ΦTHALASSAJournal of Philosophy

An Interpretive Geography

The Ancient Aegean

Move across mainland valleys, island passages, and the western Anatolian coast to meet the communities that shared—and contested—this sea.

Ancient Aegean civilizations and citiesAn interpretive map with twelve focusable regions and twelve labeled city points. Central Greece can be enlarged with the zoom button.Aegean SeaIonian SeaMediterranean SeaMacedonThraceLydiaCariaAeolisIoniaMinoan CreteLaconiaMycenaeanGreeceCentral Greece: click to enlargePellaByzantiumSpartaKnossosEphesusMiletusHalicarnassusSardis
Bronze Age: Mycenaean Greece (c. 1600 to 1100 BCE)Bronze Age: Minoan Crete (c. 2000 to 1450 BCE)Classical regions, c. 5th century BCE

Interpretive map. Coastlines and city positions are geographically accurate; inland borders are approximate, since ancient identities and political control changed over time and rarely followed fixed lines.