The Sea Peoples and the Late Bronze Age Collapse

Summary

Around 1200 BC, the eastern Mediterranean faced a significant cultural decline, marking the end of the Late Bronze Age. Petty kingdoms and great powers like the Hittites and Egyptians struggled to maintain stability. A coalition led by the Luviens attacked the weakened Hittite Empire, contributing to its collapse. The Greek Mycenaeans formed their own coalition, leading to the famous Trojan War. However, internal struggles weakened the Mycenaeans, leading to civil war and the eventual fall of both civilizations. This period of turmoil sparked a 'Dark Age,' where writing and long-distance trade were lost for centuries.

Takeaways

• 📉 Around 1200 BC, the eastern Mediterranean experienced a major cultural decline, marking the end of the Late Bronze Age.
• 👑 Powerful kingdoms, which had ruled the region, disappeared completely, and agriculture became the main means of subsistence for several centuries.
• 🌍 The region was divided into petty kingdoms (e.g., Syria, Greece, Crete) and great kingdoms (e.g., Egypt, Hittite Empire) that struggled with both internal and external conflicts.
• ⚔️ After 1250 BC, the balance of power between major and minor forces began to crumble, with the petty kingdoms of Western Asia Minor forming a coalition against the Hittite Empire.
• 🚤 The Luvian-speaking coalition attacked the Hittites by land and sea, and at a time of internal weakness, leading to the fall of the Hittite kingdom.
• 🔥 Raids on Cyprus and Syria by marauding tribes were recorded by Egyptian temple inscriptions as the Sea Peoples' invasions.
• 🏰 The fall of the Hittite civilization led to the destruction of temples and palaces, with the ruling class either escaping or being wiped out.
• ⛵ The Mycenaean kings of Greece formed their own coalition and launched attacks on Luvian-held port cities, eventually leading to the Trojan War.
• ⚔️ Following the fall of Troy, both coalitions disintegrated, but internal conflicts prevented the Greeks from taking advantage of their victory.
• 📜 The decline of Mycenaean kingdoms and civil war led to the collapse of aristocratic societies in Greece and Asia Minor, initiating a Dark Age where writing, trade, and administration were lost for centuries.

Q & A

What major event occurred around 1200 BC in the eastern Mediterranean?

Around 1200 BC, the countries of the eastern Mediterranean went into major cultural decline, marking the end of the Late Bronze Age. Kingdoms that had previously wielded immense power completely disappeared.

What was the primary means of subsistence for people after the fall of these kingdoms?

After the fall of these kingdoms, agriculture became the primary means of subsistence for several centuries.

How were the regions around the eastern Mediterranean politically organized during this period?

The regions around the eastern Mediterranean were either organized as petty kingdoms ruled by local chieftains (such as in Syria, Greece, Western Asia Minor, and Crete) or as great kingdoms like Egypt and the Hittite Empire in Central Asia Minor.

What caused the balance between the major and minor forces to shift after 1250 BC?

After 1250 BC, the balance between major and minor forces shifted due to internal struggles within the larger kingdoms and the formation of a coalition by the Luvian-speaking petty kingdoms in Western Asia Minor, who advanced on the weakened Hittite Empire.

What role did the Luvian-speaking kingdoms play in the decline of the Hittite Empire?

The Luvian-speaking petty kingdoms formed a coalition and attacked the Hittites, both by land and by sea. They exploited the Hittite Empire's internal struggles and received support from northern tribes, leading to the downfall of the Hittite civilization.

Who were the 'Sea Peoples,' and how are they related to the events described?

The 'Sea Peoples' were marauding tribes mentioned in Egyptian temple inscriptions. They participated in raids on Cyprus and Syria, contributing to the destruction of cities and the collapse of the Hittite Empire.

What major event took place after the destruction of the Hittite Empire?

After the destruction of the Hittite Empire, the Luvian coalition ruled over a large territory. However, the Mycenaean kings in Greece formed a coalition and launched attacks on Asia Minor, eventually leading to the Trojan War.

What was the outcome of the Trojan War, and how did it affect the Luvian coalition?

The Trojan War resulted in the fall of the city of Troy, leading to the destruction of the Luvian coalition. The territories once controlled by the coalition were left vulnerable and unprotected.

What internal challenges did the Mycenaean kings face after the Trojan War?

After the Trojan War, the Mycenaean kings returned to find that deputies had taken control of their realms. Many deputies refused to relinquish power, leading to civil war, the end of the Mycenaean era, and the collapse of aristocratic societies in Greece and Asia Minor.

What were the long-term consequences of the decline of Mycenaean and Luvian societies?

The long-term consequences included a Dark Age in Greece, where people lost knowledge of writing and administration for 400 years. Long-distance trade collapsed, and the region entered a period of social and cultural decline.