Two of the earliest civilizations in Europe existed in and around Greece. The Cretan or Minoan Civilization was probably the first European civilization. Archaeological remains point to a utopian-like civilization in which the socio-economic lines were blurred and warfare was not common. There was a high degree of sophistication in art and architecture on Crete during this period.
The Mycenaeans were from mainland Greece. They based their society on strict class lines and warfare. While the Minoans relied on a seaborne trade network for wealth, the Mycenaeans depended on their military and conquest. The city-states of mainland Greece were under constant threat of attack to the extent that they built their palaces inside a citadel with thick and high walls. There is very little evidence of this degree of warfare in the archaeological record of Crete. The two civilizations developed a linear script for keeping records. Both civilizations were dramatically impacted by earthquakes which led to their ultimate demise.
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