The collapse of the Bronze Age civilization in the Mediterranean area 3,200 years ago: climate change, natural disasters, water scarcity, food production crisis and weakening social governance

The Bronze Age (c. 3300 – c. 1200 BC) in the eastern Mediterranean area was a historical period characterized principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of the three-age system, following the Stone Age and preceding the Iron Age. The final decades of the Bronze Age in the Mediterranean basin are often characterized as a period of widespread societal collapse known as the Late Bronze Age collapse (c. 1200 – c. 1150 BC), although its severity and scope are debated among scholars. In this paper were analysed the possible causes of the collapse of civilization in the 1170s BC which, according to researchers, are multifaceted. Also the mysterious Sea Peoples will be discussed and the fact that bronze as a material was outcompeted by iron and iron making. The author has made an attempt to create a comprehensive picture of the events in the mid-1170s BC and the collapse consequences for humanity.