Mycenae is an archaeological site 120 km SW of Athens.

During the late bronze Age, it was one of major centres of Greek civilization.

The period of Greek history between 1600-1100 BCE, is called 'Mycenaean' in reference to Mycenae.

Image of Lion/Lioness gate at Mycenae
At its peak in 1350 BC, the citadel and lower town had a population of 30,000 and an area of 32 hectares.

The Mycenaeans have been described in the Linear B tablets, by the Hittites in their diplomatic correspondence, and by Homer who describes it as 'rich in gold'.
Perhaps Mycenae was the strongest of all the Greek regions in those times, bounded by a loose confederation.

This confederation, perhaps sacked Troy ( Wallusia, in Hittite texts) in the Asia Minor.

Image of a Mycenaean Woman
During excavations in 1876, Heinrich Schilliman found graves of Mycenaean kings along with their swords, cups and other valuable items.
Schliemann also found a golden mask, which is popularly know as 'Mask of Agamemnon', after the legendary king of Mycenae, under whose leadership the Greeks sacked troy in around 1250 BCE.
As per the Linear B tablets, several religious sancturies are mentioned, which are dedicated to number of deities.

Poseidon, mentioned as 'Po-se-da-o', was connected with earthquakes ( E-ne-si-da-o-ne =earth shaker).

@Michael_Lambda
Myceneans used to trade with their neighbors, particularly the region of Asia Minor, Hittites, perhaps Egypt as well.

A chief export of Mycenae was Olive oil and Mycenean swords have been found in Georgia, near Black Sea.

Image of Mycenean pottery
The Myceneans disappeared from the pages of history by c. 1100 BCE... A time of Bronze Age collapse, which devoured Hittites, as well.

All their palaces were burnt by Sea-peoples, and Dorians invaded from the North.

Greece lapsed into a 'Dark Age' for next 500 years.
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More from @PrasunNagar

12 Sep
Hattusa was the capital of Hittites in the Bronze Age.

Discovered in 1834-35, it's ruins lie in the Boğazköy region of central Turkey.

Image of Lion gate at Hattusa.
At its peak, the city covered 1.8 sq km, surrounded by massive walls.

The city had a population of at least 40-50,000 people & inside the city there was the imperial residences, temples, people's quarters, etc.
At the centre of Hittite life was their religion.

The Hittites have been called ' People of a Thousand Gods', as they assimilated Gods of conquered people into their pantheon.

The most famous is the 'Storm God', who perhaps is the precursor to Zeus and Jupiter.
Read 7 tweets
10 Sep
The Origin of Guptas.

This short thread would detail the origin of Gupta dynasty, laying special emphasis on first of its two kings, Sri Gupta and Ghatotkacha Gupta.
The origin of Guptas is shrouded in mystery.

Like all great empires before them, the imperial Gupta family must have had a small and obscure origin.

Some have debated that they were from the area of Benaras or Bengal, and they started out as feudatories of Kushans.
Though the available evidences are not conclusive regarding Guptas as being feudatories of Kushans, several later era Gupta inscriptions and travelogue from Chinese pilgrims like I-tsing, gives an indication as to the origins of Gupta dynasty.
Read 15 tweets
5 Sep
History of India after the Mauryas

This short thread will chronicle the details of India, after the demise of Mauryas up till the rise of Guptas. Image
After the death of Ashoka in 232 BCE Mauryan empire was consigned to the pages of history less than 50 years after his death.

A succession of weak kings, rebellions & foreign attacks ended the empire by 184 BCE when Pushyamitra deposed the last Mauryan King.
The Mauryas were able to achieve the Vedic political ideal as defined in the 'Atraeya Brahmana' , that a king should be 'Ekarat', the 'supreme sovereign of the country up to the seas.' Image
Read 23 tweets
19 Aug
Southern Campaigns of Samudra Gupta.

Samudra Gupta (335-375/380 AD), was the Second Emperor of Gupta dynasty, who campaigned in South India, and brought this whole area under his suzerainty.
The main source of his campaigns to the South is the famous Allahabad Pillar inscription.

The inscription is undated, but inscribed before his Ashvamedha, and the writer of this composition is his court-poet, Harisena.
The pillar is undated, however, it could be ascertained that this campaign must have occured before Samudra Gupta's ' Second War of Extermination', against kings of North India in around 348 AD.

Hence this campaign must have occured in around 340 AD.
Read 27 tweets
9 Aug
For those who came in late...

Ashoka was a Buddhist at least 2.5 years before Kalinga, as he himself admits in his minor rock edict at Maski, 260 BCE.

Hence, any views of him converting to Buddhism after seeing the carnage at Kalinga is an utter lie.
He uses the 'Buddha-Sakya' = Ordinary Follower of Buddhism in his edict at Maski.

The word 'Buddha-Sakya' in Brahmi
Ashoka, however, did not inherit, but was a convert to Buddhism.

Like his predecessors, he freely allowed the slaughter of animals in royal kitchens every day, prior to conversion. In fact, Ashoka did not become an absolute vegetarian, even after his conversion.
Read 7 tweets
8 Aug
General Neil ( 1810-1857) was a notorious military officer of East India Company, who is remembered for his cruelty towards Indians.

At Kanpur, he ordered the Brahmins to lick the blood of Bibighar victims, had them whipped and hanged them from trees. Image
William Hodson (1821-1858), was a soldier of British, who shot to death unarmed princes of the last mughal emperor in 1857.

He left their bodies to rot at 'Khooni Darwaza' ( Bloody Gate).

He was shot dead at Lucknow in March 1858. Image
General Nicholson (1822-1857) was a soldier of British Army, who is remembered for his sadistic role in suppressing the events of 1857.

He has been called " The Great Imperial Psycopath" & " byword for brutality & racism." Image
Read 4 tweets

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