Part 8/10:
While much speculation surrounds the Sea Peoples' identity, recent studies suggest they were not mere plunderers but possibly displaced populations responding to environmental pressures. As coastal trade hubs like Ugarit fell under siege, displaced groups may have sought to migrate towards more prosperous regions, contributing to the broader collapse of existing civil structures.
The Unraveling of Civilizations
Chronologies of destruction across various Bronze Age empires reveal a simultaneous crumbling of powerful states. The Mycenaean palaces and the Egyptian military faced attacks at the hands of these maritime marauders. Each assault weakened these civilizations, paving the way for smaller city-states to rise in the aftermath of chaos.