Around 1200 BCE, several great civilisations of the eastern Mediterranean experienced dramatic decline, bringing the Late Bronze Age to an end. This course examines the archaeological and historical evidence surrounding this extraordinary period, exploring the Egyptian New Kingdom, the Hittite Empire, the Mycenaean world and the mysterious Sea Peoples. Participants will investigate competing explanations for this ancient collapse and consider its possible connections with the stories preserved in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey. Suitable for anyone interested in archaeology, ancient history and historical mysteries.
- Cline EH (2021). 1177 B.C. The Year Civilization Collapsed: Revised and Updated. Princeton University Press.
- Outline of the Late Bronze Age world of the eastern Mediterranean, emphasising the international interconnected character of the period
- The events that occurred around 1200 BC – end of the Hittite empire and Mycenaean civilisation, destruction of the city of Ugarit in Syria, and arrival of the Sea Peoples on the border of Egypt
- Theories that try and explain the end of the Late Bronze Age – natural disasters (earthquakes, drought, volcanic eruption) and resulting economic problems, uptake of new technology by armies etc
- Were the Sea Peoples driven by other events or simply opportunistic raiders?
- Characteristics of the Iron Age that emerged – weakened Egypt (drift into the Third Intermediate Period), new peoples and states (e.g. Philistines and ancient Israel)
- Possible relationship of the Greek story of the Trojan War with the end of the Late Bronze Age
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
- The international character of the Late Bronze Age, as seen by textual and archaeological evidence
- Textual records of the Sea Peoples, most prominently those at Medinet Habu in Egypt
- Theories for the end of the Late Bronze Age
- The political world of the early Iron Age
- Possible reflection of these years in the Greek stories of the Trojan War
