Stryder Hellewell | 2025 I.S. Symposium

Name: Stryder Hellewell
Title: Heaven’s Own Doom: An Investigation into the Collapse of Mycenaean Greece and the Downfall of Its Sociopolitical Institutions
Major: Archeology
Advisor: Lisa Monetti

The collapse of the Mycenaean palaces, c. 1200 BC, has long been a subject of scholarly debate, with various interpretations attempting to account for the causes behind the societal breakdown and the physical destruction of the palaces. This thesis examines the collapse through the lens of Marxist archaeology, agency, and institutional archaeology, emphasizing the role of class conflict and institutions in shaping the Mycenaean collapse. It argues that the palaces, as centers of political, economic, and social organizations entrenched in hierarchical power, played a key role in perpetuating the societal hierarchy and the concentration of wealth and power. The inherent contradictions within these structures — manifested in class tensions, internal strife, and uprising against elites — are argued to be primary factors leading to their collapse. This thesis emphasizes the agency of non-elites whose exploitation of resources and labor from elites likely precipitated societal unrest. Furthermore, the role of globalization in the Mediterranean, like trade, is explored, shedding light on how interconnectedness may have played a role in the palatial decline. By applying a Marxist framework, this thesis argues that the collapse of Mycenaean palaces was largely due to the result of institutional uprising, social upheaval, and changing sociopolitical conditions driven by deep-seated class struggles and the failure of institutions as pillars of stability in the face of class conflict and systemic transformation.

Posted in Symposium 2025 on May 1, 2025.