The Late Bronze Age Collapse: When Civilization Nearly Ended

Late Bronze Age Collapse

I explore the Late Bronze Age Collapse, a catastrophic event in the 12th century BC that shattered interconnected empires across the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. While often called an end of civilization, the reality is more complex, with some states declining slowly while others vanished entirely. We examine the archaeological evidence of destruction layers, the fragile trade networks for bronze, and the uncertain causes behind this seismic shift in human history.

"In the broader Mediterranean world, the Late Bronze Age Collapse is the event that probably comes closest to a true 'end of civilization' event – meaningfully more severe than the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West."