Chapter XXII (a) The Expansion of Mycenean Civilization

After the destruction of Minoan power, Cadmus (Thebes) rose as the next rival to Myc. power. We are now in what the Greeks thought of as their Heroic Age, the bedrock of their mythology.
Thebes: Home of Heracles, birthplace of Dionysus. Allegedly founded by Cadmus, who is credited with introducing the alphabet into Greece, acc. to Herodotus. Cadmus’ descendant, Oedipus, is well-known in literature.
Cadmus’ sons, Polyneices and Eteocles, fought over control of the city, which story is told in Aeschylus’ “Seven Against Thebes.” The fate of Polyneices, who lost the battle, is told in “Antigone.”
Later, Athens warred against Thebes, to compel the burial of the Seven. Later, the Epigoni, their sons, challenged Thebes again and conquered it. The Theban palace site then lay desolate until the Christian Age. And Attica became the center of Greek power.
The Perseid dynasty at this time gave way to the Pelopid, launching the Second Heroic Age. But Heracles’ Perseid dynasty yet struggled to regain control and ultimately prevailed.
Prosperous time, of great palaces and the richly-stocked “beehive tombs.”
Records were kept in the Linear B script.
Even the Hittites had to reckon with this rising power.
The Greeks had made their debut on the stage of world history.