The Late Bronze Age Collapse

Between roughly 1200 and 1150 BCE, the interconnected world of the Late Bronze Age simply falls apart. The Hittite Empire is destroyed. Mycenaean palaces are burned. Egyptian power retreats to the Nile Valley. Cities across Syria, Canaan, and Cyprus are abandoned or destroyed. The causes likely include climate change, famine, internal revolts, disrupted trade networks, and the invasions of the mysterious 'Sea Peoples.' Out of this chaos, new peoples and kingdoms emerge — including Israel.