6 categories
Why civilizations end
Grouping every civilization in the dataset by its primary cause of collapse, rather than by region or era, surfaces which failure modes recur across otherwise unconnected times and places.
17
Invasion or conquest
Old Babylonian Empire, Shang Dynasty, Kingdom of Kush, Phoenician City-States, …
8
Climate shift or drought
Old Kingdom Egypt, Akkadian Empire, Indus Valley Civilization, Minoan Civilization, …
6
Internal political collapse
Qin Dynasty, Maurya Empire, Roman Republic, Parthian Empire, …
4
Trade network collapse
Mycenaean Greece, Hittite Empire, Egyptian New Kingdom, Kingdom of Aksum
4
Gradual absorption
Classical Athens, Vedic Civilization, Etruscan Civilization, Jomon Culture
1
Unknown or disputed
Olmec Civilization