The Bronze Age Collapse
History contains many odd footnote, but it also contains whole chapters that demand an explanation when none can be found. The unexpected end of the Bronze Age is such a chapter, seeing the sudden end of several strong civilizations. What could bring powers such as the Assyrians, Canaanites and Egyptians to their knees? The answer may be on a column in the great Egyptian city of Tanis: “They came from the sea in their warships and none could stand against them.”
The Sea Peoples, still unidentified today, are often blamed for the end of this period. They attacked coastal cities repeatedly and often won battles even though their weapons were inferior. After about 100 years of conflict, the Sea Peoples vanished when Egypt finally defeated them in 1178 B.C.
The Sea Peoples seem to have been made up of peoples from different groups, but all evidence is unclear. How did such a force gather and where did they go? Recent studies show that the Bronze Age may have ended due to droughts rather than these ancient warriors, but the mystery endures.
Language Lab
bronze n.
a hard metal that is a mixture of copper and tin:
- The statue was made of bronze and created by a famous artist.
- This young athlete won bronze for his country in his first Olympics.
bronze adj. 古銅色
having the dark reddish brown colour of bronze
- bronze hair/ bronze skin
footnote n.
a note at the bottom of the page in a book, which gives more information about something
- He put a footnote at the bottom of the page to remind himself to find more references.
a piece of additional information that is not very important but is interesting or helps you understand something
- The battle became just a footnote in history.
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