did minoans settlements carthage

Where did the Minoans settle in Greece?

Along with Santorini, Minoan settlements are found at Kastri, Kythera, an island near the Greek mainland influenced by the Minoans from the mid-third millennium BC (EMII) to its Mycenaean occupation in the 13th century. Minoan strata replaced a mainland-derived early Bronze Age culture, the earliest Minoan settlement outside Crete.

Who were the Minoans and Phoenicians?

- Phoenicians in Phoenicia Who Were the Minoans? It is widely known that the beautiful Minoan palace society thrived on the large island of Crete in the Aegean Sea from roughly 2000 BC to 1500 BC. These people were known for their grand buildings, fabulous arts, written records, laws and sea trade.

When did the Minoan civilization end?

The Minoan civilization was an Aegean Bronze Age civilization on the island of Crete and other Aegean Islands which flourished from about 2700 to 1600 BC, before a late period of decline, finally ending around 1100 BC. It preceded and was absorbed by the Mycenaean civilization of ancient Greece.

How did the Minoans influence the world?

Minoan civilization. The Minoan period saw extensive trade between Crete, Aegean and Mediterranean settlements, particularly the Near East. Through their traders and artists, the Minoans' cultural influence reached beyond Crete to the Cyclades, the Old Kingdom of Egypt, copper-bearing Cyprus, Canaan and the Levantine coast and Anatolia.

Who were the Minoans and where did they settle?

Along with Santorini, Minoan settlements are found at Kastri, Kythera, an island near the Greek mainland influenced by the Minoans from the mid-third millennium BC (EMII) to its Mycenaean occupation in the 13th century.

Where did the Minoans live?

CreteMinoan civilization, Bronze Age civilization of Crete that flourished from about 3000 bce to about 1100 bce. Its name derives from Minos, either a dynastic title or the name of a particular ruler of Crete who has a place in Greek legend.

Where did the Minoans go?

It is likely, says Stamatoyannopoulos, that the Minoans descended from Neolithic populations that migrated to Europe from the Middle East and Turkey. Archaeological excavations suggest that early farmers were living in Crete by around 9,000 years ago, so these could be the ancestors of the Minoans.

Where did the Minoans originally come from?

“These results suggest the Minoan civilization arose 5,000 years ago in Crete from an ancestral Neolithic population that had arrived in the region about 4,000 years earlier,” he said.

What destroyed Minoan civilization?

Volcanic explosion. Three and a half thousand years ago, the tiny Aegean island of Thera was devastated by one of the worst natural disasters since the Ice Age - a huge volcanic eruption. This cataclysm happened 100km from the island of Crete, the home of the thriving Minoan civilisation.

What are the Minoans best known for?

Minoan civilization emerged around 2000 BCE, and lasted until 1400 BCE. It was located on the island of Crete, which is now a part of Greece. The Minoans were famous for the magnificent palaces they built, above all at Knossos. There was, if fact, never a people who called themselves the “Minoans”.

Who came before the Minoans?

MycenaeansThe primary ancestors of both the Minoans and Mycenaeans were populations from Neolithic Western Anatolia and Greece and the two groups were very closely related to each other, and to modern Greeks. The Minoans and Mycenaeans occupy an important place in Greek, and European, history.

Are Minoans white?

The Minoans were Caucasian: DNA debunks longstanding theory that Europe's first advanced culture was from Africa. DNA analysis has debunked the longstanding theory that the Minoans, who some 5,000 years ago established Europe's first advanced Bronze Age culture, were from Africa.

Who conquered the Minoans?

MycenaeansMycenaeans. The Mycenaean civilization developed in the 1500s bce, when Greek-speaking people settled down on the Greek mainland. The Mycenaeans conquered the Minoans in about 1400 bce. Their civilization is named after Mycenae, its most important city.

Are Greeks related to Minoans?

Study results show that Minoans and Mycenaeans were genetically highly similar - but not identical - and that modern Greeks descend from these populations.

Are the Minoans mentioned in the Bible?

It may surprise people but the island of Crete, the center of Minoan civilization, is mentioned many times in the Bible. In scripture, Crete is called “Caphtor” as in Genesis 10:13-14, where a connection is made between Caphtor and the Philistines.

