Sea Peoples

  • The ‘Sea Peoples’ was a term used by the Egyptian Pharaohs to describe an alliance of Sea Raiders who performed a powerful series of naval attacks on Egypt, Asia Minor, and the Levant during a hundred year period between 1276-1178 BCE.
  • The origin of the Sea Peoples is unknown and after 1178 BCE they are never mentioned again by Egyptian sources.

Wars against the Levant

  • The Sea Peoples destroyed Ugarit (c.1190 BCE) and Arwad (c,1200 BCE) in the Levant.
  • The Sea Peoples ravaged the eastern Mediterranean.

Wars against Tyre

  • In c. 1200 BCE Tyre was attacked by the Sea Peoples, using swords and weapons made of steel not Bronze.
  • Tyre had to be rebuilt.

Wars against the Hittite Empire

  • The Sea Peoples are also recorded by the Egyptians as attacking the Hittite Empire.
  • The capital Hattusa, fell around 1207 BCE, although the reason is not recorded.

Fall of the Minoan Civilisation

  • The Minoan Civilisation based on Crete also ended some time between 1300-1100 BCE. The reason is not recorded.

Sea Peoples Wars against the Egyptian Pharoahs (1274-1178 BCE)

  • Ramesses II (1279-1213 BCE)
    • 1274 BCE Battle of Kadesh. Rameses II first mentions the Sea Peoples as being allies of the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BCE).
    • Rameses II then later defeats the Sea Peoples in a naval battle.
  • Merneptah (1213-1203 BCE)
    • Merneptah defeated an alliance of the Sea Peoples and the Libyans in a land battle at Pi-yer.
    • He was the thirteenth son of Rameses II.
    • Merneptah is considered to be the Pharaoh of the Exodus as described in The Bible.
  • Ramesses III (1186-1155 BCE)
    • 1190 BCE Ugarit was destroyed by the Sea Peoples.
    • 1187 BCE Rameses III records the destruction of Kadesh by the Sea Peoples.
    • 1180 BCE He records an invasion of the Nile Delta where they were repulsed.
    • In 1178 BCE, Rameses III finally defeats the Sea Peoples and their ships are burnt by archers using flaming arrows, off the city of Xois.

End of the Sea Peoples

  • After 1178 BCE, the Sea Peoples are never mentioned again by Egyptian sources.

 

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