Now, speaking about Ancient Greece, many of us immediately remember such cities as and, however, in historical science this is called the classic period of Greece, and there was a time many centuries before these policies, when Mycenae was considered the main city of Greece and it was three thousand years back.
According to legend, Mycenae was founded by an 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 7000 years ago, and the city itself appeared at least in 1500 BC, when the Mycenaean civilizations began to spread to all of Greece and the nearest 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 king of Mycenae, Agamemnon, led the campaign. However, after the end of the Trojan War in the XII century BC, the ancient world fell into decay, Mycenae also 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 near and and the modern capital of the region - Nafplion. One of the neighboring villages can be reached by bus, but otherwise it 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 a well-preserved outline of the fortress (Acropolis), which appeared at least in 1350 BC, which housed a palace and a number of other structures. Several giant tombs, where kings and nobles were buried, and a small museum with finds from Mycenae. The inhabitants of the city lived mainly on a hillside near the walls of the fortress, but almost nothing remained of these buildings
City plan
City layout
To the right of the road, a small pile of stones is visible - these are the remains of the so-called house with the Perseus fountain. This structure, built 3-2 millennia BC, was located above a sacred source that supplied the city with water, it was erected either in honor of Perseus or the goddess Hera.
The famous lion gates of Mycenae - it was from them that archaeologists guessed which city they were digging
Lions with two altars and a column are the coat of arms of the Atrids, an ancient dynasty of rulers of Mycenae. The heads of the lions, unfortunately, were not preserved, most likely they were from a different material and looked at those entering the city. And the lion's gate itself is known thanks to the Greek historian and geographer Pausanias, who described the gate
The Mycenae fortress was surrounded by a powerful Cyclopean wall of blocks, some of which weigh 100 tons. In fact, that is why such structures are called Cyclopean, since it is believed that only Cyclops could build them. The wall was 9 meters long, 6 meters wide and up to 7 meters high
Just behind the gate is a small extension that was used to lock the gate
Bolt niche
There was a granary to the right of the entrance behind the gatehouse.
Large ramp
The first structure that visitors to the fortress met was one of the graves 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 only one of the structures of the lower terrace of the fortress. In addition, behind the wall there were residential buildings, a treasury, objects of worship and some other buildings, but now it is difficult to recognize them.
The foundations of the pantries, where the vessels with food were kept, including the famous vase with the image of the Mycenaean warriors
There is a ramp on the right uphill
In addition to the domed tomb and several buildings on the lower terrace of the citadel, there was a cult center, a processional road passed here and altars and temples were located, built in the XIII century BC, 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
Ascent starting from the Great Ramp, under which, in the 13th century, there were rooms where textiles were produced
There were other buildings besides the palace at the top of the hill.
The northern quarter of the fortress, where there were storerooms and several large houses. This part was abandoned before anyone else, as it was badly damaged by an earthquake.
Place of the Propylon Palace - the gate of the palace complex with columns in the center
View from the palace
Ruins of temples
Almond trees
And here is the palace itself, consisting of a large house - megarun, as well as a courtyard. The throne of the ruler was also here. Archaeologists have proven that there were other buildings on this site as early as 1000 years before the construction of the palace. In the XIII century, the palace was destroyed by fire, but in the XII century it was restored, however, it did not reflect its former greatness.
On the site of the palace, the place for two columns is clearly visible, as well as the entrance. The palace was not big
A road descends from the palace to the part of the hill opposite to the entrance; in the northern part of the fortress there were 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 the house with columns (two columns in the courtyard) is distinguished. The purpose of the buildings is determined thanks to the blanks found here, gold leaf, unfinished ivory products, and raw semi-precious stones. The pillared house contained pitchers. All houses built in the second half of the 13th century during the same period perished in the fire (along with the nearby palace)
Craftsmen Quarter
House with columns
North storerooms and the road to the north gate
In this part of the citadel there was a drinking water tank.
