ALPHABETICAL BRAIN™ VOCABULARY HUMANIST GALAXY OF SECULAR SCIENCE STARS ERIC CLINE September 9, 2021 1177 BC: The Year Civilization Collapsed [Series: Turning Points in Ancient History] by Eric H. Cline Princeton University Press, 2014 (i-xx, 241 pages with many maps) BOOK OUTLINE note = Numbers in parentheses refer to pages LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (xi) SERIES EDITORS FOREWORD (xiii-xiv) PREFACE (xv-xviii) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (xix-xx) PROLOGUE — THE COLLAPSE OF CIVILIZATIONS: 1177 BC (1-13) 1) ACT 1 — OF ARMS AND THE MAN: The 15th Century BC (14-42) 2) ACT 2 — AN (AEGEAN) AFFAIR TO REMEMBER: The 14th Century BC (43-72) 3) ACT 3— FIGHTING FOR GODS AND COUNTRY: The 13th Century BC (73-101) 4) ACT 4— THE END OF AN ERA: The 12th Century BC (102-138) Summation of Chapter 4 (137-138) 5) A "PERFECT STORM" OF CALAMITIES? (139-170) [1] Climate change, drought, and famine (142-147) [2] Internal rebellion (147-148) [3] (Possible) invaders and the collapse of international trade (148-152) [4] Decentralization and the rise of the private merchant (152-154) [5] Was it the sea people's and where did they go? [6] Arguments for a systems collapse (160-163) [6] A review of possibilities and complexity theory (164-170) EPILOGUE — THE AFTERMATH (171-176) What If? AFTERWARD TO THE PAPERBACK EDITION: In search of a smoking gun (177-179) Notes to the afterword to the paperback edition (177) DRAMATIS PERSONAE [Major Known Rulers Listed in Alphabetical Order] (181-184) NOTES (185-204) BIBLIOGRAPHY (205-232) INDEX (233-241) SELECTED TOPICS HIGHLIGHTED: Aegean Akhenaten Akkadian Anatolia Assyrian Aton Babylon Babylonian(s) Bronze Bronze Age Canaan Canaanite Cleopatra Collapse Crete Cypriot(s) Cyprus Dark age Drought(s) Early bronze Early iron Earthquake(s) Eastern Mediterranean Egypt Egyptians(s) Eighteenth dynasty Famine Greece Hammurabi Hatshepsut Hattusa Hebrews Hittite(s) Hittite Empire Homer Hyksos Internal rebellion Invasion Iron Age Israel Israelites Ivory Jerusalem Kassite Knossis Late Bronze Age Mediterranean Sea Megiddo Merchant(s) Merneptah Mesopotamia Minoan Mitanni Mittanian Mycenae Mycenaean Near East Nefertiti Network(s) New Kingdom Nile Delta Oil(s) Old Kingdom Olive oil Pylos Pyrrhic victory Ramses Ramses II Ramses III Ramses VI Rebellion Sea People Silver Silver Treaty Sinaranu Suppiluliuma I Suppiluliuma II Syria Thucydides Thutmose I Thutmose II Thutmose III Tiryns Tiyi Tjekker Trade Trade routes Trojan War Troy Turkey Tut, King Tutankhamen Twentieth Dynasty Tyre Ugarit Ugaritic Uluburun United States University of Chicago Upper Egypt Urtenu Valley of the Kings Wood AUTHOR NOTES, SUMMARY, AND BOOK DESCRIPTION AUTHOR NOTES = 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. SUMMARY = In 1177 BC, 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 civilization. Winner of the 2014 Award for the Best Popular Book, American Schools of Oriental Research; One of The New York Post's Best Books of 2014; Honorable Mention for the 2015 PROSE Award in Archeology & Anthropology, Association of American Publishers; One of The Federalist's Notable Books of 2015; One of The Australian's Best Books of the Year in 2014, chosen by filmmaker Bruce Beresford; and Selected as the 'Book of the Semester' Fall 2016, David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies at Brigham Young University. BOOK DESCRIPTION = 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 BC, 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 for centuries. A compelling combination of narrative and the latest scholarship, the book, 1177 BC, sheds new light on the complex simultaneous interactions 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. EDITORIAL BOOK REVIEWS LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW = The end (14th-12th century BCE) of the Late Bronze Age was a time of international commerce, politics, and war among the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Mycenaean Greeks, the Hittites, and lesser groups. However, over the span of about a hundred years, this ancient brand of globalism fell apart, and the great kingdoms collapsed, giving way to smaller polities and localized economies-the Iron Age. Traditionally, the "Sea Peoples," nomadic tribes (scarcely identified in historical data or archaeological records) were blamed for the collapse. Many recent historians have looked to other root causes: climate change, earthquakes, or internal rebellions. Cline (classics, George Washington University, known for his book, The Trojan War: A Very Short Introduction, has created an excellent, concise survey of the major players of the time, the latest archaeological developments, and the major arguments, including his own theories, regarding the nature of the collapse that fundamentally altered the area around the Mediterranean and the Near East. He assesses how, when considering the evidence of burnt remains of an ancient city, it is not so simple to determine whether it was from raiders, internal rebellion, or natural disaster. VERDICT This admirable introduction to the study of the era between the glorious past of Egypt (the Great Pyramid was already 1,500 years old) and the rise of Classical Greece (another 750 years away) will be appreciated by both generalists and classics buffs. -- Evan M. Anderson, Iowa State Univ. Library., Ames PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW = Archaeologist Cline (From Eden to Exile, 2007) looks at the downfall of the many interconnected civilizations of the Late Bronze Age. This complex, highly organized interplay was sustained for three centuries, and came to an end over a period of approximately 100 years. Cline explores a vast array of variables that could have led to the disruption of the society of this era, including earthquakes, famines, droughts, warfare, and, most