Why are the Minoans not considered the first Greeks?

Minoan Crete The Minoans are considered the first European civilization. They were in one sense the first "Greek" civilization. But the people were not Greek. They came from Asia Minor (Anatolia) around 2600 BCE while still in the neolithic age.

Where was the Minoan society located?

Around 3000 B.C., the Minoan civilization emerges on the island of Crete and becomes a great maritime trading power.

What was the Minoan capital city?

Knossos, also spelled Cnossus, city in ancient Crete, capital of the legendary king Minos, and the principal centre of the Minoan, the earliest of the Aegean civilizations (see Minoan civilization).

Where did the Mycenaeans live?

GreeceMycenaean is the term applied to the art and culture of Greece from ca. 1600 to 1100 B.C. The name derives from the site of Mycenae in the Peloponnesos, where once stood a great Mycenaean fortified palace. Mycenae is celebrated by Homer as the seat of King Agamemnon, who led the Greeks in the Trojan War.

How long did the Minoans live in Crete?

about 2000 yearsMinoans were a sea-based nation with Crete as their capital. Their name came from the legendary king Minos of Crete. The civilization lasted about 2000 years from around 3000 B.C. to 1100 B.C., but the highlight was the first half of the second millennium B.C.

Where was Carthage founded?

The city of Carthage was founded in the 9th century BC on the coast of Northwest Africa, in what is now Tunisia, as one of a number of Phoenician settlements in the western Mediterranean created to facilitate trade from the city of Tyre on the coast of what is now Lebanon. The name of both the city and the wider republic that grew out of it, Carthage developed into a significant trading empire throughout the Mediterranean. The date from which Carthage can be counted as an independent power cannot exactly be determined, and probably nothing distinguished Carthage from the other Phoenician colonies in Northwest Africa and the Mediterranean during 800–700 BC. By the end of the 7th century BC, Carthage was becoming one of the leading commercial centres of the West Mediterranean region. After a long conflict with the emerging Roman Republic, known as the Punic Wars (264–146 BC), Rome finally destroyed Carthage in 146 BC. A Roman Carthage was established on the ruins of the first. Roman Carthage was eventually destroyed—its walls torn down, its water supply cut off, and its harbours made unusable—following its conquest by Arab invaders at the close of the 7th century. It was replaced by Tunis as the major regional centre, which has spread to include the ancient site of Carthage in a modern suburb.

Where did the city of Carthage originate?

Carthage was founded by Phoenicians coming from the Levant. The city's name in Phoenician language means "New City". There is a tradition in some ancient sources, such as Philistos of Syracuse, for an "early" foundation date of around 1215 BC – that is before the fall of Troy in 1180 BC; however, Timaeus of Taormina, a Greek historian from Sicily c. 300 BC, gives the foundation date of Carthage as thirty-eight years before the first Olympiad; this "late" foundation date of 814 BC is the one generally accepted by modern historians. As such, Utica predates Carthage. The name Utica is derived from a Punic stem ' dtāq, meaning "to be old", which lends some support to this chronology, for Carthage signifies "new city" (as stated above). The fleets of the King Hiram of Tyre, as recounted in the Bible, perhaps joined at times by ships assigned to Solomon, would date to the 10th century. "For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram." The Punic port city of Utica was originally situated at the mouth of the fertile Wadi Majardah (Medjerda River), at a point along the coast about 30 kilometres north of Carthage. "Utica is named besides Carthage in the second treaty with Rome (348), and... appears again as nominally equal with Carthage in the treaty between Hannibal and Philip of Macedon (215). She does not appear in the first treaty with Rome (508), which perhaps means she was fully independent and not even bound in the Carthage-Rome alliance." Of course, eventually Utica was surpassed by Carthage.

What was the trade network of Carthage?

The trade network which Carthage inherited from Tyre depended heavily on Carthage keeping commercial rivals at arm's length. The goods produced by Carthage were mainly for the local African market and were initially inferior to Greek goods. Carthage was the middleman between mineral resource-rich Iberia and the east. She bartered low-priced goods for metals, then bartered those for finished goods in the east and distributed these through their network. The threat from the Greek colonists was threefold: undercutting the Phoenicians by offering better products; taking over the distribution network; and preying on Punic shipping. While the Greek colonies also offered increased opportunities for trade and piracy, their nosing into areas of Punic influence caused the Punic cities to look for protection from their strongest city. Carthage took up the challenge.

