bronge age civilsations, except minion which was iron age

Iron Age India, the Iron Age in the Indian subcontinent (South Asia), succeeds the Late Harappan (Cemetery H) culture, also known as the last phase of the Indus Valley Tradition. The main Iron Age archaeological cultures of India are the Painted Grey Ware culture (1200 to 600 BCE) and the Northern Black Polished Ware (700 to 200 BCE).

Much of what would become ancient Greek culture traces its lineage back to the Bronze Age civilization of the Minoans, centered on the island of Crete. Flourishing from roughly 2000-1500 BCE, the Minoans became one of the most powerful forces in the Aegean, expanding their cultural idea across the Mediterranean and creating the first foundations of a unified Western culture.

However, their power wasn't simply militaristic. It was economic. Through trade and exchange, the Minoans managed to secure lots of power, and left quite a legacy.

Overview of Minoan Economy

Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, is built of fertile soils in a region of moderate temperatures and reliable rainfall. Basically, it's a great place for agriculture. Not only did the ability to grow lots of food result in the conditions necessary for the Minoans to develop the first advanced civilization of Europe, but it also gave them the tools they needed to build a strong international economy.

The Minoan economy was based in the maritime trade of agricultural products like wine, olives, and figs in exchange for minerals and other resources like copper and ivory. To facilitate this trade, the Minoans not only built quality roads that connected their farms and exchange centers to numerous ports around the island, but also maintained a massive and impressive fleet of ships.

Evidence of Minoan products and cultural influences have been found in mainland Greece, Asia Minor, the entire Mediterranean coast of the Middle East, and even as far as Egypt. Products and artistic ideas from each of these cultures have also been found in Minoan Crete, so we can tell that there was a high degree of exchange between these groups.

The Minoans traded products like wine in vases like this one

Thalassocracy

Our understanding of the Minoan economy really rests on two defining principles. First is that of the thalassocracy, or maritime empire. According to later mainland Greek sources, the Minoan kings developed an extensive maritime empire that stretched across the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean Seas.

This would have given the Minoans something of a trade monopoly in this region, controlling ports and the exchange rates of various products. Allegedly, their navy was feared by all and their merchants were found in every port of the region.

The Minoans also intentionally transported their arts and cultural ideas into regions where they held ports, ''Minoanizing'' other cultures to make them friendlier to the Minoans.

Minoan fresco of Minoan ships and a harbor

The Palace Economy

The other definitive trait of the Minoan economy is how they managed their economies at home. The traditional view is that the Minoans were one of the first civilizations to develop a palace economy, in which royal administrative centers were used to gather up and then redistribute all the products and services needed in Crete.

Basically, instead of developing a monetary system where goods could be exchanged based on set values, the Minoans sent all their goods to these palaces, who then split them up and redistributed them among the people.

Ruins of the Minoan palace of Knossos

This assumption is largely based on the sudden appearance of major administrative palaces across Crete at the height of Minoan growth, as well as the lack of other standard systems of markets and money. Towns like Gournia, Zakros, and Knossos seemed to have been built almost entirely around these administrative centers, which scholars assume were used to organize and redistribute commodities

Minoan Food and Medicines

As you might expect for a civilization located on the beach, one of the primary food staples of the Minoans was fish. Although they ate fish, they probably did not eat much of other types of meat. They raised sheep, goats, and cattle primarily for the production of wool and milk, though they did sacrifice bulls occasionally. Grains, particularly barley and wheat, were also important staples for the Minoans.

In addition to the basic fish and grain diet, the Minoans also grew a variety of fruits. Tree fruits such as apples, figs, and pomegranates were the most common type. The Minoans also had some vineyards where they produced grapes which they made into wine. Olives were a particularly important product because the Minoans used them to make olive oil which was used in religious ceremonies.

The Minoans were active in growing and using herbs for health purposes as well. They produced an incredible variety of herbs - probably more than are in most people's kitchens today - and thought each had unique healing or restorative properties. Some herbs, such as lavender and sage, were made into oils, much like you can find essential oils in the store today. Anise, a plant similar to licorice, was probably used to soothe digestive problems. They also used herbs like coriander and saffron as well. The Minoans were also engaged in beekeeping and apparently produced large amounts of honey. Honey was used for religious ceremonies but was also believed to have restorative effects.