1177 B.C.

Eric H. Cline

In the aftermath of the Bronze Age collapse, the interconnected civilizations of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean faced invasion, famine, upheaval, and the breakdown of trade. Over the next four centuries, some societies vanished while others adapted, transformed, and laid the foundations for a new world shaped by Phoenicians, Philistines, Israelites, Neo-Hittites, and Mesopotamian empires. Tracing the emergence of ironworking, the alphabet, and other innovations through the rise of Greece and the first Olympic Games, this compelling history explores resilience, cultural transformation, and the forces that determine which civilizations survive profound shocks. It offers both a vivid account of a turbulent era and striking insights into the challenges facing interconnected societies today.