The Dark Ages and the Archaic Period

1. The Dark Ages and the Archaic Period Echoes from the Past Pages 109 - 113

2. What were the “Dark Ages”? It was a period of recuperation lasting about 350 years starting c. 1100 BCE During this period, many Greek speaking peoples established new settlements in the Peloponnese area. Little is known of this period, as archaeological finds are sparse from this era, and few written records exist. Much like the Dark Ages following the fall of Rome, this period remains a mystery to historians to this day.

3. How did Greeks remember the Mycenaean Period? Greeks from this period remembered their distant Mycenaean cousins, and viewed them as heroes and supermen. Historical figures like Herakles, Hector, Jason and Achilles were epic figures, whose stories were embellished by Greeks in the Dark Ages. Minstrels would preserve their Mycenaean history and heritage by singing of past glory and adventures of their heroes. Eventually, these second hand tales provided Homer with the details he used to write the Odyssey and the Illiad.

4. Describe the impact the mountains and the sea had on Greece. What are polis? Mountains divide much of Greece, isolating one cultivable area from the next. Habitable land was reduced by half. Communities developed into the Polis, or an independent city-state as a result of the geography. The sea on the other hand was highly accessible. It linked all parts of the country together, as well as other countries in the Mediterranean such as Egypt. Since 7000 BCE, the geography of Greece has forced Greece to be a sea-fairing nation, producing some of the finest sailors in the ancient world.

5. List and explain the four developments that marked Greece’s Archaic Period. Literature: Provided Greeks with glorious past, but also gave them a common view of their gods. Trade: A resurgence in trade in the Mediterranean for raw goods also brought new skills and ideas back to Greece, such as better geographic and navigation skills, artistic and religious ideas and an alphabet. Colonization: Trading expeditions informed Greeks at home about rich agricultural lands in Italy, Sicily and othern western areas of the Mediterranean. Hundreds of new settlements grew in the 200 year period. Panellenic Games: It was during the Archaic period that the first Olympic games were held in 776 BCE. The other games included Pythia, Isthmian and Nemean.