What Were the Greek Dark Ages? | 60 Seconds History

When you think about the term Dark Ages, you'll likely be thinking about the European Middle Ages. But this term also applies to a period of Greek history that occurred around 3,000 years ago, the Greek Dark Ages. Now, before the start of the Dark Ages, the Greek world was ruled by the Bronze Age Mycenaean civilization. Characterized by a network of palace-based cities, advanced art, writing, and monumental architecture, this civilization ruled the Aegean from around 1600 BC to 1100 BC, the start of the Bronze Age Collapse. This collapse, a consequence of several factors such as the invasion of the Sea Peoples, internal strife, famines, and droughts, plunged the Greek world into a Dark Age lasting from 1100 BC to 800 BC. Now, this period is referred to as a Dark Age for several reasons. Population numbers declined sharply, as people began to live in smaller, more isolated communities rather than the palatial centers of the Mycenaeans. Culture stagnated almost totally, with a decline in craftsmanship, no monumental architecture, and an absence of trade with foreign cultures of the Mediterranean. But most importantly, the Linear B writing system for the Bronze Age was lost. No written records at all exist from Greek Dark Ages. Despite the lack of writing, storytelling persisted in oral tradition however, and it is believed that Homer's Iliad hails from this era. Around 800 BC, the Greek world began to consolidate again, and saw the onset of the Archaic Period, leading to the development of the Greek alphabet and the rise of strong city-states such as Athens and Sparta. Now as always, thank you for watching, and if you enjoyed the video please like, comment, subscribe, and become a channel member to enjoy exclusive benefits.