What was Carthage's influence on the West?

Carthage spread her influence along the west coast relatively unhindered, but the chronology is unknown. Wars with the Libyans, Numidians and Mauri took place but did not end with the creation of a Carthaginian empire. The degree of control Carthage exerted over her territories varied in their severity. In ways, the Carthaginian hegemony shared some of the characteristics of the Delian League (allies sharing defence expenditure), the Spartan Kingdom (serfs tilling for the Punic elite and state) and to a lesser extent, the Roman Republic (allies contributing manpower/tribute to furnish the Roman war machine). The African lands near to the city faced the harshest control measures, with Carthaginian officers administering the area and Punic troops garrisoning the cities. Many cities had to destroy their defensive walls, while the Libyans living in the area had few rights. The Libyans could own land, but had to pay an annual tribute (50% of agricultural produce and 25% of their town income) and serve in the Carthaginian armies as conscripts.

What was Carthage used for?

Carthage was one of a number of Phoenician settlements in the western Mediterranean that were created to facilitate trade from the cities of Sidon, Tyre and others from Phoenicia, which was situated in the coast of what is now Lebanon. In the 10th century BC, the eastern Mediterranean shore was inhabited by various Semitic populations, who had built up flourishing civilizations. The people inhabiting what is now Lebanon were referred to as Phoenicians by the Greeks. The Phoenician language was very close to ancient Hebrew, to such a degree that the latter is often used as an aid in the translation of Phoenician inscriptions.

What factors influenced the citizens of Carthage?

Exactly what social/political/geographic/military factors influenced the citizens of Carthage, and not the other Mediterranean Phoenician colonial members to create an economic and political hegemony is not clearly known. The city of Utica was far older than Carthage and enjoyed the same geographical/political advantages as Carthage, but it opted to be an allied entity, not a leader of the Punic hegemony that came into being probably sometime around the 6th century BC. When the Phoenician trade monopoly was challenged by Etruscans and Greeks in the west and their political and economic independence by successive empires in the east, Phoenician influence from the mainland decreased in the west and Punic Carthage ultimately emerged at the head of a commercial empire. One theory is that refugees from Phoenicia swelled the population and enhanced the culture of Carthage during the time the Phoenician homeland came under attack from the Babylonians and Persians, transferring the tradition of Tyre to Carthage.

Where did the Greeks begin their colonization?

The mainland Greeks began their colonization efforts in the western Mediterranean with the founding of Naxos and Cumae in Sicily and Italy respectively, and by 650 BC Phoenicians in Sicily had retreated to the western part of that island. Around this time the first recorded independent action by Carthage takes place, which is the colonization of Ibiza. By the end of the 7th century BC, Carthage was becoming one of the leading commercial centres of the West Mediterranean region, a position it retained until overthrown by the Roman Republic. Carthage would establish new colonies, repopulate old Phoenician ones, come to the defence of other Punic cities under threat from natives/Greeks, as well as expand her territories by conquest. While some Phoenician colonies willingly submitted to Carthage, paying tribute and giving up their foreign policy, others in Iberia and Sardinia resisted Carthaginian efforts.

Where were the Neolithic settlements?

At the end of the Neolithic period, there were open settlements at Knossos and Phaistos, but most Late Neolithic sites are in caves (Trap eza, Miamou, etc.). Some caves continue to be occupied in EM I, but the number of open sites now increases. However, relatively little is known about EM I architecture. There are traces of rectangular buildings at Mochlos; at Debla in west Crete there are small free-standing buildings on a hilltop far up in the foothills of the White Mountains, perhaps seasonally occupied shepherds’ huts rather than a permanent settlement and hence atypical rather than characteristic; at Ellenes Amariou there are multi-room blocks as well as one free-standing building; and at Phaistos there is a rectangular room with a red-plastered floor. A well over ten meters deep of this period has been found at Knossos. There were probably fairly large villages during this period at both Knossos and Phaistos, but little of either has survived.

Why was Myrtos in EM IIA?

