1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated) cover art

1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated)

The Year Civilization Collapsed

 Preview
Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated)

By: Eric H. Cline
Narrated by: Eric H. Cline
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $16.99

Buy Now for $16.99

About this listen

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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Eric H. Cline (P)2021 Princeton University Press Ancient Archaeology Civilisation World Middle East Ancient History Africa Imperialism

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)
All stars
Most relevant  
Great to read. Easy to follow. Unfortunately not the best in this category. For those searching for a quick easy way through the complex period BC, this is for you. For the rest, read it, enjoy and move onto more interesting text.

The rise and fall: Two millenniums BC.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I am not a scholar, I found the narrative very easy to follow.
The author reads his own work, I feel he does a great job.

Great for beginners

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It provides a detailed analysis of the possible causes of the collapse. More importantly it provides colour as to what life must have been like during the Bronze Age. If you like ancient history I recommend you listen to this audiobook.

Great read

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book is an excellent summary of the academic work around the end of the Bronze Age told with authority and some style. While Eric’s delivery can sometimes seem a little stilted, that merely underlines the careful consideration that has gone into his words. Excellent.

World changing book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great relevance to modern people’s, as well as most interesting to anyone I
Needing themselves in history.

Most interesting book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It's like listening to a child learning to read. Phrasing and inflection is so wildly and unacceptably random and each word spoken lacks all context .

The book is fine, not that it helps

Ruined entirely by Narrator

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.