Greek Dark Ages: The Greek World, 1100-800 BCE

In this video, I look at the period in Greek history between the fall of the Mycenaeans and the emergence of the polis in Archaic Greece.

[andrewbolesworth]

It was definitely a wide scale Collapse, as you point out all the big cultures in the area were vastly reduced, the Hittites completely. International trade was disrupted and even stopped for some time.

[ericthegreat]

When I studied Classical Civilizations in high school my teacher said it is likely that the Basileus was a local governor or Lord Mayor of a district under a larger authority, possibly something confederacy like as in the Indus Valley Civilization or Mesopotamia pre-Empire. As the central government dissolved the local governors amassed power over the distant ruling council and soon became something like a medieval Lord of the Manor or a Spanish American Hacendado being in control of their estate, with the Basileus virtually becoming the paramount chief of the district. A bit like the intermediate periods in Egypt but with no Pharaoh, even nominal.

[LTrotskystCentury]

There's something very appealing about your style. Completely unpretentious, putting the rich history of these times (and the others you've done) in plain and relatable language. Well done. And I will also note that despite this approach, you get all the pronunciations correct. ;)

[rawru]

Thank you. I find this period so interesting, didn't know about the Lefkandi site.
I find it interesting how bits and pieces of Mycenaean and Minoan culture were sort of passed down orally until Homer. For example, Homer accurately described some Mycenaean settlements despite them being lost until modern archeology. He also sort of knew the title Wanax. He didn't seem entirely sure what it meant, just that it was for powerful figures. Paris/Alexandros was probably a real dude, since a Trojan king with that name was referred to in a Hittite record.

[AA-vrez]

Dear Thersites, could you please make a series on ancient Egypt, starting chronologically as best possible.

I am a big fan of your work and teaching style.

[saltycoins]

Can you make a video or some sort of bulletin where you can include some sources for your work? I'm a math major...but I really like history and have enjoyed the majority of your channel over the last 2 months. With all the extra time, I would really like to go a step further and read some more on my own. I'm not quite sure where to start.

[annascott]

Hang on, did you say the lady in the grave was wearing a garment that was already 1, 000 yrs old at the time of burial? I find that hard to believe.

[alexdunphy]

Well, the Hittites were destroyed and the whole coast from the Hellespont to Egypt were completely decimated

[andreastsatsos]

At around 17:30 of your lecture you say they learned shipbuilding or improved shipbuilding from the Phoenicians also that writing was derived from the Phoenician writing (it is possible they found the system better than what they were already using), both disagree with the idea that there has been some sort of continuity, on Cyprus a very close form of Linear-B was used, also quite late and various Greek settlers had already a seafaring tradition since the Minoan times. So I consider these remarks rather speculative.

[lucianjanusm]

In addition to the Myceanaeans collapsing, the Levant changed a lot following the end of Egyptian colonial rule. This would lead into to the Biblical period.

[mikegarwood]

As a fellow Historian, I found this was a tight and fairly focused survey in the time allotted. I would have only made a stronger emphasis about Lefkandi being a "single" site and corroboration (either way) with other sites needs to be made.

[jovanovicoliver]

Does anyone can point me to some aeolic greek text. Thaks

[andreweaston]

What about the hittites? They also collapsed.

[ianlochead]

Now I know this is an old video and I don't expect a response but are there any sources to this video. I was going to ask my professor if I could use this video as a source for my bibliography but there aren't any sources at the end of the video.

[stevoplex]

There was also a dramatic decline in the manufacture and use of bronze and subsequent development of iron, which was crude and regarded as inferior.

[montengro]

Whats the difference between the arcadian greeks, dorian greeks, aeolian greeks and ionian greeks? Just the region? Is there recorded stereotypes about them or historical descriptions?

[seankessel]

You have an interesting accent. If it's not too private, might I ask where you're from?

[rullangaar]

Didn’t the Hittite empire also collapse?

[Hruljina]

The development of walled settlements prior to the collapse implies continuous and constant period of risk but of low intensity, sufficient enough to allow for construction of walled settlements. Considering the period of Mycenaean expansion against the natives of Greece didn’t require such walls and by extension imply same risks it could lead to either an outside force moving in and applying pressure trough raids and migration, or intensification of internal conflicts. It could be similar to the Diadochi period with authority of Wanax waning and local autarchs fighting each other to re-unite the confederacy and seize the title for themselves. Prolonged period of warfare could leave the country open to raids and invasions or to societal revolt, which preservation of Basileos as primary rulership title could imply, since the power devolved to tribal chiefs, while Wanax and others disappeared, alongside other literate classes leading to complete loss of literacy among the Greeks until the new alphabet was implemented.

The abandonment of ancient city sites like Mycenae in favor of new sites with prominent Acropolis would showcase the need for defense as primary motivator for city founding in this period rather than economy.

[Alkis]

The hittite empire did collapse, with their capital being abandoned. (Modern Turkey)