Today we left Athens at 815 am to travel to Mycenae the fabled home of King Agamemnon. Along the way we discussed the connection between topography and religion. We discussed how the polis and its isolation created a polythesitic culture. The relative isolation allowed for a system of gods who were feared and interacted with man. Monothesism arose in desert societies whose location allowed for a more abstract thinking. Geography also played a significant role is military history. Prime examples would be Athens V Sparta and Britain and France.
At the acropolis at Mycenae we discovered that there was an interconnection with Schliemann and the excavation here and at Troy. The tale of cyclops creating the fortifications around the Acropolis can be imagined when you see the enormity of the stones. We toured the tomb of Agamemnon and were a acutely aware of the significance of his presence and that of the fortifications and the protection it provided. Our discussion then centered around the first archeologists and their motivation.