Tank
And there was also a tunnel to an underground source located at a depth of 18 meters, now it is filled up
There is no further passage
There was also a side, secondary entrance to Mycenae, built during the rebuilding of the fortress around 1250 BC
North gate
Outside the walls of the fortress, it 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 tombs and mine 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 at the site of the quarter of religious buildings
Copies of royal treasures with the famous mask of Agamemnon
Ceramics
Sacred figurines found above one of the shops
And about the graves of giants themselves, of which there are 4 pieces, I told
The descendants of the mythical Perseus ruled Mycenae for many generations until they were replaced by the powerful dynasty of Atreus, 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 a triumphant return from the Trojan War, Agamemnon was killed in the bathroom by his wife Clytemnestra, who did not forgive her husband for the death of her daughter. Clytemnestra, in turn, is killed by his son Orestes, insane with rage, incited by his sister Electra. What can I say? Cruel times, cruel morals. But after millennia, the name Clytemenestra became a household name in Greece for husband-killers.
These legends and assumptions were historically confirmed when the German amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, in search of 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 gold-rich. During the excavations, an incredible amount of gold and amazingly beautiful things (about 30 kg!) Were found: jewelry, cups, buttons, military equipment and bronze weapons trimmed with gold. Amazed Schliemann wrote: "All museums in the world do not possess even a fifth of this wealth." 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. An interesting fact confirming the power and wealth of the ancient Mycenae is that no iron objects have been found. The main materials from which the discovered objects are made are silver, bronze and gold. The artifacts found in the mine graves are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Athens and in the Archaeological Museum of Mycenae.
The ancient city was strategically located on a hilltop, protected by the massive walls of the acropolis. The laying of the defensive walls was carried out without the use of any adhesive solution. The stones fit so tightly that the walls give the impression of being monolithic. The famous "Lion Gate" led to the acropolis - a cyclopean structure 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 housed dwelling houses of the nobility and household buildings, and many buildings were two and three-story. Not far from the entrance are the remains of the burial circle A, where there are shaft tombs dating back to 1600 BC. Items found in them indicate that there were burials of royal families here.
From the courtyard at the "Lion's Gate" began a large staircase leading to the royal palace. The center of the palace was Megaron, a large room with a hearth on the floor. Tsar's Megaron was the central building, a kind of administrative center. Here meetings were held, courts were held. Only the foundation remained of the royal chambers. Fragments of the foundations 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 the tomb belonged to, but the size and architectural features suggest that there was a royal tomb inside. Round underground structures replaced mine burials. A sloping corridor lined with stones leads to a high narrow entrance. Inside the tomb is an imposing 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 this type.
Background
Due to constant internal wars, the cultural, economic and political life of the Achaean state formations was concentrated around the citadel palace, which makes this civilization similar to the Cretan-Minoan culture , although the latter was much less warlike. One of the largest citadels was located in the Mycenaean region, thanks to the rich archaeological finds in this area associated with the Achaeans, their civilization was called Mycenaean.
Around the XIV century. BC. began a massive resettlement of the Achaeans to the peninsula of Asia Minor (the territory of modern Turkey) . This historical period is reflected in the work of the ancient poet Homer "Iliad", which tells about the united campaign of the Achaeans under the leadership of King Agamemnon against Troy, the epic tells us about the ten-year siege of this settlement, which ended with its plundering. It can be argued that the Iliad tells us about the military confrontation between the Achaeans and the inhabitants of Asia Minor, which ended with the victory of the former, as evidenced by the many Achaean settlements in this region, the time of their creation corresponds to about the 13th century. BC.
At the turn of the XIII and XII centuries, the Balkan Peninsula was overwhelmed by a new wave of migrations: less developed culturally and economically than the Achaeans, but militarily successful (this is due to the development of the production of iron weapons), the Dorians quickly captured the Mycenaean citadels and subjugated their masters. The Dorian conquest of Greece is considered to be the end of the Mycenaean civilization.
Participants
Conclusion
The Mycenaean civilization left behind a rich cultural heritage, it also contributed to the formation of the civilization of classical Greece, and the famous "Iliad" and "Odyssey", telling about the Mycenaean era, became the most significant works for the ancient world.
After the death of the Cretan civilization, the Mycenaean culture began to flourish. We learn about this period of Greek history from the myths of the Trojan War, information from which is confirmed by archaeological finds. All his life, the German self-taught scientist Heinrich Schliemann devoted to the search for the mysterious Troy, it was he who was honored to discover ancient Troy and Mycenae. In today's lesson, following Schliemann, we will visit the ruins of ancient Mycenae and Troy, learn about the mythological and historical reasons for the outbreak of the war between the Greeks and Trojans.
