The Mycenaean kingdoms were small in size. The centers of Mycenaean civilization were located in well-fortified cities, which were usually built on top of hills surrounded by fortress walls. This is how the first acropolises appeared - “upper cities”. The Acropolis contained within its walls the royal palace, houses for servants, warriors and artisans, as well as numerous storage facilities for grain, wine, and oil. Workshops were also located here, weapons and jewelry were stored. According to inscriptions on clay tablets found in Mycenae and Pylos, up to five thousand people of various professions worked in the palaces, there was an extensive bureaucratic apparatus that took into account everything, even broken wheels and broken vases.
The most famous palace-fortresses were located in Mycenae, Tiryns and Pylos. The largest of them is Mycenaean. In 1250 BC. e. A powerful stone wall was erected around the Mycenaean Acropolis, in some places its thickness reached 7 m. And this is far from the limit; in Tiryns, for example, the thickness is 9, and in places 17 m. The famous Lion Gate was broken into the wall around Mycenae, so named because that above them are depicted two lions standing on their hind legs. Between the lions is a column, which, according to scientists, symbolizes Artemis, the patroness of the city.
This is what the animals greet. Most likely, lions were a symbol of the Atrid family. However, according to legend, King Agamemnon insulted the goddess by not sacrificing his firstborn daughter Iphigenia to her. For this, Artemis sent a storm that did not allow the Achaean ships to leave the harbor to sail to the walls of Troy. The storm continued until the king gave his daughter to be slaughtered, but instead the goddess sent a golden doe to the altar, and took the girl to the lands of the Tauri, where she made her a priestess in her temple.
Outside the walls, the road led through the acropolis to the royal palace, built of mud brick on a wooden frame. The palace was once brightly painted not only from the inside, but also from the outside. Rectangular in plan, it enclosed not a courtyard, as in Crete, but a spacious internal hall with a colonnade and a hole in the roof - a megaron. Here the king gathered his entourage and conducted state affairs. The throne was located to the right of the entrance, and there were benches along the walls near it. The Mycenaeans considered the throne to be the sacred womb of the mother goddess. In Tiryns it is surrounded by sacrificial canals, through which, during the ceremonies, libations of wine and blood penetrated into the womb of the earth. Sitting on the throne, the king was in unity with the goddess and drew strength from her.
The Mycenaean megaron was almost completely destroyed; archaeologists created its reconstruction on the basis of halls from other palaces, for example in Pylos. There the walls of the hall were decorated with frescoes. Like the Cretan palaces, Pylos was equipped with running water and swimming pools. The city rulers kept a collection of clay tablets, which scientists managed to read. It turned out that the kings of Pylos were excellent hosts. The king owned a large plot of land, three times larger than the allotments of the nobility. Thus, he was the richest supplier of grain to the market.
The clay tablets also told us something about the structure of the state. The king was called Wanaka, the small kings were called basileus, and there were several of them subordinate to Wanaka. The king was assisted by the commander of the army - ravaketa, "ruler of the nations." He could conduct receptions in the second, smaller megaron. The king had advisers - 14 telestas, representatives of the nobility and palace officials. The priests of the main temples, called “God’s people,” were held in high esteem. The king of the Mycenaean culture was considered the main one among the rulers of other cities and bore the title “senior king.”
The palace in Tiryns was painted with multicolor frescoes in the 13th century. BC e. There were patterns along the ceiling depicting the starry sky. However, the subjects of the frescoes are completely different from those of the Minoans. A favorite of them is hunting. Goddesses going on a hunt, hunting a boar with dogs, chasing a deer, battle scenes. The limestone floors were painted with colored stains to imitate marble. Sometimes there are chess cells alternating with fish and octopuses. Great difficulties awaited archaeologists during the excavations of Thebes. Other Mycenaean cities were not populated later. For example, Mycenae was abandoned already in the time of Homer. Now the nearest settlement to them is the village of Mykines. But the center of Thebes - Kadmeia - is located under the modern city. The citadel of the fortress was destroyed in the 13th century. BC e. Scientists were able to discover fragments of the palace, in which a fresco was discovered with a procession of women bearing gifts to the goddess. Thematically similar to the Cretan ones, it is executed in a completely different way. All participants in the procession have the same profiles, hairstyles and tiaras. The figures are outlined in black, which gives the fresco a monumental feel, and the white and yellow background makes it brightly decorative.
