The Bronze Age covers a large swath of time. The exact dates depend on the region in question. For example, the Aegean Bronze Age is usually dated ca. 3000 to 1000 BC.

An Age of Heroes?
The setting of the ancient Greek myths
The ancient Greek stories about gods and heroes are set in a time long ago. Did the ancient Greeks believe that their tales were set during the period that we today refer to as the Bronze Age? The answer is no, but this requires some qualification.

The day an island was shattered
The eruption of Thera
The modern island of Thera is actually the rim of an old volcano. This volcano had erupted during the Bronze Age. What effect did this massive eruption have in the Aegean, and on nearby Crete in particular?

The cemetery at Armenoi
A Late-Minoan archaeological site
About 8 km south of Rethymno, along the road to Spili, lies the well-signposted archaeological site of Armenoi. It is a cemetery with more than 200 chamber tombs dated to the Late Bronze Age.

From blue boy to blue monkey
Reconstructing a fresco from Knossos
Our ideas of the past are often based on mere scraps of evidence. Nowhere is this more literally true than when it comes to reconstructing ancient wall-paintings, such as the “Saffron Gatherer” from Knossos.

Confronting “Collapse”
An anarchist perspective on the end of the Bronze Age
The publication of a new edition of Eric Cline’s book 1177 BC causes Josho to think about how we frame “collapse”, and whether the end of hierarchical societies is really as bad as many scholars seem to suggest.

An equid from Phaistos
A closer look at a terracotta figurine
The Archaeological Museum of Iraklion has a terracotta rhyton of an equid carrying two vessels. Over time, the interpretation and date for this object have changed. Let’s take a closer look.

A Minoan harbour town
The ancient site of Kommos in Crete
On the southern coast of Crete, a little north of Matala, lies Kommos, the site of a Minoan harbour town. While not open to the public, you can get a good sense of the site from behind the fences.

A Total War Saga: Troy
Thoughts on the game
The newest entry into the Total War series of strategy games is inspired by the Trojan War. While the game looks beautiful, it’s not something that I have enjoyed playing.

An ancient, sacred place
The Melidoni Cave near Rethymno, Crete
Located about 30 km east of Rethymno is Gerontospilios (“Old Cave”), more commonly referred to in English as the Melidoni Cave, an underground site of great historical significance.

Sources of disinformation
Bad reconstructions of Aegean warriors
Playing through A Total War Saga: Troy, Josho is dismayed by the idea of thousands of players being exposed to terribly bad interpretations of what Mycenaean warriors looked like.