Compare and Contrast Bronze Age Greece to Classical Greece
Compare and Contrast Bronze Age Greece to Classical Greece The civilizations that lived during these two distinct periods in Greek history share many similarities in economic, social, and religious ideology. But culturally as well as politically they had very different structures and ideals. The Mycenaean’s flourished as a civilization during the Bronze Age, between 1600-1100B.C.E. During their control of Greece the landscape consisted of tree covered hills and valleys. The hills divided the many small kingdoms that were individually controlled by kings and aristocracies.
Their leaders and wealthy members of society generally controlled the economy through sea trade as they were the only ones wealthy enough to afford boats. They also controlled the creation and distribution of bronze which was the dominant metal coveted during this time for which the period is so named. Only the wealthy or extremely skilled warriors were able to afford or were given bronze weapons and armor because it was expensive to make being that tin was so scarce. Those that were less skilled or of the peasant class usually were left to resort to very rudimentary weapons like slings with stones, clubs, and rudimentary spears. The Mycenaean economy also revolved around agriculture, they cultivated olives, figs, and grapes, as well as grains such as wheat and barley. They herded sheep and goats and obtained much of their food from the sea. Socially and culturally the many small kingdoms of the Bronze Age were very similar, class was structured with the kings and aristocracy at the top, the warrior class, peasants, and slaves at the bottom. They all spoke Greek as a language and used Linear B as a writing system which was developed from Linear A used by the previous dominant civilization of the area, the Minoans.
Religiously they were polytheistic, worshipping many Gods and Goddesses, each with their own distinct myths and legends surrounding them. They saw their Gods as
Their leaders and wealthy members of society generally controlled the economy through sea trade as they were the only ones wealthy enough to afford boats. They also controlled the creation and distribution of bronze which was the dominant metal coveted during this time for which the period is so named. Only the wealthy or extremely skilled warriors were able to afford or were given bronze weapons and armor because it was expensive to make being that tin was so scarce. Those that were less skilled or of the peasant class usually were left to resort to very rudimentary weapons like slings with stones, clubs, and rudimentary spears. The Mycenaean economy also revolved around agriculture, they cultivated olives, figs, and grapes, as well as grains such as wheat and barley. They herded sheep and goats and obtained much of their food from the sea. Socially and culturally the many small kingdoms of the Bronze Age were very similar, class was structured with the kings and aristocracy at the top, the warrior class, peasants, and slaves at the bottom. They all spoke Greek as a language and used Linear B as a writing system which was developed from Linear A used by the previous dominant civilization of the area, the Minoans.
Religiously they were polytheistic, worshipping many Gods and Goddesses, each with their own distinct myths and legends surrounding them. They saw their Gods as