Collapse and Loss of Literacy in the Aegean: Colleague Eric Cline revisits the demise of the Minoans and Mycenaeans, comparing their state to a tree that appears solid but is rotted inside, collapsing when stressed by environmental factors; the segment emphasizes the total disintegration of their palatial economy and culture, noting that unlike other regions where administration continued, the Greeks lost their ability to write for centuries, with the transition from the Bronze Age Wanax to the Iron Age Basileus reflecting a complete restructuring of society.
1959