In 1177 BC: A Graphic History of the Year Civilization Collapsed, Eric H. Cline teams up with illustrator Glynnis Fawkes to transform one of the most compelling stories in ancient history into an engaging and accessible visual narrative. Based on Cline’s 2014 scholarly bestseller of the same name, this new version presents the complex web of Late Bronze Age societies and their simultaneous collapse in a format ideally suited to students, educators, and anyone newly curious about the ancient world. Striking the right balance between academic integrity and popular appeal, 1177 BC in graphic form makes a persuasive case for the enduring relevance of ancient history while inviting readers to think more critically about what it means when civilizations fall.
The story centres on the end of the Late Bronze Age, a period stretching from roughly 1500 to 1200 BCE during which powerful states such as Egypt, the Hittite Empire, Mycenaean Greece, and others were connected through trade, diplomacy, and war in what Cline famously describes as the first “global” age. Around 1177 BCE, this intricate system collapsed, leading to what has been called the first Dark Age. For decades, scholars have debated the reasons for this upheaval, with suggestions ranging from natural disasters and climate change to invasion, internal unrest, and systemic failure. Cline’s original contribution was to synthesize these possibilities into a multifactorial explanation, likening the collapse to a chain reaction rather than a singular cataclysm. The graphic adaptation takes that argument and renders it in vivid panels, conversational narration, and a well-structured plot line that eases the reader through what could otherwise be a bewildering series of events.
The book opens with a fictional framing device: a scribe named Sulayman, based in Ugarit, recounts the final days of his city as letters pour in describing foreign invasions, natural disasters, and failing supply chains. Though a fictional creation, Sulayman’s experiences are based on actual cuneiform tablets and archaeological discoveries from the region. His voice adds emotional depth and immediacy to the history, grounding the reader in a personal narrative that threads through the larger scholarly argument. As a device for engaging younger readers and general audiences, it is remarkably effective.
Cline and Fawkes then take us on a sweeping tour of the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean, from the court of the Pharaohs in Egypt to the palace complexes of the Mycenaeans and the bustling harbours of the Levant. Each chapter explores a different aspect of this interconnected world: diplomacy and correspondence between kings, the role of trade networks in sustaining economies, the impact of droughts and earthquakes, and the mysterious appearance of the so-called Sea Peoples. Fawkes’ illustrations bring these ancient peoples to life with warmth, colour, and an understated wit that never strays into caricature. Her art style is accessible without being simplistic, rendering architectural details, costume, and artefacts with clarity, while allowing for expressive storytelling and subtle humour.
From a pedagogical standpoint, 1177 BC: A Graphic History is a gift to teachers. It provides not only a visual introduction to a formative period in ancient history, but also a lesson in how historians work: sifting through fragmentary evidence, weighing competing theories, and acknowledging uncertainties. At several points, the narrative breaks the fourth wall to address the reader directly, as when Cline (depicted in cartoon form) appears to explain how scholars interpret Linear B tablets or how carbon dating informs archaeological timelines. These moments are handled deftly, they enhance rather than interrupt the story, and they model critical thinking in a way that invites students to ask their own questions about the past.
This is especially valuable for Classics educators seeking to broaden their curriculum beyond the traditional focus on Rome and Greece. The Bronze Age world is often sidelined in school syllabuses, despite its foundational influence on later classical cultures. With this volume, teachers can introduce students to Hittites, Canaanites, and Egyptians not as exotic footnotes but as vital players in an interconnected ancient world. The graphic format lowers the threshold of entry, allowing complex material to be digested more easily by students who might otherwise be intimidated by conventional textbooks. The presence of a strong narrative thread, embodied in Sulayman’s tale and the chronological unravelling of the Bronze Age, helps anchor the material for less confident readers, while the sidebars and source references give more advanced students ample material to explore.
Importantly, the book does not sacrifice scholarly nuance for accessibility. Cline is careful to note that no single factor caused the collapse. Rather, he presents the end of the Bronze Age as the result of a “perfect storm” of disasters, earthquakes, famines, internal rebellions, external invasions, and the breakdown of international systems. This systems-based approach not only avoids the trap of mono-causal explanations but also resonates with students living in our own globalized world, where economic shocks, environmental crises, and geopolitical tensions are similarly entangled. It also encourages productive classroom comparisons between past and present, raising questions about resilience, adaptability, and how societies respond to stress.
That said, some readers may find the book’s format to be occasionally limiting. The very features that make it accessible (short chapters, concise dialogue, and explanatory captions) can also constrain the depth of exploration. For instance, while the Sea Peoples are introduced and discussed, their origins remain necessarily vague, a reflection of the current scholarly uncertainty but also a possible source of frustration for readers expecting a clearer narrative resolution. Similarly, the role of climate change, although acknowledged, might have benefitted from a fuller treatment in visual form, especially given its contemporary resonance.
Nevertheless, these are minor limitations. The book is not designed to be a comprehensive substitute for academic monographs but rather an entry point, a spark of curiosity. As such, it succeeds admirably. For those wishing to go further, Cline provides a useful afterword that references his original work and suggests further reading. The back matter includes a timeline, glossary, and brief summaries of the major civilizations discussed, all of which enhance its utility as a classroom resource.
Glynnis Fawkes deserves special praise. Her illustrations capture the human drama of the period: refugees fleeing burning cities, merchants haggling in marketplaces, kings composing urgent letters, with economy and elegance. Her work also carries an educational sensibility: scenes are labelled, maps are clear, and cultural distinctions are preserved without becoming didactic. Her artistic choices make the ancient world feel immediate and real, without resorting to cinematic overstatement or fantasy.
In conclusion, 1177 BC: A Graphic History of the Year Civilization Collapsed is a remarkable achievement. It brings together the authority of a leading historian and the talent of a gifted illustrator to create a volume that is as intellectually stimulating as it is visually engaging. For students, it opens a window onto a lesser-known but profoundly important period of world history. For teachers, it offers a flexible and richly layered resource that can be used to support discussions of history, archaeology, historiography, and even contemporary global issues. If there is a single graphic history you bring into your classroom this year, let it be this one.
Open access