The cities of the Mycenaean culture disappeared into the darkness of centuries as mysteriously as the Cretan palaces. Around 1200 BC e. The Achaean world experienced a series of upheavals. From Egyptian papyri it is known that in the 13th century. BC e. There were severe crop failures for several years in a row, causing famine throughout the Mediterranean. craft and trade fell. Vast areas were on the verge of extinction. fought wars for food. The invasion of Greece from the north by the Dorian tribes completed the destruction of the Mycenaean world. The palace at Mycenae fell around 1125 BC. e. However, before this tragic outcome, the Mycenaeans had to accomplish the greatest deed that would leave their name for centuries - to win the Trojan War.
The Mycenaean (Achaean) civilization (1600-1100 BC) is one of the oldest and most interesting civilizations that ever existed on the territory of modern Greece. This civilization had an undeniable influence on the subsequent development of ancient Greek culture and occupies a special place in literature and mythology, including in the works of Homer.
One of the largest and most important centers of the Mycenaean civilization, of course, was the ancient city of Mycenae, from which, in fact, the culture subsequently received its name. The royal residence was also located here, as well as the tombs of the Mycenaean kings and their entourage. In ancient Greek mythology, Mycenae is well known as the kingdom of the famous Agamemnon, who led the legendary Trojan War.
The ruins of the once majestic Mycenae lie about 90 km southwest of Athens in the north-eastern part of the Peloponnese near the small village of the same name and today are an important archaeological and historical site.
The first excavations of ancient Mycenae were carried out back in 1841 by the Greek archaeologist Kyrriakis Pittakis. It was then that the famous Lion Gate was discovered - a monumental entrance to the acropolis, built from four huge monolithic limestone blocks and got its name because of the huge bas-relief depicting two lions above the entrance. The Lion Gate, as well as fragments of the impressive fortress walls (their width in some places reached 17 m), built in the so-called “Cyclopean” masonry, are well preserved and even today, more than three thousand years later, they amaze with their monumentality.
The archaeological work that began in the 1870s under the auspices of the Archaeological Society of Athens and the leadership of Heinrich Schliemann created a real sensation. During the excavations (both on the territory of the fortress and outside it), a number of burials were revealed in shaft and domed tombs with an incredible number of various funeral gifts, among which the huge number of various items made of gold was especially impressive. However, the architecture of the tombs was also of great interest, perfectly illustrating the skill of ancient architects. The best preserved to this day, perhaps, are the tombs of Clytemnestra and Atreus. The tomb of the latter dates back to the 14th century BC. and is a two-chamber tomb with a dromos corridor (length - 36 m, width - 6 m), leading to a domed room (where the king’s body rested) with a small side chapel, in which a number of burials were also identified. A huge 9-meter stone slab weighing approximately 120 tons was installed above the entrance to the tomb. How the ancient craftsmen managed to install it still remains a mystery. The Tomb of Atreus, or the Treasury of Atreus, is the most grandiose domed structure of that time and one of the most important architectural monuments of the Mycenaean civilization.
In subsequent decades, archaeologists returned more than once to the excavations of the legendary Mycenae and discovered many more different structures, including the remains of a palace complex located on the top of a hill. Recently, the so-called “lower city” was excavated. A detailed study of the results of archaeological excavations has made it possible to significantly lift the veil of secrecy over the mysterious Mycenaean civilization.
The famous “Mycenaean gold” (including the so-called golden “mask of Agamemnon”, 16th century BC), as well as many other unique ancient artifacts found during the excavations of Mycenae, are today kept in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
The city of Mycenae was one of the main economic and political centers of ancient Greek civilization, existing from 1600 - 1100. BC. Mycenae is one of the most famous and impressive archaeological sites of the Bronze Age. It was here that the great Mycenaean civilization was born, which subsequently subjugated the entire territory of ancient Greece. Located in the Peloponnese, 90 km southwest of Athens near the village of Mykines.
Mycenae is the palace of the legendary king Agamemnon. On the territory of Mycenae there are the ancient tombs of the kings, the ancient acropolis and the lion gate (entrance to the acropolis) and other attractions.
Mycenaean Hill is located at an altitude of 278 meters and is separated from other surrounding slopes by steep gorges. It is believed that the city of Mycenae was inhabited by Indo-Europeans around 2000 BC, who were engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding. During the Bronze Age, fortified walls and armory villages were created in the city. Over time, Mycenae became the capital of the eastern part of the Mediterranean territory.
