Lecture – Mycenaean Civilization: The Origin of the Foundational Narratives of the Trojan War

Between 1600 and 1200 BCE, the Mycenaean civilization established itself as one of the major foundations of ancient Greece. It is one of the cornerstones of ancient Greece, having inspired the founding narratives of Iliad and The Odyssey.

Organized around powerful fortified palaces, such as Mycenae or Pylos, this civilization was dominated by warrior kings and supported by an efficient administration, as evidenced by the archaeological remains.

Both formidable and innovative, the Mycenaeans developed a refined material culture with a rich tradition of craftsmanship and wove a vast trade network throughout the eastern Mediterranean. Their military and commercial influence placed them at the heart of the era’s regional dynamics and tensions.

Despite the civilization’s sudden disappearance at the end of the Bronze Age, several aspects of its culture and beliefs remained alive in the memory of future generations, who placed the Mycenaeans at the centre of the legendary conflict of the Trojan War.

A lecture that’s not to be missed!

Jacques Perreault

After studying classical archaeology at Université Laval (B.A., M.A.), Jacques Perreault obtained his doctorate from the École pratique des hautes études en sciences sociales in Paris in 1984. That same year, he became the first Canadian member of the French School at Athens. Director of the Canadian Institute of Archaeology in Athens from 1987 to 1992, and again since 2017, he also headed the Centre for Classical Studies (1993-2003) and the Department of History (2014-2023) at the Université de Montréal, where he has taught since 1993.

Specializing in the ancient Mediterranean, he has taken part in digs in France, Tunisia, Syria, and Greece, where he has co-directed the Greek-Canadian excavations at Argilos since 1992. His research is focused on relations between Greeks and non-Greeks, trade, colonization, urban planning, and Greek pottery. He was elected an honorary member of the Greek Archaeological Society (1987).