Hunger and the Late Bronze Age Collapse (Sea Peoples)

No civilization lasts forever. In fact, it’s kind of a miracle any starts at all. The conditions must be exactly right for people to come together into urban environments. So like an overextended, teetering Jenga tower, it’s not if but when the whole system will fall, as it did again and again across history.

Come listen as we go back to explore the Neolithic, the history of Mesopotamia after Sumer, and finally the Bronze Age, to understand the riddle of why the rise of civilizations is so tied to their collapse.

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Theme music by Michael Levy of Ancient Lyre. This rendition of the Hurian Hymn, the oldest known piece of sheet music, and the whole album “An Ancient Lyre” and much more is available from all major digital music stores and streaming sites.

The rights to use this music was purchased by the history of food podcast.

[tedarcher]

Amazonian civilisation collapsed so hard it was considered a legend until recently. Some civilisations just evaporate into nothing with all hands

[greggrobinson]

Wow. Never before have I seen the history of ancient Mesopotamia so thoroughly, lucidly, and patiently explained. I can feel my own chronic cloud of confusion settling down into clearly discernible layers, and that's only a portion of what you present here. The history, the music, and the illustrations and maps are just first rate, as is the spell you weave in which the centuries just slip by. This is ancient history at its best, and I can't thank you enough.

[dorianphilotheates]

The Late Bronze Age Collapse is one of my chief areas of interest; I’m sharing this only to emphasize how well researched and presented this video is. Thank you for the great content!

[jimboAndersenReviews]

During the presentation can hear a hymn to Nikkal in the background; possibly the oldest musical piece yet found preserved. Some 3400 years and still very entertaining to listen to.

[mrdarra]

Love the way that the music playing in the background is actually the oldest melody that we have recorded from history

[jaredplaysaccordion]

51:08 "Remember: I'm not a real historian." Idk what makes a real historian a real historian but your videos are phenomenonal and even if someone isn't doing research, having all this knowledge and being able to synthesize theories and interpretations makes for great video essay content. I love the works of yours that I've seen so far

[CarloRolle]

Very interesting video, thank you for posting this. I appreciate the well structured content, the originality of giving special attention to food, the nice reading, the non invasive and well chosen music.
Among the various thought-provoking topics, I found especially stimulating the "Failure of the Neolithic Experiment", an interesting and relatively little-known subject.

[chriscodrington]

Introducing food ways to examination of the Bronze Age collapse is very helpful thank you for a fine effort

[barbararoca]

I really enjoyed your program. Your outline was logical and easy to understand. You are a born teacher. And you are a good cook!

[BroadwayJosh]

Pretty good. I really dig the time-lapsing maps.

[cyriakpapasissis]

Hello, very interesting compilation and conclusive remarks. Very beautiful maps, very informative. The letter you read was not from a citizen, but from the King of Ugarit himself, addressed to his ''Brother'', a King on Alasya, (Cyprus), begging for help. He says that his fleet was lost or missed at sea after a naval battle with the ''Sea people'' in Cilicia, and that he can see already 7 enemy ships approaching from afar.

[kuvasz]

“Revolutions are fought by those whose ribs are easily counted.”

[galland]

Well I don't know how good of a chef you are, but I can tell you that you are a pretty damn good historian ! Thank you .

[pbibbles]

I greatly appreciated the time lapse maps of controlling empires. A great visual addition to an informative video. Thank you.

[lauriegagnon]

Being thirsty is way worst than being hungry. Drives you NUTS, litterally.🤤 great vid, btw 🤗

[winxfriends]

Soldier: "I see sea people..."

Officer: *draws sword* "iseedeadpeople"

[elmersbalm]

@3:00 it’s not. Famine is very present in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia and the Sahel in general. There are countries under economic siege that are struggling to survive outside the global economy. North Korea covers to mind. We really live in a perpetual myth brought to us by propaganda and spin. Makes it easier to sleep at night at least.

Edit: fabulous content and presentation!

[davetaitt]

Diet is the root of culture, more than we realize.

[jamesmichael]

There are many people beating their heads against the wall on this topic. I began studying the topic hoping to find answers, only to find myself joining the drum line. People only adopted agriculture because they had to, and reverted to hunting and gathering when possible. Fields invited HG to steal. Thugs were hired to keep thugs out of their fields. These guards evolved into aristocrats that enslaved the farmers. Slavery is the most cost effective method to feed an urban people. Compare and contrast the offerings of Cain and Able. Obviously, God didn't like agriculture because it caused enslavement. This lesson tells us that the failure of Picket's Charge was only temporary. Look where the agri-business plantations of today are headed. We must never assume slavery cannot return.

[tonytaskforce]

We are as dependent on oil as these Bronze Age dudes were on tin. Interesting.