Minoan
The Minoan civilization flourished in the island of Crete during the Bronze Age between 3500-1100 BCE. The name “Minoan” was assigned during the 19th century but we do not know what the inhabitants of Crete called themselves in ancient times.
The Minoans were a significant naval power in the Aegean Sea, and for many centuries lived in contact with all the major civilizations of the time. Their commercial contact with ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia undeniably influenced their own culture, and the Minoan civilization in turn appeared as the forerunner of the Greek civilization. The Minoans are credited as the first European civilization.
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Minoan Culture
Read more: Minoan CultureLanguage The Phaistos Disk is the earliest, and only script of its kind we have from the Minoans. It is dated to 1700 BCE and resembles Egyptian hieroglyphs. Around the same time, or soon after, a syllable based script…
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Theseus and the Minotaur
Read more: Theseus and the MinotaurThe Minotaur The Minotaur was a terrible monster with the body of a man, and the head of a bull, born from the union of Pasiphae and the bull offered as a gift to Minos by Poseidon. His lair…
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History of Minoan Crete
Read more: History of Minoan CreteThe Minoans (c. 3500 – 1100 BCE) had developed significant naval power and for many centuries lived in contact with all the major civilizations of the time. With their powerful navy they flourished in the island of Crete…