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Era 4 of 12 · from about 1200 to 800 BC

Sea civilisations

Between 3200 and 2800 years ago the centre of history moved to the Mediterranean Sea. On the islands and along the coasts lived peoples of sailors and merchants: Cretans, Mycenaeans, Phoenicians, Hebrews and the peoples of ancient Italy. Ships carried olive oil, wine, metals, coloured cloth and new ideas too from one port to another. In this period iron and the alphabet spread, two inventions that changed everyone's lives. Many things we still use today, starting with the letters we write with, were born right here.

In Italian schools it is usually studied in primary year 4

Go to the 25 events Quiz on this era Printable worksheet
Illustration of the era Sea civilisations
Illustration created with AI for Storiascopio

The 25 events, in time order

  1. daily lifeMinoan civilisation on Creteabout 2000 BC
  2. artThe palace of Knossosabout 1900 BC
  3. science and technologyThe Proto-Sinaitic alphabetabout 1800 BC
  4. science and technologyThe eruption of Theraabout 1600 BC
  5. artThe nuraghi of Sardiniaabout 1600 BC
  6. artThe gold mask of Mycenaeabout 1550 BC
  7. science and technologyLinear Babout 1450 BC
  8. artThe Lion Gate at Mycenaeabout 1250 BC
  9. science and technologyThe Iron Age beginsabout 1200 BC
  10. politicsThe Phoenicians spread outabout 1200 BC
  11. daily lifePhoenician purpleabout 1100 BC
  12. science and technologyThe Phoenician alphabetabout 1050 BC
  13. politicsThe Kingdom of Israelabout 1000 BC
  14. science and technologyPhoenician seafaringabout 1000 BC
  15. daily lifeThe Villanovan culture in Italyabout 900 BC
  16. politicsTraditional founding of Carthageabout 814 BC
  17. artThe Nora Stoneabout 800 BC
  18. daily lifeAmphorae for oil and wineabout 800 BC
  19. artHomer's poems are written downabout 750 BC
  20. politicsGreek colonies in the Westabout 750 BC
  21. daily lifeThe Etruscans, lords of the Tyrrhenian Seaabout 700 BC
  22. science and technologyPhoenician glass spreadsabout 600 BC
  23. daily lifeCoins in the Mediterraneanabout 600 BC
  24. peopleThe Babylonian Exileabout 586 BC
  25. science and technologySailing beyond Gibraltarabout 500 BC
Minoan civilisation on Crete: Crete (Greece)The palace of Knossos: Knossos, Crete (Greece)The Proto-Sinaitic alphabet: Serabit el-Khadim, Sinai (Egypt)The eruption of Thera: Thera, now Santorini (Greece)The nuraghi of Sardinia: Barumini, Sardinia (Italy)The gold mask of Mycenae: Mycenae, Peloponnese (Greece)Linear B: Knossos (Crete) and Pylos (Greece)The Lion Gate at Mycenae: Mycenae, Peloponnese (Greece)The Iron Age begins: Anatolia and the eastern MediterraneanThe Phoenicians spread out: Tyre, Sidon and Byblos (now Lebanon)Phoenician purple: Tyre and Sidon (now Lebanon)The Phoenician alphabet: Byblos (now Lebanon)The Kingdom of Israel: JerusalemPhoenician seafaring: Sidon (now Lebanon) and Mediterranean sea routesThe Villanovan culture in Italy: Villanova, near Bologna (Italy)Traditional founding of Carthage: Carthage (now Tunisia)The Nora Stone: Nora, near Pula, Sardinia (Italy)Amphorae for oil and wine: Mediterranean portsHomer's poems are written down: Ionia, Aegean coasts (Greece and Turkey)Greek colonies in the West: Cumae and Pithekoussai, Campania (Italy)The Etruscans, lords of the Tyrrhenian Sea: Tarquinia and Cerveteri, Lazio (Italy)Phoenician glass spreads: Sidon and Tyre (now Lebanon)Coins in the Mediterranean: Sardis, Lydia (now Turkey)The Babylonian Exile: Jerusalem and BabylonSailing beyond Gibraltar: Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic
Map of the events: Sea civilisations

Did you know?

  • In the palace of Knossos, more than 3500 years ago, clay pipes brought water in and carried it away: a kind of plumbing system.
  • The word ‘Bible’ comes from Byblos, the Phoenician city where the Greeks bought papyrus to write on.
  • The Etruscans wrote with letters borrowed from the Greeks: we can read their words aloud, but the meaning of many remains a mystery.

Test yourself

Ten questions on the era: multiple choice, before or after, put in order, match.

Quiz: Sea civilisations
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Who's behind this

Ciro Simone Irmici

I'm Ciro Simone Irmici and I build free websites for learning and playing. I built Storiascopio with artificial intelligence and I check every card and every source myself. I'm not a historian: if you find a mistake or would like one more event for your class, write to me.

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