The term "peoples of the sea" appeared in ancient Egyptian language in the XIV century. BC e. So the inhabitants of the banks of the Nile called the strangers who lived in the west of Asia Minor and in the Balkans. These were the Tevks, Sherdans, Sheklesh and the Philistines. Some modern scholars identify them with the Greeks. They were considered the peoples of the sea because the Mediterranean Sea was located between them and the Egyptians. The term was restored and introduced into modern scientific language by the French scientist Gaston Maspero.
Bronze Age Catastrophe
In the XII century BC e. the so-called catastrophe of the Bronze Age occurred. Many ancient civilizations collapsed. Mycenaean culture remained in the past, with Aegean islands as its center . Literacy declined, former trade routes faded. In these circumstances, the peoples of the sea moved south and began to pose a serious danger to Egypt.
The hordes that left the gloomy north turned into ruins everything that came in their way. The splendor and wealth of the ancient cities attracted looters and barbarians. Order was replaced by chaos, need and impoverishment came to the place of abundance. The general fermentation caused by the migration waves led to the famous Trojan War. Her events are still known from semi-mythological and semi-real sources. If, for example, the peoples of the Baltic Sea and other inhabitants of what was then Europe are practically unknown to us, then we can judge the Egyptians and their neighbors in the Mediterranean by rich historical material.
The approach of strangers
A mortal blow by the peoples of the sea was dealt to the Hittite kingdom that existed in Anatolia. The first thing the aliens did was cut the northwestern trade routes. They moved down the Aegean coasts south along the Mediterranean coast. Along the way, another ancient kingdom was swept away, long at war with the Hittites - Artsava. His capital was the current Ephesus. Then Cilicia fell. Egypt was getting closer. Hordes of foreigners went to where the sea. Few people of Cyprus survived the invasion. After him, the island stopped the extraction of copper ore. The Bronze Age catastrophe was generally characterized by the destruction of any infrastructure. The same thing happened with Northern Syria - it was ruined.
After this, another important Hittite economic artery was cut. Their ancient capital, Hattus, weakened by isolation, was unable to repel several attacks by the ubiquitous peoples of the sea. Soon the city was burned to the ground. Archaeologists discovered its ruins only at the beginning of the 20th century. Until that moment, the once prosperous capital for many centuries was forgotten.
The Hittite Empire has been a leading power in the Middle East for 250 years. She fought a lot with Egypt for a long time. One of the diplomatic treaties of the two countries became the oldest document of this type discovered in the history of mankind. However, neither the power nor the authority of the Hittites could oppose anything to the unknown barbarians.
Meanwhile in egypt
Just a few years after the Trojan War and the fall of the Hittite power at the turn of the XIII-XII centuries. BC e. the Egyptians first encountered their new adversaries, which turned out to be the peoples of the sea. Who are they for the inhabitants of the Nile Valley? Unfamiliar hordes. The Egyptians poorly imagined strangers.
At that time, Pharaoh was Ramses III. Researchers consider him the last great Egyptian ruler of the imperial era before the arrival of the troops of Alexander of Macedon and the Hellenization of the country. Ramses belonged to the twentieth dynasty. She just like the eighteenth and nineteenth, survived its decline and apogee. At the turn of the XIII-XII centuries. BC e. its heyday came. Ramses began to reign approximately in 1185 BC. e. The main event of his reign was the invasion of the peoples of the sea.
In all ancient times, Egypt was considered the cherished goal of any conquerors. This country was tried to conquer the Persian Cambyses, Assyrian Assurbanipal, Alexander the Great, Roman Pompey. Ottoman Selim and the Frenchman Napoleon invaded there later. Torn to Egypt and the peoples of the sea. The Bronze Age was drawing to a close, and before moving on to iron, the Mediterranean had to go through many shocks. The Egyptians' war with northern strangers, driven by triumphant fervor, was one of them.
Evidence of war
The ancient history of the peoples of the sea is known to us thanks to the numerous illustrations carved in stone and historical texts preserved until the 20th century in Egyptian temples and tombs, when they were deciphered by modern archaeologists and linguists. These sources tell of the great war and the ultimate victory of Ramses III. But evidence of bloodshed in the Middle East or in Greece is almost not preserved. Only by indirect evidence did scientists conclude that the peoples of the sea destroyed not only Mycenaean culture, but also the Hittite empire, as well as many other small kingdoms.
The most amazing thing is that where the wandering conquerors passed, life seemed to disappear altogether. For example, there are no data on Greece and Crete in the period 1200-750. BC e. After the fall of Troy, the history of these lands was deleted from all evidence for several centuries. Historians have called them "dark ages." This period became the stepping stone of the transition from antiquity to classical antiquity when Hellas entered its cultural and political zenith.
Egyptian victory
In the war of the northerners against Egypt, not only the army was important, but also the ships of the peoples of the sea. The land forces of the conquerors camped in Acre. The fleet was supposed to head to the Nile Delta. Ramses was also preparing for war. He strengthened the eastern borders, where he built several new fortresses. The Egyptian fleet was distributed over the northern harbors and was waiting for the enemy. At the mouth of the Nile, “towers” were erected - unusual engineering structures, similar to which the ancient era had not yet known.