One possible reason for the foundation of the site in EM IIA is a population rise in central Crete which caused expansion to the east and the foundation of numerous settlements there (including Vasiliki). There is no apparent gap in the occupation of Myrtos between Period I of EM IIA and Period II of EM IIB.

Where are the three major excavation sites?

The three major excavated sites are Vasiliki on the west side of the isthmus of Ierapetra, Fournou Korifi (Myrtos) on the south coast ca. 12 kms. west of Ierapetra, and Trypiti on the south coast some 40 kms, further west of Myrtos. The first two sites peak in the EM IIB phase, near or at the end of which both are destroyed by fire; the last appears to reach its peak in the subsequent EM III phase, although it was already occupied as early as EM I and had become a substantial settlement by EM II. In the earlier EM IIA phase, there are traces of substantial buildings at Vasiliki and Palaikastro, so the large EM IIB complex at Vasiliki is not entirely without a predecessor.

Where was the EM I phase found?

Alexiou’s subsequent discovery of a mixed FN-EM I level stratified below an EM IIB level in Tholos Tomb 2 at Lebena, together with Warren’s and Tzedhakis’ documentation of a distinct EM I phase at Debla in west Crete, established by the mid-1970’s that a distinct EM I assemblage did indeed exist throughout the island.

Where did Lebena ware originate?

Like the latter, Lebena ware is at home primarily in north and south central Crete and presumably originated in the Mesara plain. It probably survived into the earlier part of the EM II period but clearly lacked the popularity and enduring influence of the dark-on-light-painted Ayios Onouphrios class.

Where did the Minoan myth originate?

The term “Minoan” was coined after the mythic “king” Minos, who was associated in Greek myth with the labyrinth identified with the site at Knossos.

Why did the Minoan civilization decline?

The Minoan civilization declined due to natural catastrophe, but the Dynasty of Knossos was able to spread its influence over Crete until it was overrun by the Mycenaean Greeks.

What are some examples of Minoan art?

The best surviving examples of Minoan art are its pottery and palace architecture with frescos that include landscapes, stone carvings, and intricately carved seal stones. Ceramics from the Early Minoan period are characterized by linear patterns of spirals, triangles, curved lines, crosses, and fishbone motifs. In the Middle Minoan period, naturalistic designs such as fish, squid, birds, and lilies were common. In the Late Minoan period, flowers and animals were still the most characteristic, but the variability had increased. The “palace style” of the region around Knossos is characterized by a strong geometric simplification of naturalistic shapes and monochromatic paintings. The similarities between Late Minoan and Mycenaean art are notable. Frescoes were the main form of art during the period of Late Minoan culture.

What was the apex of Minoan civilization?

The apex of Minoan civilization occurred during a period of large building projects, as palaces were rebuilt and settlements sprung up throughout Crete.

What is the period of Minoan Crete?

The period of the new or second palaces of Minoan Crete, corresponding roughly with 17th and 16th centuries BCE.

When did the Minoan culture decline?

The Minoan culture began to decline c. 1450 BCE, following an earthquake, the eruption of the Thera volcano, or another possible natural catastrophe. Several important palaces in locations such as Mallia, Tylissos, Phaistos, Hagia Triade, as well as the living quarters of Knossos were destroyed, but the palace in Knossos seems to have remained largely intact. The preservation of this palace resulted in the Dynasty in Knossos spreading its influence over large parts of Crete until it was overrun by Mycenaean Greeks.

What happened in 1700 BCE?

Around 1700 BCE, there was a large disturbance in Crete, possibly an earthquake or an invasion from Anatolia. The palaces at Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, and Kato Zakros were destroyed. But with the start of the Neopalatial period (the 17th and 16th centuries BCE), population increased again, palaces were rebuilt on a larger scale, and new settlements sprung up all over the island. This period represents the apex of the Minoan civilization.

Where did the Minoans come from?

Analysis of DNA from ancient remains on the Greek island of Crete suggests the Minoans were indigenous Europeans, shedding new light on a debate over the provenance of this ancient culture.

Who discovered the Minoan civilization?

Details appear in Nature Communications journal. The concept of the Minoan civilisation was first developed by Sir Arthur Evans, the British archaeologist who unearthed the Bronze Age palace of Knossos on Crete.

What is the Minoan DNA?

