Episode notes
Around 1200 BC, the great civilizations of the eastern Mediterranean began to collapse. Powerful empires disappeared, cities burned, trade routes failed, and entire systems of government vanished within only a few generations.
In this episode, we explore the mysterious Bronze Age Collapse and examine how drought, famine, migration, warfare, rebellion, earthquakes, and disrupted trade may have combined into a devastating chain reaction. We also investigate the Sea Peoples, the destruction of Ugarit, the fall of the Hittite Empire, the decline of Mycenaean Greece, and the survival of Egypt.
More than an ancient mystery, the Bronze Age Collapse is a timeless warning about interconnected societies, fragile supply chains, political legitimacy, and the difference between efficiency and resilience.