Early Aegean Warrior 5000–1450 BC

Book excerpt: The mainland and islands of Greece were extensively settled by peoples moving from Asia Minor in c.5000 BC, while a further wave in c.5000 BC introduced bronze-working to the region. It is form this point on that it is possible to discern a distinct Cycladic or Aegean civilisation, developing at roughly the same time as the Egyptian and Persian civilisations. Further to the south, the Minoan civilisation based on Crete held sway, and this power – along with the Helladic Achaeans to the north gradually swamped the Cycladic civilisation in between. In common with most Bronze Age societies, the culture of the Aegean world was dominated by warfare, with the inhabitants living in organized settlements and small citadels with fortification walls and bulwarks, towers and gates to provide protection against invaders from the sea or internecine conflicts. Using the latest archaeological evidence, this title recreates the world of these peoples through a detailed examination of their material culture.