Mycenae: The Ancient City Founded by Perseus

Strategically located between two Peloponnese hills in southern Greece, the fortified site of Mycenae has entered collective consciousness mainly due to its mention in Homer’s the Illiad and the Odyssey which describes Mycenae as the kingdom of the mythical King Agamemnon.

Mycenae became a Greek settlement between 1700 and 1200 BC, during the Late Bronze Age, with its monumental architecture being constructed at the pinnacle of the Mycenaean civilization from 1350 BC. During this era, archaeologists hold that it was the wealthiest palatial center in Greece, before being abandoned over 2,000 years ago.

According to Greek mythology, Mycenae’s story goes back to the hero Perseus, the demigod son of Zeus and Danae, who was said to have founded the city of Mycenae. Many mythical features are assigned to Perseus within the ancient Greek legends, like the famous winged shoes of Hermes which allowed him to fly and the helmet of Ares (Mars) which could make him invisible.

Greek mythology holds that the descendants of Perseus reigned from Mycenae for three generations, the last in the lineage being Eurystheus, after which Atreus rose to power. Mycenae later became home to the kingdom of Agamemnon, son of Atreus and the legendary commander in chief of the Greek contingent in the Trojan War . Brother to Menelaus the king of Sparta, King Agamemnon was considered to be one of the greatest leaders of his era.

Grave Circle A, at Mycenae in Greece. (Andy Montgomery / CC BY-SA 2.0 )

Located strategically to afford control of the Argolid Plain, Mycenae was built almost 280 meters (918 ft) above sea level. The city was a strong military and financial power, especially in the Bronze Age around 1400 to 1200 BC when the Gate of Lions was built, and new buildings were added in the area. The Lion Gate, the primary entrance to Mycenae, is one of the earliest examples of relief sculpture in ancient Greece.

In Mycenae you can also find the Treasury of King Atreus, also known as the Tomb of King Agamemnon, a large and glorious dome-shaped tomb, called a tholos in Greek, which is one of nine in the area. At the time, these were the tallest domes on Earth, until the Romans constructed the Great Baths of Baiae over a thousand years later.