The previous cultures of the Greek mainland had not developed such extensive international contacts so that chronological comparisons could be made with other known cultures. Conversely, the intensive commercial and diplomatic contacts of the Mycenaeans with the world of the East create a wide network of interactions which facilitates the comparative or relative chronology among the Late Bronze Age cultures. The most important benefit of the international exchange is the connection of Mycenaean culture with the sources of the historic or absolute chronology, which are the Egyptian sources and the archives of the Hittite Empire. The Mycenaeans and their cities are not mentioned in these sources since it is doubtful whether they had a common name, but they are often identified with peoples which took action at the end of the 2nd millenium BC.

In Asia Minor it was the Hittites that ruled in the course of the second millenium BC. Their seat was Hattusa, in the area of the Agis river. Hittite documents from 1300 BC refer to the state of a people which lived "beyond the sea" and had powerful marine forces. Many researchers identify this people with the Mycenaeans, while their name is considered as an indirect reference to the "Achaeans" of Homer. The Hittites had developed such good relations with the people "beyond the sea", that the Hittite ruler called their king "brother". Many researchers believe that the references to the country of the people beyond the sea indicate not a small area of the Mycenaean territory but the entire Peloponnese. In 1330 BC the Hittites conquered the whole south Asia Minor and intended to expand southwards. The Egyptians under Ramses II confronted the Hittites in the battle of Kadesh in 1285 BC which ended in a peace treaty. The long period of peace which followed favoured in particular the Mycenaean navigation since travelling on sea routes had now become safe.

After 1230 BC the Hittite kingdom faces internal problems in northwestern Asia Minor because of the revolts of the alliance of the Assuwa towns. In the course of this period in which the influence of the Hittites has weakened, the Mycenaeans penetrate the region. The extent of their penetration is revealed by the considerable deposits of Mycenaean pottery in the city of Troy which ceases abruptly in the phase Troy VIh. This change along with the definitive destruction of Troy which followed were the reasons for which most historians place the Trojan war in this period, that is to say about 1200 BC. Despite the fact that the Trojan war is not proved by historical evidence, we can at least assume that the Homeric epics refer to expeditions of the Mycenaeans to Asia Minor which took place about the end of the 13th century BC.

The Mycenaean culture is connected chronologically with the Egyptian culture mainly because of the sporadic imports of Egyptian scarabs found in Mycenaean and Late Minoan graves. According to the Egyptian sources, the beginning of the Mycenaean period dates from roughly 1550 BC and coincides with the end of the second phase of the Hyskos dynasty. The Mycenaeans seem to be connected to the "sea people" which, according to the Egyptian sources of the Ramses III kingship, were involved in pirate raids in the regions of the Mediterranean while around 1300 BC they had become particularly dangerous. These people which may included Mycenaean races are considered to have played an important role in the disruption of the Mycenaean kingships. The Mycenaeans are also connected to the Philistines -referred to as Pelesta in the Egyptian sources-, a people which took action in the region of Palestine and is believed to have assimilated numerous Mycenaean traits.

Thebes, Neo Kadmeio.
Cylinder seals of eastern origin.