Matt

The International System of the Bronze Age was a combination of trade and diplomatic measures enacted by states across the near east around 1550 B.C.E.   Participants in the “International System” include the major near-eastern empires and smaller states that flourished under the stability and enhanced trade opportunities of the time.   The system endured for nearly three centuries as participants realized the benefits of a largely peaceful coexistence.  The collapse of the Mycenaean world and the trade disruptions caused by the Sea People’s wave of destruction brought the “International System” to an end.

The near east of the late Bronze Age was dominated by several “super powers” – The Egyptians, Hittites, Assyrians and Kassites.  Among these titans several smaller city-states like the Ugarits and Babylos became powerful centers for trade and culture.  Important trade relationships with the Minoans and the Mycenaean empire were also intertwined in the “International System”.

The benefits of the “International System” allowed it to flourish for three centuries.  Military conflict still occurred among participants, but major participants formed treaties as they realized their civilizations would benefit more from trade than conquest.   Members became dependent on the goods imported from other states and also developed a deeper understanding of other cultures.  The system continued to expand and incorporate other cultures until it started to bring in less stable partners.

The Mycenaean world began to collapse around the end of the thirteenth century B.C.E.  The loss of this key diplomatic and trade partner occurred around the same time as the Sea People began their conquests across the near east interrupting trade and leading to the destruction of several empires.  This destruction coupled with the decline of Egypt after the loss of its key trading partners brought the “International System” of the late Bronze Age to an end.

The “International System” drove a period of relative peace from 1550 B.C.E. to around 1200 B.C.E.  The collapse of the system and the devastation that befell all of the participants showed how closely intertwined the members had become over the course of three centuries.  While several empires survived, they were a shadow of their former glory as the Iron Age began.