A Brief History of the Minoans

In this episode, we discuss the myths and archaeological evidence for the Minoans on Crete, who were an early source of cultural inspiration for the Mycenaean Greeks; the palace complex (labyrinth) at Knossos; the volcanic eruption that blew apart the island of Thera (Santorini) in the mid-17th century BC, which was a catalyst for the decline of the Minoan civilization (and perhaps was the inspiration for Plato's infamous Atlantis); the ultimate subordination of the Minoans by the Mycenaean Greeks in the 15th and 14th centuries BC; and the decipherment of Linear B (an early form of Greek) by Michael Ventris in the mid-20th century AD

Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/04/005-minoan-crete.html