Mycenae was located in southern Greece, on a rocky hill. The city was surrounded by a fortress wall 900 meters long and 6 meters wide. The entrance to the fortress, built of huge boulders, passed through the Lion's Gate (Fig. 1). The entrance is preserved from the gate. Archaeologists have excavated royal graves near the Lion's Gate. Numerous precious ornaments were found in the tombs. From the gold masks lying on the faces of the buried, one can imagine the appearance of the Mycenaean rulers. They had stern faces with a goatee and mustache.
Figure: 1. Lion's Gate ()
During the excavations of royal palaces in the most ancient Greek cities, hundreds of clay tablets with inscriptions were found. These inscriptions have been read. They contain lists of female slaves, rowers on ships, artisans who worked for the king. Many inscriptions refer to war fees. The Mycenaean kings, greedy for other people's wealth, undertook distant campaigns for prey.
Around 1200 BC e. the Greek cities united under the leadership of the king of Mycenae and opposed Troy, a rich trading city on the coast of Asia Minor. The siege of the city lasted 10 years and ended with the fall of Troy.
The Greeks failed to take advantage of the victory. Warlike tribes invaded Greece from the north. Long-haired, in animal skins, they devastated the south of the country, destroyed Pylos, Mycenae and other cities. The population hid in the mountains, migrated to the islands of the Aegean Sea and to Asia Minor. There was a decline in the economy, writing was forgotten.
Among the newcomers were also Greek tribes, akin to those that lived in Greece before their invasion. They settled in the deserted lands.
From generation to generation, the Greeks passed on myths about their gods, ancient heroes and the war against the Trojans. Once the gods made a sumptuous feast. The goddess of strife and strife was not called to him. However, she appeared uninvited and imperceptibly threw a golden apple among the feasting with the inscription: "The most beautiful." Three goddesses were arguing over the apple. One was Hera, the eldest of the goddesses (the Greeks portrayed her as a beautiful and stately woman). The other is the warrior Athena. Despite her formidable appearance, she was just as attractive. The third is Aphrodite, the eternally young goddess of beauty and love. Each of the goddesses believed that the apple was meant for her. They turned to the god of thunder and lightning Zeus, asking them to judge. But Zeus, although he was the main god, did not want to intervene in the quarrel, because Hera was his wife, and Athena and Aphrodite were daughters. He ordered them to turn to the Trojan prince Paris to resolve the dispute over the golden apple (Fig. 2).
Figure: 2. Judgment of Paris ()
The three goddesses flew across the Aegean Sea and appeared before Paris. "Give me an apple," Hera said, "and I will make you the ruler of all Asia." "If you award me an apple," Athena intervened, "I will help you to accomplish great deeds and become famous." Aphrodite said: "Give the apple to me, and I will find you the most beautiful woman in the world as your wife." Paris awarded the apple to Aphrodite. Since then, she began to help him in everything, and Hera and Athena hated Paris and all the Trojans.
Elena was considered the most beautiful of women (Fig. 3). She lived in the Greek city of Sparta and was the wife of the king Menelaus who ruled there. To him, as if on a visit, and Paris came. He was received kindly and cordially. But when the king left for a few days on business, Aphrodite instilled in Helen love for Paris. She forgot her husband and agreed to flee to Troy. Returning home, the king of Sparta Menelaus was furious and began to call all the kings of Greece to war against Troy. They agreed to participate in the campaign.
Figure: 3. Beautiful Elena ()
The Greeks crossed the sea in hundreds of ships and landed near Troy. Having pulled the ships ashore, they set up camp, defending it with a wall. Fighting broke out on the plain between the camp and Troy. For many years, the Greeks unsuccessfully besieged Troy. The Trojan War was Mycenae's last venture. According to myths, Troy was defeated and captured by the Greeks. In fact, the city was destroyed by an earthquake around 1300 BC. e. A long war drained the strength of the Greek cities, including Mycenae, after which their decline began.
List of references
- A.A. Vigasin, G.I. Goder, I.S. Sventsitskaya. Ancient world history. Grade 5 - M .: Education, 2006.
- A.I. Nemirovsky A book to read on the history of the ancient world. - M .: Education, 1991.
- Antiquites.academic.ru ()
- Bibliotekar.ru ()
- Mify.org ()
Homework
- What archaeological finds indicate that Mycenae was one of the most powerful Greek cities?
- What are the mythical and historical reasons for the start of the Trojan War?
- Why did Mycenaean culture decline after the Trojan War?
- How did the popular expression "apple of discord" come about?
