Cretan palaces without a single wall, frescoes with dolphins instead of battle scenes, ritual leaps over enraged bulls, and a labyrinth that gave rise to the myth of the Minotaur.

The Minoan civilization on Crete is often called the first advanced civilization in Europe. But how did their power truly rest, given that the island had neither a standing land army nor impenetrable fortresses? Were the Minoans peaceful "Bronze Age hippies," as Knossos discoverer Arthur Evans believed, or was their peace protected by the first maritime empire in history—a thalassocracy?

In this extensive documentary study, we will trace the entire history of the Minoans, from the first donkey trails and gigantic warehouse-palaces to the colossal volcanic explosion on the island of Santorini (Thera) and the arrival of the Mycenaean Greeks.

05:12 The Hill That an Englishman Bought
09:53 The First People on Crete
14:36 ​​Mastering the Mast and Sail by the Cretans
19:02 Mycenean Warehouses
23:03 Tablets as a Basis for Learning About Culture
27:39 What Do Linear Script Symbols Mean
32:05 Earthquakes of 1700 BC
36:03 The Structure of the Palace at Knossos
40:12 A Tax in the Form of a Holiday
44:10 Walls with an Island Painted on them
48:50 A Country Without Wars: How Is That Possible?
53:05 Relationships with the Greeks
56:53 Faceless Kings
01:01:01 Why Are There No Temples?
01:06:04 The Minotaur and Theseus
01:10:34 The Day the Island Exploded
01:14:33 Life After Eruptions
01:18:09 Mycenaeans at Knossos
01:22:38 Fire and Desolation