The 'Dark Age' of Greece is one of the least understood periods of Greek history. Following the collapse of the brilliant Mycenaean civilisation of Late Bronze Age Greece and preceding the equally brilliant and better documented Classical period, the Dark Age was, until the last few decades, largely neglected. The neglect can be explained partly by the fact that the disruptions that brought down the Mycenaean civilisation left a depopulated landscape seemingly devoid not only of large population centres but in many places of any population at all. And the Dark Age is dark, in large part, because it has left no written records. Development of new techniques in archaeological method and a new focus on the study of the way life was lived outside of the great cities has renewed interest in the Dark Age.This new focus has led to the discovery of new evidence and to the reevaluation of old evidence as well, and it is now possible to develop a larger and longer view of the entire period. This book traces the process of change that transformed the Bronze Age civilisation into the city-state culture of the Classical Age.
Each century from 1200-700 BCE is explored through an individual site - Mycenae, Nichoria, Athens, Lefkandi, Cornith, and Ascra - that illustrates the major features of each period. Intended to complement recent, more exhaustive and technical works, "From Citadel to City-State" is a remarkable account of historical detective work that is beginning to shed light on Dark Age Greece.
- ISBN10 0253334969
- ISBN13 9780253334961
- Publish Date 1 June 1999
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 13 January 2010
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Indiana University Press
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 217
- Language English