The peoples of the sea had high hopes for their fleet. At first they planned that the ships would pass through the Pelusian mouth. However, realizing his impregnability, the invaders headed the other way. Their ultimate goal, they chose another, Mendus mouth. Ships broke through the Egyptian barrier. The three thousandth landing on the shore captured the fortress located in the Nile Delta. Soon the Egyptian cavalry arrived in time. A hot battle ensued.
The invasion of the peoples of the sea on Egypt is depicted on several bas-reliefs of the era of Ramses III. The opponents of the Egyptians in a naval battle are depicted on them in crown-shaped tiaras and horned helmets. One of the bas-reliefs shows how in the wagon train the troops of the peoples of the sea were carts filled with concubines. Women were extremely unlucky to be in the thick of the war. In the image, they raise their hands, pray for mercy, and one of the girls even tries to escape, but falls.
Having captured the first fortress, the interventionists could not develop their success. Between their leaders a dispute arose about strategy. Some wanted to go to Memphis, others were waiting for reinforcements. Meanwhile, Ramses did not lose time and from the eastern borders moved across the enemy. He overtook the opponents and defeated them. Foreigners were not lucky in the sense that they captured the fortress on the banks of the Nile on the eve of the flood of the river. Because of the organized resistance and discord in their own ranks, the peoples of the sea were defeated. Armor and weapons did not help them. Ramses III confirmed his status as a great monarch and confidently ruled the country until the end of his life.
Of course, the mysterious northerners have not disappeared. Unable to cross the Egyptian border, they settled in Palestine. Some of them joined the Libyans who lived west of the land of the Pharaohs. These neighbors, along with the adventurers of the peoples of the sea, also troubled Egypt. A few years after the battle in the delta, they captured the fortress of Hacho. Ramses, and this time led the army to repel another invasion. The Libyans and their allies - immigrants from the peoples of the sea - were defeated and lost about two thousand people killed.
Greek version
The poorly studied history of the peoples of the sea still attracts researchers and historians. It was a complex conglomerate of tribes and debates and discussions continue about its exact composition. Egyptian bas-reliefs depicting these strangers are in the funeral temple of Ramses III. It is called Medinet Abu. The invaders in his drawings look very much like the Greeks. There are several more arguments in favor of the fact that the uninvited guests trying to break into Egypt were Hellenes. For example, Ramses himself called them not only the peoples of the sea, but also the peoples of the islands. This may indicate that the interventionists sailed from the Aegean islands, Crete or Cyprus.
The Greek version is opposed by the fact that the people living between the two seas are depicted by the Egyptians as beardless. This contradicts the knowledge of historians about the Hellenes. Ancient Greek men grew long beards until the 4th century. BC e. This is evidenced by including images on Mycenaean vases of that period.
Shekeles
The theory of the Greeks in the army of the peoples of the sea is controversial. But there are ethnic groups in which all historians are confident. One of them is shekesh. This people is described in many sources of Ancient Egypt during the New Kingdom. Mention of him is in such important places as the Karnak Temple and Atribis. For the first time, these graffiti appeared under the predecessor of Ramses III Merneptah, who ruled in 1213-1203. BC e.
Shekeles were allies of the Libyan princes. In Egyptian bas-reliefs, they are depicted in shells with spears, swords, darts and round shields. Shekeles sailed to Egypt on sailboats with images of bird heads on the bow and stern. In the XI century. BC e. they, together with the Philistines, settled in Palestine. Shekelesh is mentioned in the Journey of Unu-Amon, the hieratic papyrus of the 21st dynasty. Now this artifact belongs to the Pushkin Moscow Museum of Fine Arts. Shekeles traded in piracy. In Palestine, they captured the Karmal coast - a narrow coastal strip between the Carmel mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the Sharon plain.
Sherdans
Sherdans are an important part of the conglomerate that the peoples of the sea formed. Who are they? Like shekeles, these sailors were formidable pirates. Many historians consider them the ancestors of modern Sardinians. According to another version, this people of the sea was related to the Dardans - residents of Troy and the entire north-western Anatolia.
The capital of Sherdans was considered the Palestinian city of Awat, which, among other things, was mentioned in the "Book of Judges of Israel." The first information about them relates to diplomatic clay tablets belonging to the Tel El Amarna Archive, which is important for Egyptologists. This people, living between two seas, is mentioned by Rib Addi - the ruler of the city of Byblos.
Sherdans have established themselves not only as sea robbers, but also as reliable mercenaries. They began to appear in the Egyptian army during the XVIII dynasty. Ramses II defeated these strangers, after which they began to enter the service of the pharaohs even more. The mercenaries fought shoulder to shoulder with the Egyptians during their subsequent military campaigns in Palestine and Syria. Under Ramses III, the Sherdans were "split." During the most important war of the Egyptians against the peoples of the sea, some of them fought on the side of the pharaoh, and some against it. The classic Sherdan sword is long and straight. Residents of the Nile Valley used sickle-shaped blades.
