Thera Volcano and the Minoan

The Mediterranean sea is known for being the theatre of the rise and fall of dozens of civilizations during the Bronze Age. Many saw their downfall due to a mix of natural disasters, internal revolts and foreign invasions. But the one we will discuss today is that of the Minoan civilization and the volcano of Thera. This culture was one of the many to dominate the islands of the Greek peninsula.  They also reach parts of its mainlands. They met their defeat when the volcano Thera, located in the middle of their territory, violently erupted. This catastrophe caused the destruction of nearby Akrotiri and Santorini settlements. The eruption possibly affected cities of Knossos, Malta and Gournia, but this has been never confirmed. Massive waves of starvation made their way across the entire Minoan civilization due to these eruptions. This catastrophe left them significantly weakened. The Mycenaean (the Minoan’s neighbours) found that quite helpful since they were now able to exploit them.Moral of the story: don’t live near a volcano. *ahem POMPEII*