On the possibility of internal conflict on Crete between the Proto- and Neopalatial period. The Pax Minoica re-examined
On the possibility of internal conflict on Crete between the Proto- and Neopalatial period. The Pax Minoica re-examined

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Summary/Abstract: The Pax Minoica (Minoan Peace), a concept formulated by Sir Arthur Evans was, and still is, one of the most preeminent paradigms on Minoan culture. According to this theory Crete was protected from threats by a strong and far-reaching fleet. It was referred to in the works of Herodotus and Thucydides, who wrote about King Minos conquering the sea and triumphing over pirates. This state of affairs was supposed to explain the lack of fortifications in Crete during the Bronze Age and the relative peace prevailing on the island itself. Since the time Evans carried out his research, numerous examples of defensive architecture have been found on the island, as well as weapons used by the Minoans. They shed new light on our knowledge of the various stages of the development of Minoan civilization. In this article an attempt will be made to take closer look at them between EM II and MM III periods. This will allow us to verify if the alleged internal peace existed on Crete during the Bronze Age.

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