Mycenae Reveals the History and Treasures of ancient Greece- Mycenae, Greece
What is It - History records that the powerful kingdom of Mycenae controlled a large area in the Peloponnese area of Greece and the Cycladic islands from 1600 to 1200 B.C. including cities in the region like Argos and Corinth. Mycenae extended its influence widely by land and sea and some historians believe they supplanted the Minoan civilization of Crete as the dominant power in the wider Aegean region of the Mediterranean by 1400 B.C. Mycenae’s reputation as a leading power was bolstered by the writings of the Greek author Homer centuries later. Legendary stories about the powerful Mycenae King Agamemnon, Helen of Troy, and the ten-year siege of the rival city of Troy by a united army of Greek cities are at the heart of the tales told in The Iliad and The Odyssey.
Mycenae and many other civilizations of the late Bronze Age declined about 1100 BC. Pausanias, a Greek geographer, wrote about visiting grand fortifications and a ruined city in the area during the second century B.C. He speculated these ruins could be the site of ancient Mycenae, but the city disappeared from history for millennia thereafter. By the late 1800s, Troy and Mycenae were believed to be mythical or allegorical places. However, controversial archaeologist and explorer Heinrich Schliemann eventually unearthed the ruins of both cities. His work at Mycenae led to the discovery of buildings, walls, tombs, and treasures. Today, ancient Mycenae is a World Heritage Site that attracts about 100,000 visitors annually.
What You Will See There- There is much to see at these ruins in comparison to some other archaeological sites around Greece. The key places to explore outside and within the city walls are the following:
Citadel Walls- On arriving at the site, people are immediately struck by the mammoth stonewalls that serve as a foundation for a hill city and a citadel strategically located in an elevated position. Made up of stone blocks weighing almost six tons, the twenty-one-foot-thick walls tower up to forty feet above the hillside. While offering a strong defense for the city, they did not prevent the burning of parts of the city around 1100 BC.
Museum - The museum building is located a short distance from the Citadel. It displays impressive finds from the excavations there. One prominent object that is symbolic of Mycenae is a replica gold funeral mask that once adorned the body of a king or other royal personage. Hailed by Schliemann as “the face of Agamemnon,” it has been carbon dated to an earlier date in the city's history by experts. Nevertheless, it is common to hear that the funeral mask was created after King Agamemnon was murdered by his wife and her lover in Mycenae after he returned victorious from the Trojan War. Other exhibits in the museum show pottery, weapons, jewelry, and household objects recovered from the layers of debris on top of the site. One important group of artifacts on display are clay tablets with writing in a language called Linear B which had its roots in Minoan Linear A script and served as a forerunner to ancient Greek.
Lion Gate - One of the most popular stops at Mycenae is the ceremonial gate at the northwest entrance of the Citadel. It is known as the Lion Gate because of the two lionesses facing each other above the arched doorway. They were believed to represent the powerful House of Atreus that ruled the city for generations. For over 150 years visitors have posed there as they enter the area.
Graves- There are many tombs in a royal cemetery located outside the walls of the Citadel. In an area known as Grove Circle. Schliemann and his successor found most of the treasures of Mycenae after digging out this area around 1875,. However, in later years the royalty of Mycenae was entombed in large circular chambers shaped like a beehive. Ancient architects used stone blocks for the walls and tapered them to form a rotunda-like structure above the crypt. While empty today these structures known as tholos tombs can be visited on the access road to the site.
Other Sites- There are a variety of other structures which have been uncovered there such as the reception and throne room of the ruined palace and a spooky, recessed cistern associated with Agamemnon’s murder.
How to Get Here – Most people come to the ruins as part of general tour of key Greek sites in area and stop at Mycenae for several hours along the way. Mycenae is located about 90 minutes from Athens and about 20 minutes from the picturesque waterfront town of Nafplio. It can be reached on the main highway from Athens by traveling toward Corinth, passing over the Corinth Canal and following signs for Tripoli before taking the exit towards Nafplio/Mycenae. From Nafplio you simply travel north on Route 70 for about 20 minutes until the signs direct you to Mycenae.
When to Go- Greece is a popular destination throughout the year but it is best to avoid the sweltering summer heat and frequent wildfires of the area by traveling to Mycenae during the fall or spring. The temperature cools considerably from November to February with more rainy days but temperatures in the 50s allow for a comfortable outdoor experience on many winter days.
Cost- It costs 12 euros per person to visit the archaeological site and museum at Mycenae from April to October and 6 euros per person during the rest of the year.