life in the early days of Greece

In order to understand the ancient Greeks, you have to understand what influenced their culture.  Their geography - a mountainous peninsula - sent them to the sea, and kept them from being united in their Greek-ness.  They lacked arable land, but the grapes, grain, and olives they were fortunate enough to grow were in demand with trading partners.  The Myceneans ruled, but gave way to "sea peoples" and Dorians.  More to come...!