When planning your trip to Greece, be sure to set aside a few days for your trip to Mycenae. This ancient city is called the cradle of Hellas for a reason. It is permeated through and through with the spirit of ancient heroes who perform feats in the name of the gods of Olympus, and an unprecedented luxury that all kingdoms of the world could envy.
Myths about the appearance of Mycenae
The birth of Mycenae is rooted deep in history. Archaeologists believe that the city was formed in the sixteenth century BC. Located in the west of the Peloponnese peninsula, it became the most influential city in ancient Greece and marked the beginning of an entire era called the Mycenaean era.
Greek legends say that the city was founded by the great hero Perseus, son of Zeus, with the help of giants and cyclops. Indeed, the city itself, the palace and the fortress walls were built from huge boulders, perfectly fitted to each other without the use of mortar. Some boulders weigh about one hundred tons, and the walls themselves rise to a height of thirteen meters. This method of building walls is called "cyclopean masonry". Most of the structures at Mycenae are built using this technique. It is difficult to imagine how these blocks moved during construction.
Founders of Mycenae
Historians believe that the founders of the city can be considered the ancient Achaeans, whose main activity was military campaigns against the neighboring states. Homer praised Mycenae and its warlike founders in his famous poems. Mycenae was strategically very conveniently located - the city, surrounded by well-fortified walls, was located on the top of a hill. The surrounding plain made it impossible for enemies to sneak up to the city. Gradually it got stronger and blossomed.
History of Mycenae: heyday
The Mycenaeans carefully guarded the approaches to their city, and by the thirteenth century BC they extended their influence over the entire peninsula. The townspeople were actively engaged in trade and developed their city. The Mycenaean culture replaced the Minoan civilization, which was practically destroyed after the eruption of the Santorini volcano. The Mycenaeans settled on the island of Crete, archaeologists have found evidence of their culture in the ruins of the Minos Palace. Several centuries of Mycenaean rule left a huge imprint on the entire history of Ancient Greece.
According to myths, it was from this city that Mycenae set off on a long-term campaign against Troy. The fall of Troy was a gift from the gods to the great king for fulfilling his promise to sacrifice his own daughter Iphigenia. A few days after the enchanting return to Mycenae, the king was killed by his own wife Clytemestra, who became distraught after the death of her daughter. Until now, on the territory of Greece, her name means "husband killer".
During their heyday, the Mycenaeans erected many cities and adorned their city with magnificent structures such as the royal palace, for example. The difference between the poor and the rich was quite significant. The Mycenaeans strictly divided society into classes, giving privileges to merchants and military leaders.
Fall of Mycenae
Several centuries of the power of the Mycenaean civilization ended with the invasion of the Peloponnese in one thousand two hundred BC by the warlike tribes of the Dorians. They destroyed most of the major cities of the peninsula, including Mycenae. Under their onslaught, Troy also fell, which did not have enough time to recover from the triumphant victory of Agamemnon. The inhabitants of Mycenae were still trying to revive the city, but gradually left the Peleponnese for Asia and the islands. For many centuries Mycenae was consigned to oblivion.
Discovery of Mycenae: excavations by Heinrich Schliemann
Mycenae owes their new birth to the famous Heinrich Schliemann. A persistent archaeologist, keen on searching for the legendary Troy, quite unexpectedly stumbled upon one of the burial grounds in the vicinity of Mycenae, which stunned the archaeologist with unprecedented wealth. Jewelry, parts of military armor, figurines and household items were all made of gold. From several burial grounds, Schliemann managed to lift more than thirty kilograms of precious metal items. The gold found is of particular value to archaeologists. Initially, scientists attributed it to the period of the legendary king Agamemnon, but after a long study they dated it to the sixteenth century BC. The treasures found on the territory of the city were the most significant archaeological find of the late nineteenth century. Mycenae personifies everything that has given the world this majestic and mysterious city amaze the tourist's imagination with the power of the palace walls, unique royal burials of its kind and the barbaric luxury of the artifacts found.
Attractions Mycenae
Excavations at Mycenae continued for many years, revealing new treasures of this amazing city to the world. Each discovery proved that Mycenae had such a powerful influence on the Peloponnese that ancient Greece had never experienced before. The sights of Mycenae are now a huge complex with the ruins of the royal palace, burial grounds and fortress walls. You can wander around for hours. A special place among archaeological finds is occupied by the Lion Gate and the mine tombs in Mycenae. Scientists have not been able to come to a consensus about their origin to this day. A guided tour to Mycenae can be bought directly in Athens. Two hours spent on the way is a very small price to pay for a stunning sight that will appear before the eyes of a tourist.
