article: It marks the moment when the civilised world entered the Dark Ages and some of the most spectacular societies in the world disappeared. Now one historian claims he has unraveled what may have lead to the downfall of Ancient Egypt and other Bronze Age civilisations collapse. He claims they were hit by a 'perfect storm' of disasters 3,200 years ago that left the Ancient Egyptians, the Babylonians, Minoans and Mycenians unable to cope. The Sphinx and pyramids at Giza (above) hint at the power of ancient Egyptian civilisation before it collapsed . As each of these great societies were interconnected, the collapse of one also affected the others, creating a domino-like effect, claims Professor Eric Cline, director of the Capitol Archaeological Institute at George Washington University. He claims that a series of droughts, famines, climate change, earthquakes, invasions and internal rebellions between 1225BC and 1177 BC happened in quick succession. Egypt's Old Kingdom - when most of the pyramids were built - collapsed more than 4,200 years ago because it failed to adapt to climate change, according to research. Scientists examined 7,000-year-old ancient pollen and charcoal samples from the Nile to piece together the time - and found evidence of a 'mega drought' in the the area. The droughts brought fires, famine and social unrest to the region. Pollen grains obtained from the bottom of the Sea of Galilee have also provided similar evidence that the region endured a 150 year drought between 1250BC and 1100BC. Scientists behind the study say there was a sharp decline around 1250 BCE in oaks, pines, and carob trees—the traditional flora of the Mediterranean in the Late Bronze Age. Plants usually found in semiarid desert regions increase while the number of olive trees - an important crop plant - also declined. Speaking to Haaretz, he said: 'Normally if a culture if faced with just one of these tragedies, it can survive it, but what if they all happened at once or in quick succession. 'I think that the Late Bronze Age civilisations were simply unable to weather the "perfect storm" and cam crashing down. 'The thriving economy and cultures of the late second millennium BCE, which had stretched from Greece to Egypt and Mesopotamia, suddenly ceased to exist, long-used trade routes were abandoned, along with writing systems, advanced technology, and monumental architecture.' Professor Cline sets out his arguments in his recent book '1177BC The Year Civilisation Collapsed'. The claims the events that led up to the collapse of these civilisations marked a turning point in ancient history. The demise of the powerful ancient civilisations has long been blamed on a mysterious group of seafaring raiders known as the Sea Peoples. These marauding people have been credited with having invaded and destroyed large swathes of Ancient Egypt, Hittite, Mycenian and Mitanni kingdoms around the Mediterranean. A series of battles between the Egyptians and the Sea People's are depicted on the Medinet Habu wall relief at Ramesses III's tomb on the west bank of Luxor in Egypt. The Sea Peoples, shown here fighting ancient Egyptian forces, were widely blamed for the collapse of many of the great civilisations in the Near East and Mediterranean at the end of the Bronze age 3,200 years ago . The map above shows many of the suspected invasions made by the Sea Peoples around 1200 BC . Although the Egyptians apparently managed to defeat them, the kingdom never recovered. Ugarit, a port city in ancient Syria that traded with the Hittites and Egypt was destroyed and the involvment of Sea People's is mentioned in four letters found at the site of the city. Archaeologists also point to the widespread destruction around much of the Mediterranean at the time. Many Anatolian sties show signs of violent battles and abandonment. Coastal sites at Canaan, including Gaza, Ashkelon and Ashdod, Akko and Jaffa, in Israel, were also leveled while the inland palace at Megiddo was burnt to the ground. The ancient cities of Hazor and Lachish, also in Israel, were completely destroyed and left abandoned. The tomb of Ramesses III (above) in Luxor, Egypt, features a wall relief that shows battles with the Sea Peoples . However Professor Cline says in his book that the Sea People's may have been unfairly blamed for causing the collapse of these great civilisations. Instead he says while the raids may have been a menace, there were greater forces at work. Recent analysis of pollen found in a core sample taken from the Sea of Galilee by researchers at Tel Aviv University and the University of Bonn has shown that the years between 1250BC and 1100BC were the driest the area had seen in the Bronze and Iron ages. Clay tables found in Afek in Israel, Huttusa in Turkey and Emar in Mesopotamia and Ugarit in Syria also suggest the area was hit by an unrelenting drought. Professor Cline says as each of the civilisations relied upon each other for trade, the misery of one was shared by others. Ramesses III's reign was plagued by raids by seafaring people but also coincidence with a great drought . He said: 'I would argue that the civilizations of the Mediterranean and the ancient Near East were so interconnected ... that when one collapsed, it affected the others, so that one by one they fell, like a chain of dominoes. 'The fact that similarly-intertwined civilizations collapsed just after 1200 BCE should be a warning to us; if it happened once, it can happen again.' Indeed Professor Cline warns that he can see parallels between the events that led to the downfall of those ancient societies and those occurring today. He warns that the threat posed by the Greek economy as well as the chaos in Libya, Syria, Egypt and Iraq mirror some of the situations seen at the end of the Bronze Age. However, it hard to argue that these countries now represent the dominant powers in the world. However Cline even suggests that ISIS could be the modern day equivalent of the Sea People, sparking mass migrations and destablising the lands they invade. He said: 'Even with all of our technological advancements, we are not immune.'
highlights: Historian Eric Cline at George Washington University says a series of disasters between 1225BC and 1177BC led to downfall of ancient societies .
  He argues that as they all relied on each other for trade the collapse of one society created a domino effect that resulted in the start of the Dark Ages .
  He makes the claims in his book  1177BC The Year Civilisation Collapsed .
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