Mycenae was an influential center of the ancient world. Unfortunately, our knowledge about this civilization remains incomplete, because scriptures and other direct evidence from this era have not been found. The main sources of our knowledge are the poems of Homer, the dramas of Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, as well as the writings of the Hellenists and ancient historians.
According to legend, the city was built by Perseus. Here lived the descendants of Danaus and the Amyphaonids who migrated from Elis, and then the Pelonids, under whom the greatly elevated neighboring Argos subjugated Mycenae. Upon the return of the Heraclides, the city began to decline and, during the Greco-Persian Wars, finally died in the fight against the Argives.
The inhabitants moved to Kleoni, to Kerynia, to Achaia and to King Alexander the Great. According to Strabo, in his time there were no traces of the city, but Pausanias describes significant remains of the Cyclopean wall with the Lion Gate, the underground Treasury of Atreus and his sons, and the tombs of Atreus and Agamemnon. In the pre-antique period, Mycenae was one of the major centers of the Aegean civilization, which died as a result of the eruption of the Santorini volcano on the island of Thira in the Mediterranean Sea.
The palace complex was discovered by archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1876, who discovered gold items in the shaft tombs and thereby confirmed the glory of “gold-rich Mycenae.” Mycenaean gold is kept in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens.
Such citadels were built for the ruling elite. Not only noble people lived behind the fortress walls, but also artisans and merchants. The walls of the fortress reach a width of 14 meters. They are called "Cyclopean" because of the legend according to which these walls were built by the Cyclops.
From the huge royal palace, located on the top of a hill, only the floors remained. Traces of the fire that destroyed this magnificent structure can still be seen on the stones. The building was 23 meters long and 11.5 meters wide. The entrance from the north leads to the royal family's quarters. There are remains of foundations here including the red floor room - also known as the red bathroom - where King Agamemnon was killed.
The Lion Gate was built in the 13th century BC and leads to the acropolis. They owe their name to the bas-relief of lions crowning the doorway. Inside the acropolis, six royal tombs with rich funeral gifts were discovered - these treasures were found by Schliemann.
Before the construction of fortresses and cities, the Mycenaeans buried their kings in complex "dome" tombs - "tholos", built from huge stone slabs and shaped like giant domes. The best preserved are the treasury of Atreus and the tomb of Clytemnestra, they are almost completely preserved. There are 4 of them in total near the acropolis - two more tombs have no surviving dome roofs. If you take the path to the acropolis and look at the acropolis, one tomb without a dome is on the left, next to the museum. On the right there are two tombs side by side - Clytemnestra and another without a dome. And the treasury of Atreus (the tomb of Agamemnon) is a little away from the acropolis, you need to go down the highway about 1 km (usually all the buses pass by it on the way to the acropolis and make a stop).
One king owned up to 400 bronze foundries and many hundreds of slaves. Wealthy Mycenaeans highly valued gold imported from Egypt. Skilled craftsmen made goblets, masks, flowers and jewelry from gold, and inlaid swords and armor with gold.
7 km south of Mycenae is Argive Ereion (Ireon Argive). This sanctuary of Hera, revered for almost two thousand years, was, according to Homer, the very place where Agamemnon was chosen as leader of the Greek expedition to Troy. A whole complex of Mycenaean graves of the 7th-5th centuries BC. e. stretches over three terraces, around which Roman baths and a palaestra were found, and the temple itself is believed to have served as the prototype of the Athenian Parthenon.
Mythology
The name Mycenae is associated with the most famous Greek myths that have come down to us through the epic of Homer and other great tragedies of antiquity. According to legend, Mycenae was founded by Perseus, the son of Zeus and Danae, and his descendants ruled the area for many generations. The Perseus dynasty was replaced by the Atreus dynasty.
Atreus' son, Agamemnon, the proud leader of the Achaeans (the ancient name for the Greeks), led the Greek armies against Troy in the 13th century BC. When the army and fleet assembled at Aulis, east of Athens, to sail to Troy, the wind died down and the ships could not move. Then the Oracle told the Greeks that in order for the wind to rise again, Agamemnon must sacrifice his youngest daughter Iphigenia. After prolonged torment, the sacrifice was made and the army set off on a 10-year campaign, which led to the fall of Troy.