Lion's Gate at Mycenae: description
To enter the well-fortified fortress of the city, it was necessary to pass the Lion's Gate. They themselves are composed of four monolithic blocks, each of which weighs about twenty tons. Archaeologists believe that these blocks were carved from amygdalite rock. The blocks are carefully crafted and fitted to each other. After many years of study, archaeologists have found that the blocks were processed with a tool similar to a circular saw. The jagged stones are still clearly visible. This is one of the first mysteries given to scholars and historians by the Lion's Gate at Mycenae. The type of gate construction is identical to the fortified wall - monolithic masonry. According to scientists, the bas-relief of lions was installed over the gate much later than the construction of the fortress wall. The date of its foundation dates back to approximately the thirteenth century BC. Lions are a very common heraldic symbol of Europe. Many royal dynasties were proud of their image on their coat of arms.
The bas-relief is made of three blocks and depicts two powerful animals standing on their hind legs, leaning on a column. The blocks are carved from solid limestone. Unfortunately, the heads of the animals have not survived, but archaeologists claim that they were cast in gold and turned on the incoming people. According to some assumptions, lions were a symbol of one of the ruling dynasties of Mycenae. According to another version, this monumental bas-relief was dedicated to the patroness of the entire animal kingdom - the goddess Potnia. Many historians see the similarity of the bas-relief with ancient Celtic motives. In their culture, lions occupied a special place, but until today, scientists have not figured out the meaning of the majestic image.
Myths about the origin of the Lion's Gate
The Lion's Gate in Mycenae is a unique structure, the likes of which has not been erected during the entire period of the heyday of the Mycenaean culture. The manner of construction and the carefully crafted bas-relief depicting a column in the Cretan style made scientists recall the most ancient Hellenic myths.
Myths say that the Greeks were the descendants of the powerful gods of the Atlanteans who came to the land of Ancient Greece from their lost land. Indeed, many stone structures that archaeologists attribute to the period of the Cretan-Minoan civilization and the Mycenaean civilization that replaced it, leave many questions. How could huge boulders have been mined and delivered to the construction site? Why do some of them have traces of processing with tools similar to modern ones? Why is the gate bas-relief so closely intertwined with images in other cultures? None of the questions were answered.
The riddle of the Lion's gate
If we consider that the Lion's Gate in Mycenae was erected as a defensive structure, then another mystery of this mysterious place appears before scientists - all the treasures that Schliemann found at one time were in the burial grounds located actually under the base of the gate. In the same place, the famous archaeologist managed to find the tomb of Agamemnon himself, filled to the top with gold and silver artifacts. Neither earlier nor in a later period did the Greeks make such burials.
Archaeologists believe that the entrance to the citadel through the Lion's Gate was not accessible to everyone. This is evidenced by the road leading to the gate - along it are the famous mine tombs, which became sacred to the Mycenaeans. An outsider could not be admitted to the place of worship. This revealed fact emphasizes the special significance of the Lion Gate as a cult building of the flourishing of the Mycenaean culture.
Why did the Mycenaeans make such burials? And why did they place their treasures at the entrance to the city? The scientific world has not yet put forward a worthy hypothesis. The Lion's Gate at Mycenae carefully guards the secrets of its creators
Royal palace
Tourists buying a guided tour to Mycenae can see other historical monuments of this once richest city. Directly from the Lion Gate, the road led to the royal palace. The ruins of this building amaze tourists even now. In the center of the building there was a huge rectangular hall with a hearth - a megaron. The hearth was meticulously trimmed and decorated with ornate designs; massive columns stood at the four corners of the hearth, supporting the vault. The walls of the grand hall were decorated with drawings in the Cretan style. Homer called this hall "shining" in his poems. It should be noted that the Minoans were excellent engineers and architects. The entire structure was built on different levels, connected by a string of corridors and halls. The city's communications and water supply system was located under the palace. Many buildings within Mycenae were built in two or three floors, which speaks not only of the financial solvency of the townspeople, but also of the art of builders.
The palace itself supposedly housed an ancient sanctuary. Archaeologists have found several sculptures of goddesses and a child. Whom the Mycenaeans worshiped, scholars know absolutely nothing. Just as their funeral rites are not known and not clear to historians.
