1177 B.C. : The Year Civilization Collapsed

Revised and Updated

Paperback, 304 pages

English language

Published Feb. 2, 2021 by Princeton University Press.

ISBN:
978-0-691-20801-5
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4 stars (7 reviews)

From acclaimed archaeologist and bestselling author Eric Cline, a breathtaking account of how the collapse of an ancient civilized world ushered in the first Dark Ages

In 1177 B.C., marauding groups known only as the "Sea Peoples" invaded Egypt. The pharaoh's army and navy defeated them, but the victory so weakened Egypt that it soon slid into decline, as did most of the surrounding civilizations. Eric Cline tells the gripping story of how the end was brought about by multiple interconnected failures, ranging from invasion and revolt to earthquakes, drought, famine, and the cutting of international trade routes. Bringing to life a vibrant multicultural world, he draws a sweeping panorama of the empires of the age and shows that it may have been their very interdependence that hastened their dramatic collapse. Now revised and updated, 1177 B.C. sheds light on the complex ties that gave rise to, and eventually destroyed, …

2 editions

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4 stars

I've always been told that the Bronze Age Collapse was shrouded in mystery and then the lesson would move on to the Iron Age. This book does a great job peeling back those layers of mystery and letting us know about the surprisingly interlaced cultures and economies of the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian world.

Unsurprisingly, the best estimate of why trade networks and palaces suddenly disappeared would be multifactoral. The author explores all these factors along with the archeological evidence to support them. You can probably guess that the story can get dry at times, bogged down in artifacts and writing. But this book puts together an engaging story that has significant relevance for the present day.

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