Mycenaean Civilization

In this episode, we focus on Mycenaean civilization, the first great advanced society of mainland Greece and a defining power of the late Bronze Age. We explore how this world was organized around powerful palatial states ruled by a wanax, supported by a rigid social hierarchy, specialized economies, and far-reaching trade networks that helped secure regional influence. The episode also examines the Mycenaeans’ impressive achievements, from monumental Cyclopean masonry and ambitious engineering works to Linear B, the earliest known written form of Greek, offering a rare window into their political and economic life. Along the way, we look at the strongly martial character of Mycenaean society, the competing theories behind its collapse around 1050 BC, and the lasting legacy it left on later Greek mythology, religion, and the classical world that followed.