Shaft tombs
The shaft tombs are no less unique than the Lion's Gate at Mycenae. Two burial circles, converted in a later period into a sanctuary, were the resting places of noble Mycenaeans. Scientists still cannot explain why the townspeople buried their loved ones sitting in narrow shaft-like burial grounds. This phenomenon has nothing to do with all the previously known rituals of the Hellenes. Each burial ground was filled with decorations and household items. It should be noted that all items were made of precious metals. Bronze items were occasionally found. After Schliemann's discovery of the mine tombs, Mycenae began to be called "gold-rich".
Monumental Lion's Gate, luxurious gold jewelry and myths, legends and mysteries - all this was given to the world by the "gold-rich" Mycenae. Greece is able to enchant any tourist who will definitely want to touch again its history, which has been imbued with millennia.
The ancient Greeks were convinced: Mycenae was built by Perseus, and thick, high walls of huge stone slabs, on his order, were erected by the Cyclops - one-eyed giant monsters. Otherwise, they simply could not explain how in the second millennium BC it was possible to build such a grandiose structure.
The ruins of Mycenae are located on the Peloponnese peninsula, on the eastern side of the rocky ridge, 2 km from the small town of Mykene, 90 km southwest of the capital of Greece, Athens, 32 kilometers north of the Gulf of Argolicos. On a geographical map, this ancient Greek city can be calculated using the following coordinates: 37 ° 43 ′ 50 ″ s. latitude, 22 ° 45 ′ 22 ″ east etc.
Mycenae and Troy were discovered by a German amateur archaeologist, Schliemann. He found these unique monuments of the Bronze Age in a rather interesting way, using Homer's Iliad instead of a guide: first he found the famous Troy, and after a short period of time - Mycenae.
The flourishing of the ancient Mycenaean civilization dates back to the end of the Bronze Age and dates back to 1600-1100. BC. Legends claim that Mycenae was built by King Perseus, but historians are inclined to conclude that the founders of the ancient city are the Achaeans, the warlike representatives of one of the ancient Greek tribes.
The favorable geographical position and wealth of the city (the Mycenaeans conducted active trade throughout the Mediterranean) led to the fact that by the beginning of the XIII century. ancient Mycenae turned out to be one of the most powerful and influential states on the territory of mainland Greece.
The power of the rulers of Mycenae extended to the entire nearby territory and, according to scientists, even covered the entire north of the Peloponnese (researchers suggest that the kings of the city could well lead the confederation of the Peloponnesian kingdoms).
It is not surprising that the city of Mycenae had well-fortified walls designed to protect against enemy attacks: they tried to capture it more than once, and often quite successfully (this is evidenced by numerous myths of that period, whose plot bizarrely mixed with real events, confirmation of which was found by archaeologists ).
The Mycenaeans themselves were quite warlike: King Agamemnon organized a campaign against Troy, which competed with Mycenae for dominance in the region, and after a ten-year siege won a major victory. According to one of the legends, the victory was bestowed upon him by the gods for the fact that, having fulfilled the command of the Oracle, he sacrificed his daughter, Iphigenia (later this caused the death of the king: the wife of Agamemnon, who did not accept the death of her daughter, organized a conspiracy against him).
It should be noted that the Greeks did not manage to take advantage of the fruits of the long-awaited victory: about 1200 BC. The Dorian tribes invaded Greece, destroying almost all the cities of the Peloponnese, among which Mycenae and Troy were also (the latter did not even have time to recover from the defeat and just survived the strongest earthquake). The inhabitants of the cities did not leave their territory for some time, they hid in the mountains, but later they were forced to leave their lands - some moved to the islands, others moved to Asia Minor.
What the city looked like
Most of the population of Mycenae lived outside the fortress, at the foot of the hill. Excavations carried out by archaeologists showed that before entering the citadel, it was necessary to pass the cemetery outside the city walls and residential buildings. The discovered buildings within the city showed that within its boundaries there was a palace, living quarters, temple buildings, warehouses and mine tombs, in which representatives of the ruling dynasties were buried.
Like most ancient cities, Mycenae was a well fortified fortress and was built on a rocky hill about 280 meters high.
The city was surrounded by a fortress wall made of huge boulders with a length of about 900 meters, a width of at least 6 meters, and in some places the height exceeded 7 meters, while the weight of some stone blocks exceeded 10 tons.
