CLASSICS 1A03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Cultural Memory, Trojan War, Iliad
12 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
Stories in the iliad & odyssey retain cultural memory of mycenaean civilization long after it had disappeared. 1200 bc but not written down in greek until ca. Iliad: warrior culture like mycenae, with wealth of metal (bronze, gold, silver), reference to trade, & warrior honour system: but: that is(cid:374)(cid:859)t a(cid:374) a(cid:272)(cid:272)urate depi(cid:272)tio(cid:374) of iro(cid:374) age gree(cid:272)e (cid:894)(cid:449)here these stories (cid:449)ould (cid:271)e told) No monumental architecture, limited trade, reduced social organization: e. g. , in iliad, (bk. 2) catalogue of all greek ships involved in expedition to troy. 30% of towns named in he catalogue of ships no longer existed in the 8th century bc. These towns had mycenaean settlements, but no iron age settlements: odyssey: Society described is much less rich than in the iliad. Seems to reflect more of the dark age than the bronze age. E. g. , odysseus(cid:859) pala(cid:272)e is a rather poor pla(cid:272)e, (cid:449)ith dirt floors. Fresco of bard (singer of epic song), pylos.
