Located 15km inland on the northern part of the Argive plain, the city of Mycenae is spread across three hills. Its defensive citadel occupied the highest point of the central hill, with the rest of the town spread on the lower slopes of the others. 

Henrich Schliemann first explored Mycenae in 1876, and the city remains a focus for archaeological study to this day. Although erosion and later activity have eroded parts of the city, it still retains features that demonstrate how Mycenean towns accommodated trade and warfare.

The City of Mycenae and Bronze Age Greece

Mycenae was one of the earliest Mycenaean fortress towns and, as such, gave its name to the late Bronze Age culture. The legendary home of Agamemnon, the city was first built around 1600 BC.

In its heyday, Mycenae led a confederacy of Argolid towns, including Tiryns and Argos. Mycenaean culture dominated the Peloponnese and the Aegean until the rise of the Dorians in the 13th century BC. However, Mycenae itself managed to survive the decline of Mycenaean culture for some time, finally falling in 1125BC.

The Lion Gate of Mycenae

The main entrance to the citadel was through the emblematic Lion Gate. The gateway was constructed out of four massive blocks of conglomerate ashlar. One formed the lintel, with a further two on either side as door jambs and the final stone laid as a threshold. The jambs still bear the insert marks used to secure the bar on the gate, while the lintel and threshold retain the cuttings where the doorposts fitted.

Above the lintel is the relief carving that gives the gate its name. However, the Lion Gate may have been misnamed. The two beasts flanking a column are headless, and there is no proof that they represent lions. Instead, it is possible that the missing heads were those of eagles, making the emblems gryphons. The influence of Minoan art forms was notable in Mycenaean culture, and gryphons have been found flanking the throne of the Palace of Minos on Crete. So the Mycenaean’s may have recycled the motif at Mycenae.

The Defences of Mycenae

Only the citadel of Mycenae, which housed the palace, temples and key administrative buildings, was defended. The rest of the town lay outside of the protective walls. From the Lion Gate, the walls of the citadel of Mycenae extend in a perimeter of 900m. The walls that remain standing today date to the Late Bronze Age and were replanned and heavily fortified at the time of the Dorian invasions.

The earliest remaining walls were constructed using cyclopean masonry, so named because people believed the colossal stone blocks could only have been put in place by the legendary giant Cyclops. The blocks were fixed in place with a fill of tiny stones placed in the gaps between them. Later amendments to the walls were made from limestone polygonal masonry.

Mycenaean Houses and Trade

In times of peace, the ordinary citizens of Mycenae would have lived their lives and conducted their business outside the city walls. Little of this part of the city remains, but several examples of houses survive on the Atreus ridge area, below the citadel and close to the main road. These houses are dubbed the House of the Shields, the House of the Oil Merchant, the House of the Sphinx and the West House.

From these remains, archaeologists have been able to piece together a picture of the trades and crafts of Mycenea. As would be expected, there is evidence of everyday occupations such as bakers, shepherds, carpenters and fullers. But it is clear that Mycenae also had specialist trades, demonstrating its importance as a trade centre.

There is evidence of bronze workers and armourers at work from grave goods, indicating that Mycenae could produce its own weapons and armour for war. The political significance of the city-state is also demonstrated by evidence of messengers and heralds who would have performed diplomatic functions between other city-states.

Mycenae’s wealth is evident from the expensive luxury goods produced and traded from the city. Graves have provided evidence for goldsmiths operating in the city. In addition, linear B tablets from the House of Oil Merchant record the spices used in scented oils and pottery phials, suggesting a perfume trade may have been operating in Mycenae.

Resources

Gates, Charles (2003) Ancient Cities: The Archaeology of Urban Life in the Ancient Near East and Egypt, Greece and Rome. Routledge: London and New York

Illustrated Dictionary of Archaeology (1977) Book Club Associates: London