Table Of Content1177
B.C.
turning points in ancient history
Barry Strauss, Series Editor
Turning Points in Ancient History pre sents accessible books, by
leading scholars, on crucial events and key moments in the ancient
world. The series aims at fresh interpretations of both famous
subjects and little- known ones that deserve more
attention. The books provide a narrative synthesis that
integrates literary and archaeological evidence.
1177
B.C.
the year civilization collapsed
revised and UPDATED
Eric H. Cline
prince ton university press
prince ton and oxford
Copyright © 2021 by Eric H. Cline
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Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Cline, Eric H., author.
Title: 1177 B.C. : the year civilization collapsed / Eric H. Cline. Other titles: 1177 BC
Description: Revised and updated edition. | Prince ton : Prince ton University Press, [2021] |
Series: Turning points in ancient history | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020024530 (print) | LCCN 2020024531 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780691208015 (paperback) | ISBN 9780691208022 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Bronze age— Mediterranean Region. | Mediterranean Region—
Civilization. | Mediterranean Region— History— To 476. | Sea P eoples.
Classification: LCC GN778.25 .C55 2021 (print) | LCC GN778.25 (ebook) |
DDC 937— dc23
LC rec ord available at https://l ccn. l oc. g ov/ 2 020024530
LC ebook rec ord available at https://l ccn. l oc. g ov/ 2 020024531
British Library Cataloging- in- Publication Data is available
Editorial: Rob Tempio and Matt Rohal
Production Editorial: Lauren Lepow
Text and Cover Design: Leslie Flis
Production: Danielle Amatucci
Publicity: Tyler Hubbert and Amy Stewart
Cover art: Kerstiaen de Keuninck (Coninck). Fire of Troy. Oil on panel. 58.3 × 84.8 cm.
Inv. no. GE-6780. Courtesy of The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Photo graph ©
The State Hermitage Museum / photo by Vladimir Terebenin, Leonard Kheifets,
Yuri Molodkovets.
This book has been composed in Minion Pro with Trajan display
Printed on acid- free paper. ∞
Printed in the United States of Amer i ca
1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2
Dedicated to James D. Muhly,
who has been debating t hese issues,
and introducing them to his students,
for nearly half a century
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R Contents R
List of Illustrations xi
Series Editor’s Foreword xiii
Author’s Preface to the Revised and Updated Edition xv
prologue
The Collapse of Civilizations:
1177 BC 1
chapter one
Act I. Of Arms and the Man:
The Fifteenth Century BC 13
chapter two
Act II. An (Aegean) Affair to Remember:
The Fourteenth Century BC 41
chapter three
Act III. Fighting for Gods and Country:
The Thirteenth Century BC 69
chapter four
Act IV. The End of an Era:
The Twelfth Century BC 98
chapter five
A “Perfect Storm” of Calamities? 134
chapter six
Sea P eoples, Systems Collapse, and Complexity Theory 167
epilogue
The Aftermath 181
Acknowl edgments 189
Dramatis Personae 191
Notes 197
Works Cited 223
Index 267
