
Mycenae, Greece
Date ca. 1600-1200 BCE
Movement Aegean | Mycenaean Period
The Mycenaeans were clearly a more war- conscious people than their Minoan neighbors— unlike the “palace” complex at Knossos, Mycenaean citadels were built as fortresses, employing massive barriers and taking use of natural defense positioning upon hilltops; some even featured tunnels to underground wells for use during times of siege. Tablets found within these structures often refer to a figurehead or lord; therefore, it is likely that these citadels contained royal residences—note the “Palace” entrance featured in the reconstruction below.