After his triumphant victory, Agamemnon returned to Mycenae; his wife Klymnestra, who had still not recovered from the death of her daughter and learned of her husband’s infidelities, together with her lover, killed Agamemnon while taking a bath. Mad with rage, her son Orestes, incited by his sister Electra, kills his mother and her lover to avenge his father's death.
Today, 3,000 years later, the Greeks still call wives who kill their husbands “Klymnestra.”
The descendants of the mythical Perseus ruled Mycenae for many generations until they were replaced by the powerful Atreus dynasty, with which many heroic and tragic events are associated. The son of Atreus, the legendary Agamemnon, who led the campaign against Troy, on the advice of the oracle, sacrificed his own daughter Iphigenia to the gods. After his triumphant return from the Trojan War, Agamemnon was killed in the bath by his wife Clytemnestra, who had not forgiven her husband for the death of her daughter. Clytemnestra, in turn, is killed by her son Orestes, distraught with rage, incited by his sister Electra. What can I say? Cruel times, cruel morals. But after thousands of years, the name Clytemenestra became a common noun in Greece for husband-killing wives.
These legends and assumptions found historical confirmation when the German amateur archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, while searching for Troy, accidentally stumbled upon one of the mine burial grounds. Several more burials of the same type were discovered nearby, and then it became clear why Homer called Mycenae rich in gold. During the excavations, an incredible amount of gold and amazingly beautiful things were found (about 30 kg!): jewelry, cups, buttons, military equipment and bronze weapons trimmed with gold. The amazed Schliemann wrote: “All the museums in the world do not possess even a fifth of these riches.” But the most significant find was a golden death mask, which, according to Schliemann, belonged to Agamemnon himself. But the age of the burial grounds did not confirm this version; the burials were made much earlier, before the reign of Agamemnon. An interesting fact confirming the power and wealth of ancient Mycenae is that no iron objects were found. The main materials from which the discovered objects are made are silver, bronze and gold. Artifacts found in mine burials are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Athens and the Archaeological Museum of Mycenae.
The ancient city occupied a strategically convenient position on a hilltop, protected by the massive walls of the acropolis. The laying of defensive walls was carried out without the use of any binder mortar. The stones were fitted so tightly that the walls give the impression of being monolithic. The famous “Lion Gate” led to the acropolis - a cyclopean structure made of stones, decorated with a bas-relief with two lionesses - a symbol of the power of the royal dynasty. The gate is the most famous building of Mycenae, and the bas-relief is considered one of the most significant heraldic monuments in the world.
The citadel contained residential buildings of the nobility and household buildings, many of the buildings being two and three stories high. Not far from the entrance there are remains of burial circle A, where shaft tombs dating back to 1600 BC are located. Items found in them indicate that the burials of royal families were located here.
A large staircase leading to the royal palace began from the courtyard at the Lion Gate. The center of the palace was Megaron - a large room with a fireplace on the floor. The Royal Megaron was the central building, a kind of administrative center. Meetings were held here and trials were held. All that remains of the royal chambers is the foundation. Fragments of the foundation of the red bathroom in which Agamemnon was killed can also be discerned.
At a short distance from the walls of the acropolis, burial circle B was discovered, which includes domed tombs (tholos) - another example of Mycenaean architecture. The most impressive and well-preserved of them is the so-called “Treasury of Atreus” or “Tomb of Agamemnon”. When the burial was found by Schliemann, it was plundered. Therefore, it was not possible to establish who owned the tomb, but the size and architectural features suggest that there was a royal tomb inside. Round underground structures replaced shaft burials. A sloping corridor lined with stones leads to the high narrow entrance. Inside, the tomb is an impressive dome, 13.5 m high and 14.5 m in diameter, lined with horizontal rows of stones. Each row protrudes slightly above the previous one. Before the construction of the Roman Pantheon, the tomb was the tallest structure of its type.
Long before Greece was called ancient, around 1600 BC, the Eastern Mediterranean was inhabited by a civilization of traders and conquerors. These were the times of myths and legends.
The gods at that time often descended from, and mortals were ruled by their offspring. It was then that the well-known Perseus, the son of Zeus and the daughter of the Argive king, being the ruler of nearby Tiryns, founded the ancient city of Mycenae.
The city became so important that the last prehistoric period of Greek civilization is called “Mycenaean”.
