Storiascopio · Era 3 of 12 · primary year 4
The Bronze Age collapse
about 1200 BC · Eastern Mediterranean (Ugarit, now Syria)
In short
Around 1200 BC many kingdoms of the eastern Mediterranean fell into crisis within a few decades. The Hittite Empire vanished, the Mycenaean palaces in Greece were abandoned and the city of Ugarit, in Syria, was destroyed. There were probably many causes at once: droughts, famines, earthquakes, revolts and attacks by the so-called ‘Sea Peoples’. Egypt held out, but came out weakened.
Why it matters It shows how even rich, well-connected civilisations can collapse when problems all arrive at once.
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Sea Peoples”
Where we are in the era “River civilisations”
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about 4000 BCEvent 25 of 25about 1200 BC
Your turn
Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________
When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:
Tell it in your own words: what happened?
Draw the scene below.
storiascopio.com/en/event/the-bronze-age-collapse/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class