The citadels
For most of the Mycenaean states, the citadels are dominated by a centrally placed megaron which seems to have been the centre of political power. The megaron was a large imposing room with a hearth at its centre, marked by four thick pillars (Fig.
12.3, the building at the centre, beside the number “8”). The throne room (on the north-west side of the courtyard; Fig. 12.2, upper left) at Knossos is diminutive by comparison. Even this is probably little more than a Mycenaean renovation of a Minoan installation: the centres of power were far clearer in the Mycenaean world. Both the texts and the archaeological evidence (bones with butchers’ marks and large quantities of pottery) confirm that many people took part in the feasts celebrated by the palace. It can be assumed that the rituals performed by the “king” or “prince” in a Mycenaean state in and around the megaron of the citadel will have been intended to serve the welfare of the entire political unit (as well as the ruling family). The hearth will thus have symbolized both the community and the royal household.
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