Mycenae is an ancient city in Argolis, near Mount Treton and opposite the Argolic Gulf. The archaeological site of Mycenae is located about 90 kilometers southwest of Athens, in the northeastern Peloponnese.
During the 2nd millennium BC, Mycenae was one of the major centers of Greek civilization, serving as a powerful military stronghold that dominated much of southern Greece. The period of Greek history from 1600 BC to around 1100 BC is called the "Mycenaean" era, named after Mycenae. At the height of its glory, around 1350 BC, the citadel and the lower town had a population of 30,000 and covered an area of 32 hectares.
Homer was the first to mention the city, describing it with the words "broad-streeted, rich in gold."