A little history
Whether Perseus founded Mycenae having decided to leave a memory of himself also as a builder of cities, or as a sign of another victory is unknown. But many generations of his descendants ruled it, until the royal dynasty of Atreus came to replace it.
Some legends claim that Perseus chose this place because he lost the tip of his sword here (mykes), others that Perseus found a mushroom (mykes in Greek) and, to escape thirst, drank water from it.
A more prosaic legend says that Mycenae was founded by the Achaeans, an ancient warlike tribe.
Be that as it may, the city is located in a strategically convenient location. They laid it at the foot of one of the mountains in the northeast.
The first mention of Mycenae as a “gold-abundant” or “filled with gold” city was made by Homer in his epic.
Later, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, during the excavations of Mycenae, found an explanation for this. The tombs and tombs on its territory were filled with gold jewelry and simply trinkets of very skillful work.
All this testified to the fabulous wealth of the rulers and nobility. Their remains were buried under a pile of gold items. Interestingly, not a single iron object was discovered.
Among the gold items found by archaeologists were: tiaras, finely crafted bracelets, copper cauldrons with elegant gold buttons, gold bowls and jugs, many gold animal figurines, death masks, the most famous of which is the mask of Agamemnon, as well as many bronze swords.
The archaeological finds discovered in the tombs became the largest treasure in the world, not only in quantity (more than 30 kg of gold items were found), but also in artistic and historical significance. Later they were surpassed only by the finds found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.
All artifacts were transferred to the Archaeological Museum of Athens and the Archaeological Museum of Mycenae.
The favorable geographical position of Mycenae facilitated the trade of the inhabitants.
Wine, perfume, fabrics, bronze, gold and amber products were exported.
Wealth grew rapidly and the state prospered. Mycenae became very influential, and according to scientists, controlled the entire Mediterranean. Their rulers even led the confederation of Peloponnesian kingdoms.
Mycenaean culture, weapons, and even fashion spread throughout the known world. This was the reason for repeated attacks on the city. However, the Mycenaeans themselves were warlike.
During its existence, Mycenae and the Mycenaean state left a solid mark on history. The rulers of the city are heroes of legends and myths. The history of Mycenae is associated with many tragic and heroic events.
For example, the legendary Trojan War was unleashed by the Mycenaean king Agamemnon. We will not go into the details of the divine civil strife associated with the apple of discord and the struggle of the Olympic beauties for the title of “most beautiful,” in which King Menelaus and his wife Helen the Beautiful were involved, which led to the fall of Troy.
Historians are still inclined to a more realistic version that it was the ruler of Mycenae Agamemnon who went to war against the city, since Troy competed with them for dominance in the region. The siege of the city lasted for a decade.
Researchers attribute these events to the 13th–12th centuries. BC e., but the date is controversial. Victory was granted by the gods to the king of Mycenae because he sacrificed his daughter, for which later, according to one legend, he was killed by his wife, who did not forgive him for the murder of her child.
According to another legend, during the long absence of her husband, Clytemnestra took a lover - Agamemnon's cousin. And when the legitimate spouse returned from the war, they simply killed him, expelled the children - the legal heirs to the throne, and began to rule Mycenae.
The rapid development of the Mycenaean civilization is as inexplicable as its sudden disappearance. It is not established exactly how and why their state fell. Historians have put forward various hypotheses according to which the destruction of the city and the death of the state could have occurred as a result of inter-class clashes.
According to other theories, a series of earthquakes and the destruction of trade routes caused the rapid fall of civilization. It is possible that this was finally facilitated by the invasion of the Sea People - the Dorians. But it is known for sure that the death of the Mycenaean civilization coincided with the end of the Bronze Age.
The “Bronze Collapse” was accompanied by the fall of states and the destruction of large cities. Writing and traditions were lost, trade came to naught. The Eastern Mediterranean has plunged into darkness.
How to get to Mycenae
Time is inexorable, and now we can only see the ruins of a once powerful city. This is all that has reached us.
Mycenae is one of the greatest monuments of the Bronze Age.
The city is located in the east of the rocky ridge of the Peloponnese Peninsula.
The landmark is the town of Mykenes, located 2 km away. Geographical coordinates of the ancient city: 37° 43? 50? With. sh., 22° 45? 22? V. d. From the capital of Greece - approximately 90 km to the southwest of the peninsula, or 32 km to the north from the Gulf of Argolikos.