The ancient Minoan DNA was most similar to populations from western and northern Europe. The population showed particular genetic affinities with Bronze Age populations from Sardinia and Iberia and Neolithic samples from Scandinavia and France.

When did the Minoan civilization begin?

The authors therefore conclude that the Minoan civilisation was a local development, originated by inhabitants who probably reached the island around 9,000 years ago , in Neolithic times. "There has been all this controversy over the years.

When was the Minoan period?

The majority of the burials are thought to date to the middle of the Minoan period - around 3,700 years ago . The analysis focused on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) extracted from the teeth of the skeletons, This type of DNA is stored in the cell's "batteries" and is passed down, more or less unchanged, from mother to child.

Who built the labyrinth on Crete?

Evans named the people who built these cities after the legendary King Minos who, according to tradition, ordered the construction of a labyrinth on Crete to hold the mythical half-man, half-bull creature known as the minotaur.

What is the name of the lineage of mtDNA?

They then compared the frequencies of distinct mtDNA lineages, known as "haplogroups", in this ancient Minoan set with similar data for 135 other populations, including ancient samples from Europe and Anatolia as well as modern peoples.

What was the first influence on the Minoan people?

With regard to the origin and rise of Minoan people , the ‘Eastern influence’ view was the first to arise. It came into being shortly after Sir Arthur Evans discovered the Minoan palace at Knossos on Crete in 1900 AD. Aspects of the architecture and artifacts seemed to reflect Eastern Mediterranean precedents, so Phoenician, Egyptian and other influences were suggested. [iv]

Where did the Minoan civilization originate?

Minoan Procession Fresco. Identifying the origin of the beautiful Minoan civilization on Crete is a matter of some importance since—together with the Mycenaeans of the mainland—the Minoans are believed to have been the forerunners of classical Greece, [i] the widely-accepted main source of Western civilization.

What is the best book to read about the Minoans and Phoenicians?

If you would like to discover more about the Minoans and Phoenicians than what is covered in this article, the book Phoenicians: Lebanon’ s Epic Heritage is recommended. It is deeply researched but also a highly readable exploration.

What was the reason for the rise of Minoan palace society?

It has also been shown that this rise was stimulated in part by the results of sea trade. These simultaneous events in Crete and Phoenicia might have been just a remarkable coincidence—were it not for the large quantity of additional evidence.

What was the Crete society?

Crete stood as a marvelously complex society with vast palaces, centralized authority, highly skilled craft specialization, heavy traffic in import and export of trade goods, and a complex writing system employed by a central administrative bureaucracy.

When did the Minoan palace society exist?

To see this issue clearly, we focus on the Minoan palace society which existed on Crete during the period designated MM IB to LM IB (roughly 1950 BC to 1450 BC), [iii] and on the years which preceded it.

When did the Emergence of Civilisation happen?

However a pivotal change occurred in 1972 when Colin Renfrew produced The Emergence of Civilisation with a completely different explanation: indigenous development. [v] This view held that the people of Crete evolved essentially in isolation on their island, and gave rise to all the grand elements of Minoan palace culture by themselves. Supported by most classical Greek scholars, this became the dominant view, and has kept that position to the present day. [vi]

Where did the Minoans live?

Who Were the Minoans? It is widely known that the beautiful Minoan palace society thrived on the large island of Crete in the Aegean Sea from roughly 2000 BC to 1500 BC. These people were known for their grand buildings, fabulous arts, written records, laws and sea trade.

Which group of people borrowed from the Eastern Mediterranean?

The opposing view was that many borrowings were made from older societies in the Eastern Mediterranean — the Egyptians, Phoenicians, Mesopotamians and others.

Overview

The city of Carthage was founded in the 9th century BC on the coast of Northwest Africa, in what is now Tunisia, as one of a number of Phoenician settlements in the western Mediterranean created to facilitate trade from the city of Tyre on the coast of what is now Lebanon. The name of both the city and the wider republic that grew out of it, Carthage developed into a significant trading empire throughout the Mediterranean. The date from which Carthage can be counted as an independen…

Beginning

Dido and the foundation of Carthage

Colony of Tyre

Beginning of Carthaginian hegemony

Reign of kings

Conflict with the Greeks

Mago and the Magonids