Love, War, and Diplomacy: The Discovery of the Amarna Letters and the Bronze Age World They Revealed

Love, War, and Diplomacy: The Discovery of the Amarna Letters and the Bronze Age World They Revealed by Eric H. Cline

I've enjoyed other books by the author, but this one did not pique my interest. The Amarna letters were tablets that had fairly extensive historical records of an ancient civilization. They were discovered a century ago. Alas, many were destroyed as the treasure collectors tried to maximize value. The book covers the work of the people that found and translated the tablets even more than the contents. It is an interesting story of "how archeology works", but it would be much more appreciated by a niche audience.

After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations

After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations by Eric H. Cline

Many great civilizations seemed to fall away a few millennia ago. We see gaps where writing disappeared and provided little historical record. There have been some postulates for how and why the failed. It may not have been obvious to the people living at the time. There may have been some changes resulting in certain things no longer needing to be recorded. There may have been different rulers. People may have depended too much on climatic conditions and struggled when they changed. Some of the changes may just be fictions caused by our lack of understanding. The book explores civilizations and their resilience through difficult times. This can be an example for us as we struggle with things such as pandemics and climate change.  

Digging Up Armageddon: The Search for the Lost City of Solomon

Digging Up Armageddon: The Search for the Lost City of Solomon by Eric H. Cline

Eric Cline has written many other books that describe details of ancient civilizations that archeologists have discovered. In this book, he focuses instead on the archeologists themselves. The focus is on the dig for "the lost city of Solomon". The site had many layers of artifacts, some of which are still being uncovered. 

Most of the work done was done between the world wards by Rockefeller-funding groups from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago. These had plenty of problems working together. This is to be expected with people traveling across the world to spend huge amounts of time together working with others. Some people didn't get along. Others had extreme prejudices. Others were just a product of their time. Wives would often accompany the men, but did not do much work until the end. Some people just did not get along with each other. There were mixtures of local workers with out of towners. Great discoveries were made, but there were also plenty of mistakes made. The work came to an abrupt close due to World War II. The return was prevented by looting and damage to the site. 

The book was not what I had expected. It does, however provide a counterpoint to the archeology of Indiana Jones. These guys were working at the same time, but not quite the same glamor of those in the movie.

Archaeology: An Introduction to the World's Greatest Sites

Archaeology: An Introduction to the World's Greatest Sites by Eric H. Cline

In these lectures, Eric Cline explores the key archeological sites around the world, while also providing background on the day in the life of an archaeologist. Alas, life is not nearly as fun as Indiana Jones would make us think. There is a lot of scrounging for money, and then hard work out and organization out in the field.  Many people will volunteer for the interesting digs. However, you also have to deal with disturbances - often looters ancient or modern. Many techniques are used to date finds. Underwater archeology is a newer subfield that can often find insights from preserved shipwrecks. 

The course explores some of the key areas that have been studied. Ancient Egypt and Biblical Areas get the most attention. However, there are many great archeological sites in the new world also. 

Some challenges with archeology are looters. Provenance is very important for artifacts. There is also significant efforts to discourage selling and looting. 

The Modern Scholar: History of Ancient Greece

The Modern Scholar: History of Ancient Greece by Eric H. Cline

The Minoan people of Crete appear to be the first cultural Greeks. The people spread to Greece and later spread to other areas with "colonies". Turkey and Sicily all had Greek connections. Sparta and Athens were connected to different areas. Many of the stories we hear of Greece have some basis in truth. Troy was uncovered and found to have many layers. (However, we likely guessed wrong at first.) There are still a number of guesses we have made regarding ancient Greece. What new things will we discover?

Looks like I also listened to these lectures a decade ago

The Modern Scholar: The History of Ancient Israel: From the Patriarchs Through the Romans

The Modern Scholar: The History of Ancient Israel: From the Patriarchs Through the Romans by Eric H. Cline

The land of Israel has been fought over for a long millenia. In Jewish people have documented their experience extensively in the Hebrew Bible. However, there focus was on the religious message rather than the historical details. Many events occurred long before they were documented. The stories were told primarily to promote religious belief. How much can be relied on as historical fact? Scholars have been all over the place on the factuality, with some saying it is purely allegorical, while others treating it more literally. Eric Cline comes down in the middle. There may be some of both. 

We have found a few records corresponding to some events. However, it may be impossible to validate the historicity of events. The area has been built up numerous times. Some areas are also forbidden to sacred and important to be dug up by archeologists. The Dead Sea scrolls have provided some help. There may also be connections between Christianity and the "mystery religions" of Rome.

1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated): The Year Civilization Collapsed

1177 B.C. (Revised and Updated): The Year Civilization Collapsed by Eric H. Cline

In 1177, Bronze Age civilization collapsed. Why did it happen? Could it happen to us? The invasion of the "Sea Peoples" is seen as part of the initial collapse. Climate Change also impacted the ability of the society to feed itself. A few stressors are surmountable, but many together can be overwhelming.

For periods this far in the past, it can be hard to find details. Archaeological details may long be gone. Historical records are sparse. The Exodus and the Trojan War are both commemorated in works that have endured until today. There are evidences of some historicity of the events. However, the details are likely not exactly what has been recorded in the Bible and Iliad. The Biblical account has been especially difficult. There seem to be some similar events in the area, but the time frame does not match the precise time calculated from the Bible.

It is an interesting look at ancient history. There is a lot of guess work involved. Sometimes conjectures can dominate the scene for a long time, even with little proof. Finding the truth is a challenge.

A History of Ancient Greece

A History of Ancient Greece (The Modern Scholar) Course Website

This course starts with the advanced Minoan civilization living on the island of Crete. It then continues on to the Mycenians and the Trojans, before continuing to the dark ages and the more "historical" Greece. It useful in presenting this history in a concise manner with the time periods. It is interesting to contemplate the level advancement in some of the ancient civilizations and the long time periods between the falls.

The Athenian Greek eventually became a world power. Then they overstretched in their attack against Sparta and lost the empire. They remained the intellectual center of a large empire conquered by Alexander the Great. However, Athens was never again to gain the strength it had in its heyday. If not for luck against the Persians, they would never had achieved the influence. If not for overstretching against Sparta, they would not have lost it.