You can get to Mycenae by regular bus from Athens from the KTEL Athenon bus station in about two hours, the ticket costs about 12 euros. But you can get to Mycenae on your own, armed with a navigator or map. You must first drive to the city of Argo, and from there go to Mycenes, passing another one - the Corinth Canal.
The ruins are located on the territory of the Mycenae archaeological park. Entrance to the park is paid. Tickets are sold at the entrance and cost 8 euros, and children under 18 do not need to purchase tickets. By presenting your ticket, you will be able to see the Mycenaean Acropolis, the Archaeological Museum and the Treasury of Atreus.
When booking an excursion to Mycenae via the Internet or in hotels, check if there is a Russian-speaking guide. As a rule, a visit to Mycenae in such excursions is planned along with other attractions, so the cost depends on the type of transport, the number of places visited and the category of excursion.
What to see
Like many cities, Mycenae had its own ruler, respectively a royal palace and a well-fortified citadel.
The city is surrounded by a 900-meter wall made of huge stones. The construction was carried out, no more, no less, by the giants Cyclops.
Otherwise, how else can one explain the origin of such a powerful defensive structure. The stones are fitted so tightly to each other that there is a feeling of solidity of the walls. Such masonry was commonly called cyclopean. The weight of some stones reaches 10 tons.
The Royal Palace was built on the top of a small hill at the foot of the mountain. This is the so-called upper city - the acropolis.
Not only the reigning dynasty lived here, but also other nobility and aristocracy. This is the center of political governance of the city-state. The territory also contained temples, warehouses and burial places of deceased rulers.
The center of the Royal Palace is a rectangular room with columns and a fireplace in the floor - the royal reception room.
The so-called Megaron served as the administrative center of the city and meetings, conferences and courts were held there.
Megaron also housed the symbol of royal power - the throne. In our time, only the foundation of the structure has been preserved.
The royal chambers are located on the northern side of the palace. A temple with round altars was also erected here, near which an ivory sculpture depicting two goddesses and a child was discovered.
Ordinary people lived outside the walls of the fortress at the foot of the hill. It is interesting that the buildings had a trapezoidal shape, with a short base directed towards the acropolis. Because of this, the entire city from above resembled a fan. The most famous buildings are the House of the Sphinx, the House of the Wine Merchant, the House of Shields and the House of the Oil Trader.
It was possible to get to the fortress only along the road through. This is the most famous architectural landmark of Mycenae.
The gate is built from four powerful limestone slabs. Their span is a square, the side of which is about 3 meters. They were most likely closed with wooden doors, which have not survived to this day.
Their existence can be judged by the indentations on the side walls. The pediment is decorated with a bas-relief depicting two lions, which were a symbol of the royal dynasty and personified its power.
Lions stand on their hind legs and lean them on a column. Their heads have not survived, and according to different versions they were made of either ivory or gold. This is the oldest sculptural composition in Europe.
A large staircase leads to the royal palace, starting from the courtyard at the Lion Gate. It is interesting that bureaucracy already existed then. Clay tablets found during excavations in the palace turned out to be financial reports, lists of slaves and artisans.
Mycenae had the greatest treasure for all fortresses - underground water sources.
The inhabitants dug a deep tunnel to a spring known as the Perseus Fountain. This fountain and a huge defensive wall helped them withstand long sieges.
Behind the walls of the citadel, archaeologists discovered giant domes - tombs of kings and nobles, built from powerful stone slabs. The tombs were camouflaged with a mound, and a long corridor, the dromos, led inside.
The corridor, through a high, up to 7 meters high, monumental entrance, led to an internal vaulted chamber. After the funeral, the tomb was closed, and all entrances were covered with earth. The most famous and well-preserved is the treasury or tomb of Atreus, the father of Agamemnon.
But the tomb was looted long before archaeologists found it.
On the territory of the fortress itself, as a result of excavations, royal graves were discovered, immediately behind the Lion Gate.
Heinrich Schliemann excavated five royal burials here. They contained the remains of nineteen dead, buried under piles of gold jewelry. The most famous find was the golden death mask.
According to Heinrich Schliemann, the mask belonged to Agamemnon himself. Later it turned out that the burials were made several centuries earlier than the time of the legendary Trojan War.
In 1999, the ruins of Mycenae were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Despite the fact that time has not been kind to the city, visiting it is very informative and interesting.
