Seafaring Traders

Expanded trade leads to cultural diffusion in the Mediterranean.

Key Terms• Minoans

• Aegean Sea• Knossos

• King Minos• Phoenicians

Minoan Civilization• Lived on

the island of Crete• Center or

trade in the Mediterranean• Knossos• Peaceful

Through trade their culture and influence was spread throughout the Mediterranean◦Unique Architecture◦Very athletic people Boxing, wrestling, bull leaping

◦King Minos Minotaur in a labyrinth

Minoan Culture

Women had a high rank in Minoan society◦ Religious ceremonies◦ Mother Earth Goddess ruled over all the other

gods◦ Head priestesses

Minoan religion practiced ritual sacrifice◦ Bulls and other animals◦ Some evidence indicates humans were sacrificed

as well

Culture Continued

Why do we have such detailed information like their views of nature and the sports they played?

How do we know so much about

Minoan Culture?

Unclear as to exactly why◦Overpopulation?◦ Invaders?◦Natural Disaster?

1470bc a series of earthquakes rocked Crete Caused a volcanic eruption and a tsunami

Unable to recover from the 1470 disasters◦ Minoan civilization greatly weakened but remained

for about 300 years◦ Greek invaders may have completely ended

Minoan Civ.

End of a powerful Culture

Rise of the Phoenicians

They took advantage of the fall of the Minoans

In modern day Lebanon 1100 BCE

◦ What allowed the Phoenicians to become so powerful?

Phoenicians

What is a city-state?◦An autonomous state consisting of a city

and surrounding areas◦What are the advantages of NOT creating

a unified state?◦What are the disadvantages?

Byblos, Tyre and Sidon

City-states

First Mediterranean peoples to trade past the Straight of Gibraltar

Might have traded with southern Britain

May have sailed around tip of Africa and back up to Straight of Gibraltar◦ Next evidence of this happening wasn’t for

another 2,000 years

Exceptional seafarers

Bbblos◦ Traded papyrus

What is papyrus? Why is it important?

Sidon and Tyre◦ Production of red-purple dye

Why would dye be an important trade commodity?

Carthage (colony) 814 BCE◦ North Africa and founded by Tyre

Colonies◦ Northern coast of Africa, coasts of Sicily, Sardinia and

Spain◦ 30 miles apart. Why?

Important Cities

Dye◦ Very labor intensive

What does rarity and labor intensity do to the price of a commodity?

◦ A red-purple dye Made from rotted snails

Wine, Weapons, Precious Metal, Ivory, Wood (Cedar), Metal, and Glass◦ What is unique about Ivory as a trade commodity?

Traded Goods

How does writing evolve?

Phonetic-one character means one sound◦ Alphabet= alpha + beth

Phoenician writing system spreads throughout the Mediterranean◦ How?

Phoenician Writing

Did Phoenician civilization really decline?◦ Babylonians took control of Eastern cities◦ Persian King Cyrus I took control of Western

cities

What did they leave behind?

Decline of Phoenician Civilization?