notably, invasions by the "Sea Peoples." In some cases, the end was abrupt, but mostly it was highly evolved kingdoms ending not with a bang but a whimper. Cline handles the archeological evidence well, though the narrative drive is lacking. For example, early in the book he refers to the 2011 Arab Spring, making a comparison between those events and similar incidents in ancient times. Unfortunately, he does not carry the analogy far enough and the book's storyline suffers. Cline is at his best when he discusses the archives of letters found at Ugarit and Amarna. Much time is spent invoking the Sea Peoples, but the conclusion is that their role was small. Overall, Cline's work appears aimed at those who have more than a passing interest in archeology, as that record bears the heaviest influence on the whole of this story. PROFESSIONAL ENDORSEMENTS [1] This is an excellent, thought-provoking book that brings to life an era that is not well known to most readers. – Amanda H. Podany, author of "Brotherhood of Kings: How International Relations Shaped the Ancient Near East." [2] The memorable thing about Cline's book is the strangely recognizable picture he paints of this very faraway time... It was as globalized and cosmopolitan a time as any on record, albeit within a much smaller cosmos. The degree of interpenetration and of cultural sharing is astonishing. – Adam Gopnik, New Yorker [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-NY-Gopnik] [3] A fascinating look at the Late Bronze Age, proving that whether for culture, war, economic fluctuations or grappling with technological advancement, the conundrums we face are never new, but merely renewed for a modern age. – Larry Getlen, New York Post [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-NYP-Getlen] [4] Cline has created an excellent, concise survey of the major players of the time, the latest archaeological developments, and the major arguments, including his own theories, regarding the nature of the collapse that fundamentally altered the area around the Mediterranean and the Near East. – Evan M. Anderson, Library Journal [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-LibJourn-Anderson] [5] Fresh and engaging. – Andrew Robinson, Current World Archaeology [6] This enthralling book describes one of the most dramatic and mysterious processes in the history of mankind — the collapse of the Bronze Age civilizations. Cline walks us through events that transpired three millennia ago, but as we follow him on this intriguing sojourn, lurking in the back of our minds are tantalizing, perpetual questions: How can prosperous cultures disappear? Can this happen again; to us? – Israel Finkelstein, coauthor of The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts [7] 1177 BC" tells the story of one of history's greatest mysteries. Unknown invaders shattered the splendid civilizations of the Bronze Age Mediterranean in a tidal wave of fire and slaughter, before Egypt's pharaoh turned them back in a fierce battle on the banks of the Nile. We do not know who these attackers were, and perhaps we never will; but no archaeologist is better equipped to guide us through this dramatic story than Eric Cline. "1177 B.C." is the finest account to date of one of the turning points in history. – Ian Morris, author of "Why the West Rules: for Now" [8] The 12th century BCE is one of the watershed eras of world history. Empires and kingdoms that had dominated late Bronze Age western Asia and the eastern Mediterranean collapsed. – Choice [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-Choice] [9] Cline explores a vast array of variables that could have led to the disruption of the society of this era, including earthquakes, famines, droughts, warfare, and, most notably, invasions by the 'Sea Peoples.' – Publishers Weekly [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-PW] [10] A detailed but accessible synthesis. . . . It offers students and the interested lay antiquarian a sense of the rich picture that is emerging from debates among the ruins. – Scott McLemee, Inside Higher Ed [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-IHE-McLemee] [11] In this enjoyable new book, Eric H. Cline has set himself an ambitious task: not only must he educate a popular audience about the wealth and power of the eastern Mediterranean civilizations of the Bronze Age, he must then make his readers care that, some time around the year 1200 BC, these empires, kingdoms, and cities suffered a series of cataclysms from which they never recovered. – Susan Kristol, Weekly Standard [12] A wonderful example of scholarship written for the non-expert. Cline clearly pulls together the engaging story of the interactions among the major empires of the Late Bronze Age and puts forth a reasonable theory explaining why they seem to have evaporated as quickly as moisture on a hot afternoon. – Fred Reiss, San Diego Jewish World [13] Cline's work reveals eerie parallels between the geopolitics of the first years of 12th century B.C. and today's 21st century. The book reads like a good mystery novel. Cline draws readers into his tale, revealing surprises throughout. It is all the more fascinating for being true, and for its relevance to today's world. – Mark Lardas, Daily News (Galveston, TX) [14] Cline has written one of this year's most interesting books. – Jona Lendering, NRC Handelsblad [15] Extremely valuable for scholars, yet... easily understandable by general readers – Richard A. Gabriel, Military History Quarterly [16] Cline is clearly in command of the textual record and his reading of it is the book's real strength. – A. Bernard Knapp, History Today [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-HT-Knapp] [17] Written in a lively, engaging style. – Michael McGaha, Middle East Media and Book Reviews [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-MEMBR-McGaha] [18] The book is a thoughtful analysis of one of the great mysteries of human history... Highly recommended. – James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review [19] This work masterfully incorporates the present state of research into a welcome reevaluation of a period less known to the general public, the crisis of Late Bronze Age civilization... Even more brilliant is the spin on the similarities between the predicament of this area three millennia ago and now. – Barbara Cifola, American Historical Review [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-AHR-Cifola] [20] There are few published titles which focus on the tumultuous events that took place in the Eastern Mediterranean at approximately 1200 BC.. Cline's book stands out among the rest as one of the best and most thoroughly researched... This book is presented as a mystery novel... One thing is for certain, once started, you will not want to put it down. – Ancient Origins [21] A gripping mystery story with clues to follow and evidence to analyze. – SG, Ancient Egypt Magazine [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-AEM-SG] [22] Essential. – Thomas F. Bertonneau, Brussels Journal [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-BJ-Bertonneau] [23] Well-written, very fairly argued, and excellent value, it will set the agenda for Late Bronze Age studies for some time to come. – Peter Jones, Classics for All [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-CFA-Jones] [24] Fascinating... Avoids the tedium of so many academic writers. – Bruce Beresford, filmmaker [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-Beresford] [25] Eric H. Cline has written a work of great scholarship, but has written in a manner so that the non-experts... can not only understand, but also appreciate it. – Don Vincent, Open History [26] I don't know when I have appreciated a book as much as 1177 BC If you enjoy learning, you will enjoy this book! Highly recommended. – Thomas A. Timmes, UNRV History [See full review http://bit.do/Cline-UNRVH-Timmes] [27] Impressively marshaling the most recent archaeological and historical evidence, Eric Cline sets the record straight: there was a 'perfect storm' of migrations, rebellions, and climate change that resulted in the collapse of states that were already unstable in the Late Bronze Age. There followed an 'age of opportunity' for new kinds of political systems and ideologies that remade the world of the eastern Mediterranean in the first millennium BC Onward and upward with collapse! – Norman Yoffee, University of Michigan [28] Cline has written a wonderfully researched and well-crafted overview of one of the most fascinating, complex, and debated periods in the history of the ancient world. Tying together an impressively broad range of disparate data, he weaves together a very convincing re-creation of the background, mechanisms, and results of the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age in the eastern Mediterranean and beyond. – Aren Maeir, Bar-Ilan University [29] This book is a very valuable and very timely addition to the scholarship on the end of the Late Bronze Age. Cline provides a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and up-to-date treatment of one of the most dramatic and enigmatic periods in the history of the ancient world. – Trevor Bryce, author of The World of the Neo-Hittite Kingdoms: A Political and Military History [30] Cline expertly and briskly takes the reader through the power politics of the fifteenth, fourteenth, and thirteenth centuries BC with excursuses on important archaeological discoveries and introductions for each of the major players. No reader with a pulse could fail to be captivated by the details. – Dimitri Nakassis, Mouseion [31] Cline's book is something special in ancient history writing... The book is up to date in its research, covers a lot of ground, is careful in its conclusions, and will be referred to and cited by students of Aegean and eastern Mediterranean prehistory, discussed by the scholarly community, as well as read by the interested public. Cline has done a good job of bringing the Late Bronze Age eastern Mediterranean to a very wide audience. – Guy D. Middleton, American Journal of Archaeology [32] Remarkably prescient... This is a convincing case for the relevance of ancient history to the modern world. – Canadian Journal of History [33] The end of the Late Bronze Age, around the turn of the twelfth century BCE, was a civilizational collapse similar to the much better known fall of the Roman Empire seventeen centuries later... The causes of this collapse have been among the enduring mysteries of ancient history and archaeology, a complicated detective story for which Eric Cline deftly serves as guide. Cline... presents for educated general readers a survey of the evidence and scholarship concerning the end of the Late Bronze Age. He also engagingly establishes the historical and geographical context of the collapse, complete with a motley and compelling cast of characters. – Matthew A. Sears, Canadian Journal of History [34] This enthralling book describes one of the most dramatic and mysterious processes in the history of mankind--the collapse of the Bronze Age civilizations. Cline walks us through events that transpired three millennia ago, but as we follow him on this intriguing sojourn, lurking in the back of our minds are tantalizing, perpetual questions: How can prosperous cultures disappear? Can this happen again; to us? – Israel Finkelstein, coauthor of "The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts" Click or Tap Star to Return to Humanist Hub RETURN TO THE HUMANIST HUB OF SECULAR SCIENCE STARS ALPHABETICAL BRAIN™ VOCABULARY produced by Infinite Interactive Ideas™