1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed: Revised and Updated

Eric H. Cline

Feb 2021 · Princeton University Press

About this ebook

A bold reassessment of what caused the Late Bronze Age collapse

In 1177 B.C., marauding groups known only as the "Sea Peoples" invaded Egypt. The pharaoh's army and navy managed to defeat them, but the victory so weakened Egypt that it soon slid into decline, as did most of the surrounding civilizations. After centuries of brilliance, the civilized world of the Bronze Age came to an abrupt and cataclysmic end. Kingdoms fell like dominoes over the course of just a few decades. No more Minoans or Mycenaeans. No more Trojans, Hittites, or Babylonians. The thriving economy and cultures of the late second millennium B.C., which had stretched from Greece to Egypt and Mesopotamia, suddenly ceased to exist, along with writing systems, technology, and monumental architecture. But the Sea Peoples alone could not have caused such widespread breakdown. How did it happen?

In this major new account of the causes of this "First Dark Ages," 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, and the cutting of international trade routes. Bringing to life the vibrant multicultural world of these great civilizations, he draws a sweeping panorama of the empires and globalized peoples of the Late Bronze Age and shows that it was their very interdependence that hastened their dramatic collapse and ushered in a dark age that lasted centuries.

A compelling combination of narrative and the latest scholarship, 1177 B.C. sheds new light on the complex ties that gave rise to, and ultimately destroyed, the flourishing civilizations of the Late Bronze Age—and that set the stage for the emergence of classical Greece.

Ratings and reviews

As the first book, the author ends up without a specific conclusion on the causes of the bronze age collapse. Even, the author down plays the sea peoples as the main factor of the collapse. Even worst, the book's title is based on one of the attacks dates from the sea peoples against Egypt. In other sources the author mentioned that the title of this book was kind of forced and published not exactly the date that the author wanted to be published.The author combines many different works and contributions from other different scholars trying to integrate a wholesome vision of the collapse, unfortunately and despite authors efforts, to me the author is unsuccessful. For me trying to project the bronze age collapse to the modern situation even in the middle of a world pandemic doesn't add up, it is competely different time. For me the relevance of the Minoans and Myceneans fall was not enough explored, for me the fall of Minoans is crucial in the understanding of the bronze age collapse.

About the author

Eric H. Cline is professor of classics and anthropology and director of the Capitol Archaeological Institute at George Washington University. An active archaeologist, he has excavated and surveyed in Greece, Crete, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, and Jordan. His many books include From Eden to Exile: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Bible and The Trojan War: A Very Short Introduction. Twitter @digkabri