The Unification of Greece :: Ancient History, Bronze Age, Greek

During the Bronze Age, the Minoan civilization located on the cultural bridge Island of Crete, greatly influenced the Aegean Islands as well up as the Greece mainland (75). Though they were non Hellenics, the Minoans kept detail records in a division of Grecian. These peoples were ruled by a King who was supported by a bureaucracy and centered on a palace (75). This form of organization was typical of many early civilizations but changed tremendously by and by this age (75). After the Minoans, the Mycenaeans arose and ruled in a similar shape to the Minoans. The Mycenaeans though also non- classical, settled in the Greek mainland and was ruled by a King who held a royal domain, was given the ability to institute officials, and to command servants among otherwise responsibilities (77). After the fall of the Mycenaean empire, many Greek peoples spread eastward, ended trade with the old civilizations, and internally throughout split of Greece (78). This period led Greek peopl es to move into smaller communities with little communicating between them (78). The initial organization of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations were as windup to unification as Greek history allowed until the Macedonians arrived. However, these successful civilizations were not Greek but situated themselves on what became Greece and merely demonstrated a smooth similarity in language. After the fall of the Mycenaean civilization, Greeks entered though disorganised and independent. The appearance of the polis united Greek-speaking people though its initial use was not for such. The Greek poleis was a community of relatives who worshipped gods in ceremonies and formed republics dominate by the nobility through its councils of nobles and eventually distinguished monarchy (80-81). These poleis allowed Greeks social life to grow and expand their territories tremendously (81-82). This expansion provided Greeks with a cultural identity and gave men outside the nobility an opportun ity to shape wealthy (82). This new class, however, also led to conflict and tyranny arose (82). The tyrants contributed some in that they eliminated the presence of the aristocracy leaving each citizen to prove their expense by their service of the polis (84). Throughout this period, tyrants ruled their individual city-states, and allied themselves with other allies to prevent war (84). After the end of the dark ages, Polytheism arose as a central religion connecting Greek peoples (85). During this age, the polis was still apparent though differed tremendously between different states (87). Sparta and Athens, though powerful and influential Greek states were among these poleis and though they were perhaps, the most likely of the states to unite Greece both were unfit.