Tevkry
In ancient Troy, not only dardans and sherdans lived. The Tevras were their neighbors - another people of the sea. They were not Greeks, although they knew the Greek language. Tevkri, like other sea peoples in the history of Egypt, did not belong to the Indo-European group of peoples that later occupied a dominant position in the Mediterranean. Although this is known exactly, a more detailed ethnogenesis has not been elucidated.
According to one of the unconfirmed versions, the Tevras are related to the Etruscans from Italy (it is interesting that ancient authors considered Asia Minor as the ancestral home of the Etruscans). Another theory connects the Teucuras with the Mysians. The capital of the tribe was the city of Dor, located in Palestine on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in the territory of modern Israel. For the XII century BC e. Tevkri developed this tiny settlement into a large and rich port. The city was destroyed by the Phoenicians. Only one name of the ruler of the Teucuras is known. It was a hips. Information about him is contained in the same "Journey of Unu-Amon."
Philistines
The origin of the Philistines is not exactly known. The ancestral home of this people of the sea, settled in Palestine, may be Greece or Western Asia Minor. In the Bible it is called Crete. In the temple of Ramses III, the Philistines are depicted in Aegean clothing and feather helmets. Similar drawings of the Late Bronze Age are found in Cyprus. The battle chariots of the Philistines were not distinguished by anything remarkable, but the ships differed in an unusual shape. They also had unique ceramics, as well as anthropoid sarcophagi.
The original language of the Philistines is unknown to historians. With the arrival in Israel, this people of the sea adopted the dialect of Canaan (the western part of the Fertile Crescent). Even the Philistine deities remained in the chronicles under Semitic names.
Almost all the peoples of the sea in the history of ancient Egypt remained poorly understood due to a lack of sources. The exception to this rule is the Philistines. Firstly, they were numerous due to which in ancient times several small nations were assimilated at once. Secondly, there is a lot of evidence about the Philistines (the Bible stands out especially). They did not have a centralized state. Instead, there were 5 city cities in Palestine. All of them (Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gaza, Gati), except Ekron, were conquered by the Philistines. This is evidenced by archaeological layers that do not belong to their culture. The policies were managed by the elders who made up the council. David's biblical victory over the Philistines put an end to this order.
The peoples living on the sea gradually disappeared. Even the Egyptians after the death of Ramses III entered a period of prolonged loss. The Philistines, on the contrary, continued to live in prosperity and contentment. As mentioned above, after the Bronze Age catastrophe, mankind gradually mastered iron. The Philistines were one of the first to do this. The possession of unique technologies and secrets of smelting iron daggers, swords, sickles and plow elements made them invulnerable for a long time to opponents stuck in the Bronze Age. The army of this people consisted of three bones: heavily armed infantry, archers and war chariots.
At first, the Philistine culture bore some Cretan-Mycenaean features, as they maintained stable contacts with Greece. Vividly, this relationship can be traced to the style of ceramics. Relation begins to fade after about 1150 BC. e. It was then that the Philistine ceramics acquired the first features distinct from the Mycenaean tradition. The Philistines' favorite drink was beer. During the excavations, archaeologists have found many characteristic pitchers, the peculiarity of which is a filter for barley husk. 200 years after the resettlement in Palestine, the Philistines finally lose touch with the Greek past. In their culture became more and more local Semitic and Egyptian features.
The end of the peoples of the sea
After the defeat in the war against Ramses III, the peoples of the sea settled in Palestine and completely subjugated the southern coast of Canaan. In the middle of the XII century. BC e. large cities were conquered Lachish, Megiddo, Gezer, Bethel. Under the control of the Philistines came the Jordan Valley and Lower Galilee. Cities were first destroyed, and then rebuilt in their own way - it was easier to establish power in a new place.
In the XI century BC e. Ashdod became the key center of the Philistines. It was constantly expanding and strengthening. Trade with Egypt and other neighbors was very profitable. The Philistines managed to gain a foothold in a strategically important region, where many merchants crossed. Tel-Mor appeared in Ashdod - a fortress around which the port grew.
The main enemy of the Philistines, except for the Egyptians, were Jews. Their conflict lasted several centuries. In 1066 BC e. there was a battle at Aven Jezer, during which the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant (the main relic of the Israelites). The artifact was transferred to the temple of Dagon. This deity of the people of the sea was depicted in the form of a half-half-human half-fish (it patronized agriculture and fishing). The episode with the Ark appears in the Bible. It tells us that the Philistines were punished by the Lord for their wrongdoing. In their country, a mysterious disease began - people were covered with ulcers. On the advice of the priests, the people of the sea got rid of the Ark. During another conflict with the Israelites in 770 BC. e. King of Judea Azariah declared war on the Philistines. He seized Ashdod and destroyed its fortifications.
The Philistines gradually lost territory, although they retained their culture and identity. The most terrible blow to this people was inflicted by the Assyrians who captured Palestine in the 7th century. BC e. He finally disappeared during the time of Alexander the Great. This great commander subordinated not only Palestine, but Egypt itself. As a result, both the inhabitants of the Nile Valley and the peoples of the sea underwent significant Hellenization and lost their unique national features that were characteristic of them during the notable war of Ramses III with the northern strangers.