From Palace to Polis: From Bronze Age to Iron Age in the Mediterranean 1200-700 BC

The Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages in Greece have traditionally been percieved as two separate periods in research.<br> The Mycenaean palaces, centrally controlled by kings, "collapse" and are replaced by nomadic shepherds who lived in<br> huts. They, in turn, developed a city-state society (poleis) inhabited by citizens who had political rights. In the break<br> between old and new - from the palace to the polis - societies changed politically, socially, economically and religiously.<br> But what was left, what was created new and what changed?<br> The course explores the development from the Late Bronze Age (1200s BC) to the occurence of first city-states (poleis) in<br> the 700s BC. The course compares the Bronze Age (almost devoid of written sources), with the historical Iron Age from<br> different perspectives and with different sources. The course also highlights how research has fluctuated between<br> distinguishing a sharps to a more smooth transition.