schliemann, belonged to Agamemnon himself. But the age of the burial grounds did not confirm this version; the burials were made much earlier, before the reign of Agamemnon. Interesting fact Confirming the power and wealth of ancient Mycenae is the fact that no iron objects were found. The main materials from which the discovered objects are made are silver, bronze and gold. Artifacts found in mine burials are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Athens and the Archaeological Museum of Mycenae.

The ancient city occupied a strategically convenient position on a hilltop, protected by the massive walls of the acropolis. The laying of defensive walls was carried out without the use of any binder mortar. The stones were fitted so tightly that the walls give the impression of being monolithic. The famous “Lion Gate” led to the acropolis - a cyclopean structure made of stones, decorated with a bas-relief with two lionesses - a symbol of the power of the royal dynasty. The gate is the most famous building of Mycenae, and the bas-relief is considered one of the most significant heraldic monuments in the world.

The citadel contained residential buildings of the nobility and household buildings, many of the buildings being two and three stories high. Not far from the entrance there are remains of burial circle A, where shaft tombs dating back to 1600 BC are located. Items found in them indicate that the burials of royal families were located here.

A large staircase leading to the royal palace began from the courtyard at the Lion Gate. The center of the palace was Megaron - a large room with a fireplace on the floor. The Royal Megaron was the central structure, a unique administrative center. Meetings were held here and trials were held. All that remains of the royal chambers is the foundation. Fragments of the foundation of the red bathroom in which Agamemnon was killed can also be discerned.

At a short distance from the walls of the acropolis, burial circle B was discovered, which includes domed tombs (tholos) - another example of Mycenaean architecture. The most impressive and well-preserved of them is the so-called “Treasury of Atreus” or “Tomb of Agamemnon”. When the burial was found by Schliemann, it was plundered. Therefore, it was not possible to establish who owned the tomb, but the size and architectural features suggest that there was a royal tomb inside. Round underground structures replaced shaft burials. A sloping corridor lined with stones leads to the high narrow entrance. Inside, the tomb is an impressive dome, 13.5 m high and 14.5 m in diameter, lined with horizontal rows of stones. Each row protrudes slightly above the previous one. Before the construction of the Roman Pantheon, the tomb was the tallest structure of its type.

Surprisingly, the ruins that represent Mycenae today were once one of the most important cities in Greece. So important for the state that historians usually designate an entire stage in its development as “Mycenaean”. Tourist portal website

Mycenae - view of the remains of the citadel on the hill
Mycenae - view of the archaeological site

The emergence of Mycenae

The first mention of Mycenae is found in the writings of Homer, who characterizes them as “Abundant of Gold.” However, the ancient city existed long before the birth of the legendary poet, who lived in the 9th century. BC. Researchers claim that the territory where the capital of Ancient Greece grew was inhabited in the early Neolithic era. Of course, there was no talk of any large settlements at that time, but burials from that time indicate that the place, 90 km away from modern Athens, has been loved by mankind for a long time.

According to the ancient Greek epic, Mycenae was founded by Perseus, the son of Zeus and Danae. Archaeologists are confident that the city grew out of the ancient acropolis, which in 1800 - 1700 BC. partly was already surrounded by a fortress wall. By the Late Bronze Age (1600-1200 BC), the high ground had developed full-fledged city fortifications, and Mycenae was the dominant city (probably the capital) of the state in the eastern Mediterranean.

By 1350 B.C. the fortress walls were rebuilt in the so-called cyclopean style - when the wall is created from large hewn blocks laid without mortar. Surrounded by these fortifications, the ruins of which remain to this day, numerous palaces and temples were built. The total length of the fortress was 1105 m, the height of the protective structures reached 12.5 m. At the same time, the width of the masonry could vary between 7.5 - 17 m. In order to build such a wall, boulders weighing from 10 tons were required. The largest stones that were discovered during excavations weighed 20 tons. The “leaders” were approaching the 100-ton mark. Tourist portal website

Fall of the Mycenaean civilization

By 1200 B.C. Mycenae's influence on the peninsula gradually declined. As a result, in just one century, the Mycenaean civilization practically ceased to exist as such, which is a consequence of the “collapse of the Bronze Age.” Most of the buildings in the city were destroyed. This was probably a direct result of the invasion of the Dorians, warlike peoples from the north (from Sparta, Crete, Southern Italy).

According to another version, the reason was the disruption of trade routes caused by the migration of the mysterious “peoples of the sea”, who destroyed the Hittite empire, as well as attacked representatives of the 19th and 20th ancient Egyptian dynasties. However, at the end of the 13th century, Mycenae equipped an expedition against Sparta, which indicates the absence of a threat from the sea.

