1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated)

The Year Civilization Collapsed

By: Eric H. Cline

Narrated by: Eric H. Cline

Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

This audiobook narrated by acclaimed archaeologist and best-selling author Eric Cline offers a breathtaking account of how the collapse of an ancient civilized world ushered in the first Dark Ages.

In 1177 BC, marauding groups known only as the "Sea Peoples" invaded Egypt. The pharaoh's army and navy defeated them, but the victory so weakened Egypt that it soon slid into decline, as did most of the surrounding civilizations. Eric Cline tells the gripping story of how the end was brought about by multiple interconnected failures, ranging from invasion and revolt to earthquakes, drought, famine, and the cutting of international trade routes. Bringing to life a vibrant multicultural world, he draws a sweeping panorama of the empires of the age and shows that it may have been their very interdependence that hastened their dramatic collapse. Now revised and updated, 1177 B.C. sheds light on the complex ties that gave rise to, and eventually destroyed, the flourishing civilizations of the Late Bronze Age - and set the stage for the emergence of classical Greece and, ultimately, our world today.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2021 Eric H. Cline (P)2021 Princeton University Press

Critic Reviews

"The memorable thing about Cline's book is the strangely recognizable picture he paints of this very faraway time.... It was as globalized and cosmopolitan a time as any on record, albeit within a much smaller cosmos. The degree of interpenetration and of cultural sharing is astonishing." (Adam Gopnik, New Yorker)

"Engaging.... [An] absorbing tour of the Late Bronze Age." (Josephine Quinn, London Review of Books)

"A fascinating look at the Late Bronze Age, proving that whether for culture, war, economic fluctuations or grappling with technological advancement, the conundrums we face are never new, but merely renewed for a modern age." (Larry Getlen, New York Post)

Hardcover recommended

This content is outstanding, but the performance is very dry. Good hardcover resource for sure but not a great genre for audio.

Fascinating deep dive

The author makes his way through the interconnected Bronze Age civilizations, drawing parallels and referencing current research in very interesting and relevant ways. It is a heady topic, but Eric does well to make it interesting. I appreciate how he is scientifically careful in citing research, as some is well proven, some is hypothesis or limited studies, and some are just interesting ideas.

A journey in to antiquarianism.

History is about important events that shaped the world and great lessons that can be derived from them. This is a bit too much in the tall papyrus.