Mycenaean Greece refers to the last phase of the
Bronze Age in
Ancient Greece (c. 1600–1100
BCE). It represents the first advanced civilization in mainland
Greece, with its palatial states, urban organization, works of art and writing system. Among the centers of power that emerged, the most notable were those of
Pylos,
Tiryns,
Midea in the
Peloponnese,
Orchomenos,
Thebes,
Athens in
Central Greece and
Iolcos in
Thessaly. The most prominent site was
Mycenae, in
Argolid, to which the culture of this era owes its name. Mycenaean and Mycenaean-influenced settlements also appeared in
Epirus,
Macedonia, on islands in the
Aegean Sea, on the coast of
Asia Minor, the
Levant,
Cyprus and
Italy.