Analyzing International Diplomacy and Maritime Trade Network in the Late Bronze Age

This paper looks at the growth and complexity of maritime trade networks during the Late Bronze Age (c. 1500–1200 BCE). It focuses on the connected economies of the Ancient Near East, the Aegean world, including the Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations, and Ancient Egypt. It examines how seaborne trade allowed the exchange of goods like copper, tin, and luxury items. It also shows how this trade helped build diplomatic relations among major powers, as seen in sources like the Amarna letters. The study looks at how these trade networks contributed to political stability, economic ties, and early forms of international diplomacy. It also considers how the breakdown of these systems may have played a part in the larger collapse at the end of the Late Bronze Age. This research combines archaeological findings, textual evidence, and modern historical interpretations. It aims to provide a clear understanding of how maritime trade shaped Late Bronze Age civilizations.