Other probable reasons for the decline in Mycenae's influence include drought, earthquakes, and a volcanic eruption. However, it is now impossible to say exactly why the centers of this civilization were abandoned or destroyed almost simultaneously.

One way or another, Mycenae continued to exist. Even if it’s not shiny anymore. During the archaic era, a majestic temple of Hera was built in the citadel. The Mycenaean army fought at Thermopylae during the war with the Persians. Troops also took part in the battle of Plataea. And 468 BC. e. was marked by further losses for the city - the troops of the Argos polis captured Mycenae, expelled the inhabitants and destroyed the fortifications.

For a short time, Mycenae was restored during the Hellenistic period, when the city boasted a luxurious theater, the ruins of which remain to this day. However, gradually this place was abandoned again, and during the Roman period of Greek history, Mycenae already became a tourist attraction.

Greece Mycenae - lion gate at the entrance to the citadel
Mycenae - lions on the gates

Attractions Mycenae

The Mycenaean acropolis, in contrast, has been preserved rather poorly. The fate of the city and the trials that befell its buildings also had an impact. Already after Mycenae was abandoned, in the 2nd century BC. The acropolis suffered from a severe fire. However, thanks to the cyclopean masonry and the thoroughness of the construction, some of the walls are still preserved here, conveying the solidity of the construction.

To get to the territory of the Acropolis, you need to get acquainted with another attraction of Mycenae - the Lion Gate. It is interesting that the fortified part of the city was something akin to a divine monastery for the residents - commoners could only get here during holidays. It is not surprising that the central gate that separated the fortress from the dwellings of the poor was built in such a way as to demonstrate its significance for the border between the two parts of the capital of the polis. Thanks to the solid masonry of the walls, the gate was perfectly preserved. As well as their main decoration - a bas-relief with two lionesses. It is considered one of the most famous heraldic monuments in the world, and the gate itself has become a symbol of the destroyed city. Tourist portal website

Mycenae - Acropolis
Mycenae - one of the tombs

Excavations of ancient Mycenae

In 1874 - 1876 During excavations in the territory of Mycenae, numerous tombs belonging to the kings of the polis were discovered. “Graves” were built in the form of peculiar domes - “tholos”, which were made of stone slabs. To get an idea of ​​the scale, you can imagine the treasury of Atreus, the mythical king. The height of the burial chamber in it is 13 m (the height of a five-story building), and the width is 14 m.

Surprisingly, the two huge slabs above the front door, used instead of floor beams, weigh approximately 120 tons together. Unfortunately, the tomb was looted in ancient times. Since tholos (as the tombs were called) could only be afforded by the famous and wealthy inhabitants of Mycenae, during excavations here many objects made of precious materials were discovered. In addition, the burials made it possible to learn a lot about the Mycenaean culture - its time is poorly covered in literary monuments.

No less interesting are the tombs of Clytemnestra and Aegisthus, the Mycenaean ruler and her lover, found near the fortress wall. Unfortunately, the graves of the lovers were damaged during the Hellenistic period, when the famous Mycenaean theater was built over them. Later, the queen’s burial was restored, and during excavations, a lot of expensive jewelry was found in it. Tourist portal website

Mycenae - golden mask 1600g. BC.
Mycenae - gold jewelry found during excavations

Archaeological Museum of Mycenae

The Archaeological Museum has been operating on the excavation site in Mycenae since 1902. The modern building for it was built very close to the acropolis. The building is located so that visitors studying the exhibits displayed in the halls can look at the ruins of the city through the huge windows. The exhibitions occupy a quarter of the entire museum space. At the same time, the greatest attention is paid to the life of the Mycenaeans - the people, two thousand years BC. began the construction of one of the most advanced countries of the ancient world.

At the foot of the former city lies the Argolid Plain - a fairly large area of ​​fertile land, which 4,100 years ago became home to Greek tribes who entered the Middle Helladic era. Today the plain is one of the most attractive tourist sites, despite its distance from Athens - a large number of preserved architectural structures allows guests to Greece to experience the greatness of civilization, which laid the foundations for modern political, scientific and cultural trends. Tourist portal website

Mycenae opening hours:
Winter: from 08:00 to 17:00
Summer: (May 1 - October 31) from 08:00 to 20:00

Ticket for Acropolis, Treasures of Atreus and Museum:
Full price - 12.00 €
Discounted - 6.00 €
Teenagers under 18 years old - free
Free for everyone: March 6, April 18, May 18 (International Museum Day), last weekend of September, October 28, every first Sunday of the month from November 1 to March 31.

Mycenae address: T.K. 21 200, Mykines (Prefecture of Argolida)