Micénico

Micénico refers to the culture and civilization that flourished in mainland Greece during the Late Bronze Age, roughly from the 17th to the 12th centuries BCE. This period is often associated with the great warrior kings and the legendary city of Mycenae, from which the civilization derives its name. The Mycenaeans were a sophisticated society, building impressive citadels with cyclopean masonry, characterized by massive, unworked stones fitted together without mortar. Notable examples include Mycenae, Tiryns, Pylos, and Thebes.

Their society was highly stratified, with a centralized palace economy and a warrior elite. Linear B, an early form of Greek script, was used for administrative purposes, primarily recording inventories and economic transactions on clay tablets found in the palace archives. The Mycenaeans were also skilled artisans, producing exquisite gold jewelry, pottery, and frescoes that depict scenes of hunting, warfare, and religious rituals. They engaged in extensive trade throughout the Aegean and Mediterranean, importing raw materials like tin and copper, and exporting finished goods such as pottery and olive oil.

The Mycenaean civilization is believed to have declined and collapsed around 1200 BCE, a period marked by widespread destruction of settlements and the abandonment of major centers. The exact causes of this collapse are debated, with theories including internal strife, invasion by Dorian Greeks, natural disasters, or a combination of factors. The decline of Mycenae ushered in what is often called the Greek Dark Ages, a period from which historical records are scarce.