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What type of government did the Minoans have?
Their system of government was that of a monarchy supported by a well-organized bureaucracy. According to myth, a King Minos, living in a palace with more than a thousand rooms, once ruled the island of Crete.
What can we assume about the Minoan government?
What do we know about the Minoan state (government)? (What type of government was it, who would have ruled it, and what was the ruler like?) It was a bureaucratic monarchy (one person was in charge of everything and appoint subordinates to be in charge of other parts of the land). The monarch was a king, not a queen.
What is the Minoan civilization known for?
The Minoan civilization is particularly notable for its large and elaborate palaces up to four storeys high, featuring elaborate plumbing systems and decorated with frescoes. The largest Minoan palace is that of Knossos, followed by that of Phaistos.
Who ruled Minoans?
King Minos
The term Minoan is a modern name, and comes from the legendary King Minos, who, according to Greek mythology, ruled the island of Crete. One of the main problems in understanding Minoan civilization is that, though we have Minoan writing, no one has deciphered it, so we do not know what it says.
What caused the fall of the Minoan civilization?
Volcanic explosion. Three and a half thousand years ago, the tiny Aegean island of Thera was devastated by one of the worst natural disasters since the Ice Age – a huge volcanic eruption. This cataclysm happened 100km from the island of Crete, the home of the thriving Minoan civilisation.
Why did Minoans disappear?
Evidence suggests that the Minoans disappeared so suddenly because of the massive volcanic eruption in the Santorini Islands. We know now that the Santorini eruption and the collapse of the volcanic cone into the sea caused tsunamis which devastated the coasts of Crete and other Minoan coastal towns.
Who did Minoans worship?
The religion of the ancient Minoans of Crete largely revolved around the Mother Goddess who was typically associated with snakes. While she seems to be the chief goddess of the Minoans, they probably also worshiped a Bird Goddess, maybe just a different form of the Mother Goddess, as well as a Bull God.
What kind of government did the Minoans have?
Government. The island of Crete was ruled by a monarch, his kingdom being in the central palace of Knossos(pictured above). Each palace throughout Crete had its own sum of independence. The only known ruler of the Minoans was King Minos, also being the first ruler. Minos was claimed to be the son of the ancient god Zeus,…
When did the Minoan civilization come to an end?
In 1900 such a palace was discovered, excavated and partially restored by British archaeologist Arthur Evans. It was Evans who coined the term “Minoan civilization” in honor of the legendary King. Around 1450 BC the Minoan civilization, which appears to have been peaceful and prosperous, came to an abrupt and probably violent end.
What was the most important city in the Minoan civilization?
The most notable Minoan palace is that of Knossos, followed by that of Phaistos. The Minoan period saw extensive trade between Crete, Aegean, and Mediterranean settlements, particularly the Near East.
Where did the Minoans get their products from?
Evidence of Minoan products and cultural influences have been found in mainland Greece, Asia Minor, the entire Mediterranean coast of the Middle East, and even as far as Egypt. Products and artistic ideas from each of these cultures have also been found in Minoan Crete, so we can tell that there was a high degree of exchange between these groups.