There is some repetition of some facts in this half of the book as they are presented each time in context of the different involved parties or opposing theories of meaning.

Conflicts, trade, royal relationships, archeological discoveries, historical interpretations and natural events are covered in the whirlwind tour. Half of the six chapters are dedicated to setting the stage, helping the reader understand the relationships and interactions of the major kingdoms of the 3-4 hundred years preceding the collapse of the Bronze Age in this region. Cline presents an application of complexity theory to the collapse of that portion of western society wrapped around the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea and the area referred to today as the Mideast. It made the book an enjoyable, an engaging, and a most interesting read. For me personally, a 1.4x or 1.5x setting brought back the normal rising and falling of one’s voice, provided a more expected cadence of conversation. I suspect many people hard of hearing or for whom English is a second language or, in this case, people unfamiliar with the long names of peoples, places and cultures of the Bronze Age may find a slower reading to be beneficial for them to get as much as possible out of the selected book. Perhaps this is in an attempt to make the subject matter as accessible as possible for as wide as possible of an audience. I find many audiobooks are recorded at much slower than normal reading and speaking speeds. If you struggle with the performance, as some reviewers seem to have done and trashed the book’s rating because of their own personal impatience, I encourage folks to try listening at a faster playback speed than 1:1. Look past the one-star reviews: this is an enlightening and engaging read. PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. 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.

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. 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.

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.

In 1177 BC, marauding groups known only as the 'Sea Peoples' invaded Egypt. 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.

1177 B.C. by Eric H. Cline