Front gate
One could get to the fortress along a stone-paved road through the Lion's Gate, the width and depth of which was about three meters.
The Lion Gate was built at Mycenae in the thirteenth century BC during the expansion of the fortress wall. They were erected from three huge, slightly processed limestone blocks, and closed with two wooden shutters (as evidenced by the recesses inside the side walls).
The upper horizontal lintel was wider than the pillars on which it was placed - this was done so that a triangular limestone slab-pediment with two depicted lions could be installed on top. According to one of the hypotheses, the bas-relief crowning the Lion's Gate is the coat of arms of the Atrid dynasty, which ruled the city at that time. According to the other, it is dedicated to the goddess Potnia, who is the patroness of all animals.
These lions are turned towards each other and, standing on their hind legs, with their front legs rest on two altars, between which a column is depicted. Unfortunately, the heads of the animals have not survived to this day, but after carefully studying the bas-relief, scientists came to the conclusion that they were made of a different material (possibly ivory) and most likely looked at the people who entered the citadel through the Lion's Gate ...
One of the purposes of this bas-relief was to mask the hole that had formed: the Lion's Gate was built according to all the rules of its time, so all the blocks that needed to be placed over the lintel were installed with a bevel, which made it possible to move most of the load to the side walls between which they were installed Lion's gate.
As a result, an empty space was formed above the lintel, where a slab with a bas-relief was installed, which is considered the earliest monumental sculpture of the Mycenaean period (before Mycenae was discovered, only statuettes 50 cm high were found).
Palace
Immediately behind the Lion Gate, the road rises up, and then on the left side rests against a staircase, along which one could climb to the palace, which was located on the top of the cliff (according to experts, the castle was built in the XIV century BC, and some fragments of it belong to an earlier period).
The staircase ends in a rectangular courtyard, which could be accessed from the throne room, bypassing the reception area and the portico with two columns. The throne room had a rectangular shape, its roof was supported by four columns, and the walls were decorated with frescoes depicting war chariots, horses and women.
The living quarters were located on the north side of the castle, many of them were two-story. Most likely, they could be reached from the lobby of the palace. There was also a temple with round altars, near which a sculptural composition of two goddesses and a child was discovered made of ivory.
It is interesting that during the excavations, clay tablets with inscriptions were found in the palace, which turned out to be financial reports of military expenses, as well as lists of people working for the Mycenaean rulers: this was a list of slaves, rowers, artisans. This gives scientists a reason to assume that Mycenae was a rather bureaucratic state.
Mine tombs
On the right side of the Lion's Gate, there were stone-fenced mine tombs in which the kings were buried. These were burial chambers carved into the rock of a rectangular shape, extending to a depth of one and a half to five meters. Now, at the site of ancient burials, stone slabs set on the edge have been installed, marking their location. In these tombs, archaeologists have found real treasures - coins, jewelry, rings, bowls, daggers, swords made of gold, silver and bronze.
Dome and chamber tombs
Before building the fortress, the Mycenaeans buried their rulers in so-called domed tombs, which were shaped like huge domes. In total, archaeologists have discovered nine such tombs dating back to the XV-XIV centuries. BC. The tombs were underground structures with a high, tapering dome, which rose above the ground. After the funeral, the tomb was closed, and the corridor leading to the burial pit was covered with earth.
One of the most famous tombs of this type is the tomb of Atreus (XIV century), which could be accessed through a long corridor, the dromos. The burial pit was underground and had 13 meters in height and 14 in width (unfortunately, it was not possible to find out what exactly the king took with him to the underworld, since the grave was plundered in ancient times). A nine-meter square slab was installed above the entrance to the burial room. How exactly the ancient masters managed to establish it, scientists have not yet figured out.
In the nearby chamber tombs, aristocrats and representatives of their families were buried. These were mainly family crypts carved into the side of the mountain, into which you can walk along the dromos.
How to get to Mycenae
Those wishing to see one of the most famous monuments of the Bronze Age should take into account that it is located on the territory of the Archaeological Park "Mycenae", and therefore the entrance to its territory is paid (a ticket costs about 8 euros).
It is best to get to the city of Mycenae from the capital of Greece by regular bus, the journey in this case will take about two hours, and the ticket will cost 12 euros. You can also use a car and a map - first get to the city of Argo, passing the Corinth Canal, and from there go to Mykene.
