Life Lessons From the Ancient Minoan Civilization
How a 5000-year-old can teach us to live life to its fullest.
Who Were the Minoans?
The ancient Minoans were a bronze age civilization that spanned through the ages, specifically from 3000BC to 1100BC. This once great civilization is said to be the first advanced civilization of Europe. They were the pinnacle of human evolution and technology and yet, we barely know anything about them.
The Minoans are what led to Europe gaining much of the technology needed for basic civilizations, and are accredited as being dubbed the “the first link in the European chain” by historian Will Durant. They had fortresses, great palaces, vast trade networks, their own writing system, and even plumbing.
In popular culture, they are known for King Minos, and the myth of the Minotaur. Most people have heard of this myth, based around the early history of the Minoans, where the great King Minos had a labyrinth built to keep the Minotaur in.
As great as their ancient civilization is, any historian will hit a dead end. Their language, a mixture of different ancient hieroglyphics, is still undeciphered today. We do not know much about them. Sure, we know about their great palaces, such as the one is Knossos, and their trade network, but we do not know about their decline.
Although the decline can be seen as a period of about 400 years, what I find astonishing is that one day, this civilization was the greatest in Europe, maybe in the whole world, but suddenly it all disappeared.
The decline started with possible Mycenaean invasions and also the eruption of a mega-volcano in Santorini, which all led to their demise. The volcanic eruption led to a period of economic hardship, making them vulnerable to foreign invasions. This is the most popular theory by historians in the 21st century, and could quite possibly be what led to their demise.
What Does This Mean for Us?
In the last couple of centuries, we have placed material possessions more in the spotlight with the growing influence of consumerism in our society.
We are experiencing an increase of self-worth based on our belongings, feeling the need to accumulate objects for our own satisfaction, feeling the need to scratch an itch through consumerism, which has led to a shift in our society. Ever since the rise of capitalism and consumerism, we have abandoned most real pleasures, either out of greed or necessity.
But, as the Minoans have shown us, we can never take anything for granted. We have built civilization after civilization, we have made technological advancements and build great wonders around the world, but none of these luxuries could prevent some unknown catastrophe in the future.
We must detach ourselves from all the material possessions that surround us today, because no matter how luxurious or advanced, they might not mean anything in 1000 years. We might all suffer from the same fate of the Minoans, and we might be forgotten in history, so to me, we must make the most out of our existence today.
So, even if it simply for 10 minutes a day, put down your phone or laptop, put away anything that you don’t need, and try to be in the moment. Try and appreciate not only everything that we have and who we are, but also, simply the fact that we are. Life is full of these little joys, things that are often overlooked but that can bring even a little bit of happiness to ourselves.
Spend time with your friends or family, call your family or friends and tell them you are thankful for them, spend some time with your children or siblings, but most importantly, never take anything for granted, because it all could disappear when you least expect it to.
“Stop chasing superficial, short term false pleasures. Instead, experience life in all it’s wonders. Fall in love, grab a warm cup of coffee, or take a hot bath. And know that, even if you’re slightly less happy than if you were living in a simulation, this is real life — in all its beauty.”
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