Schoolcraft​ ​College

Sea​ ​People

​ ​Michael​ ​Tucker

History​ ​134

Professor​ ​Thomson

10​ ​October​ ​2017

 The​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​were​ ​a​ ​group​ ​of​ ​naval​ ​brutes​ ​who​ ​raided,​ ​raped,​ ​and​ ​pillaged​ ​the​ ​coast​ ​of

the​ ​Mediterranean​ ​region​ ​between​ ​1276-1178​ ​BCE,​ ​focusing​ ​specifically​ ​on​ ​Egypt.​ ​Pirates​ ​of​ ​a

different​ ​time,​ ​it​ ​would​ ​seem​ ​that​ ​groups​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​have​ ​always​ ​been​ ​around.​ ​In

early​ ​Great​ ​Britain,​ ​pirates​ ​ran​ ​wild​ ​wreaking​ ​havoc​ ​around​ ​the​ ​seas.​ ​Even​ ​earlier​ ​Great​ ​Britain

struggled​ ​with​ ​a​ ​group​ ​by​ ​the​ ​name​ ​of​ ​Vikings,​ ​sailing​ ​to​ ​their​ ​shores​ ​and​ ​raiding​ ​their​ ​towns​ ​and

villages.​ ​In​ ​an​ ​old​ ​Norse​ ​language​ ​Viking​ ​means,​ ​“pirate​ ​raid.”​ ​Even​ ​on​ ​the​ ​coast​ ​of​ ​Africa​ ​in

2017,​ ​pirates​ ​are​ ​still​ ​a​ ​threat​ ​to​ ​commercial​ ​ships​ ​passing​ ​on​ ​route.​ ​So,​ ​what​ ​differentiates​ ​the

Sea​ ​Peoples​ ​from​ ​these​ ​other​ ​brutal​ ​groups?​ ​Their​ ​aura​ ​of​ ​mystery.

Even​ ​today,​ ​nobody​ ​is​ ​quite​ ​certain​ ​where​ ​these​ ​mysterious​ ​warriors​ ​originate.​ ​Their

nationality​ ​is​ ​unknown​ ​because​ ​they​ ​are​ ​only​ ​mentioned​ ​in​ ​Egyptian​ ​sources,​ ​as​ ​they​ ​describe

them​ ​only​ ​in​ ​battle​ ​and​ ​not​ ​in​ ​culture.​ ​They​ ​were​ ​described​ ​to​ ​be​ ​unstoppable​ ​warriors​ ​who

would​ ​emerge​ ​from​ ​the​ ​water​ ​in​ ​large​ ​war​ ​ships​ ​and​ ​fearlessly​ ​walk​ ​into​ ​battle.​ ​(Joshua​ ​Mark)

Furthermore,​ ​they​ ​were​ ​described​ ​as​ ​a​ ​large​ ​people​ ​who​ ​were​ ​too​ ​difficult​ ​for​ ​the​ ​villagers​ ​to

fight​ ​because​ ​of​ ​their​ ​size​ ​and​ ​strength.​ ​Yet​ ​still,​ ​they​ ​are​ ​not​ ​any​ ​documented​ ​race​ ​or​ ​nationality.

We​ ​do​ ​know​ ​their​ ​tribes​ ​as​ ​described​ ​by​ ​Egyptian​ ​records,​ ​Sherden,​ ​the​ ​Sheklesh,​ ​Lukka,​ ​Tursha

and​ ​Akawasha.​ ​(Cheyenne​ ​Macdonald)​ ​Any​ ​statement​ ​of​ ​where​ ​they​ ​originate​ ​is​ ​more​ ​of​ ​an

argument.​ ​The​ ​debate​ ​still​ ​rages​ ​as​ ​there​ ​have​ ​been​ ​many​ ​plausible​ ​theories.​ ​The​ ​most​ ​common

theories​ ​of​ ​which​ ​they​ ​originate​ ​are​​ ​Etruscan​/Trojan​ ​to​ ​Italian,​ ​Philistine,​ ​Mycenaen​ ​and​ ​even

Minoan​.​ ​(Cheyenne​ ​Macdonald)

The​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​were​ ​such​ ​a​ ​strong​ ​group​ ​of​ ​people​ ​that​ ​defeat​ ​did​ ​not​ ​come​ ​easily​ ​and​ ​it

was​ ​a​ ​notable​ ​victory​ ​for​ ​any​ ​who​ ​could​ ​fight​ ​them​ ​off.​ ​Aside​ ​from​ ​Egypt,​ ​where​ ​they​ ​focused

many​ ​of​ ​their​ ​raids,​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​attacked​ ​many​ ​other​ ​cities​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Levant,​ ​Ugarit,
Kadesh,​ ​and​ ​of​ ​course​ ​the​ ​Hittite.​ ​In​ ​fact,​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​Peoples​ ​were​ ​directly​ ​responsible​ ​for

destroying​ ​Kadesh​ ​and​ ​Ugarit.​ ​(Joshua​ ​Mark)​ ​After​ ​constant​ ​raids​ ​on​ ​Kadesh,​ ​they​ ​were​ ​finally

successful​ ​in​ ​ransacking​ ​and​ ​nearly​ ​vanishing​ ​the​ ​great​ ​trading​ ​city​ ​from​ ​history.​ ​Additionally​ ​to

Kadesh​ ​and​ ​the​ ​others,​ ​the​ ​constant​ ​raids​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Haittites​ ​weakened​ ​their​ ​armies​ ​to​ ​the​ ​point

where​ ​they​ ​could​ ​ultimately​ ​be​ ​conquered​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Assyrians.​ ​Due​ ​to​ ​their​ ​power​ ​in​ ​battle,​ ​the​ ​Sea

Peoples’​ ​defeats​ ​were​ ​of​ ​pride​ ​to​ ​their​ ​enemies.​ ​In​ ​fact,​ ​there​ ​were​ ​only​ ​three​ ​Egyptian​ ​Pharaohs

that​ ​had​ ​victories​ ​over​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​Peoples.​ ​The​ ​three​ ​great​ ​Pharaohs:​ ​Ramesses​ ​II,​ ​Merenptah,​ ​and

Ramesses​ ​III​ ​respectively​ ​held​ ​their​ ​victories​ ​in​ ​high​ ​regard.​ ​(Evan​ ​Andrews)​ ​The

documentations​ ​of​ ​these​ ​victories​ ​provide​ ​us​ ​today​ ​with​ ​some​ ​of​ ​the​ ​best​ ​descriptions​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Sea

Peoples​ ​and​ ​their​ ​allies.

Ramesses​ ​II​ ​first​ ​encountered​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​Peoples​ ​early​ ​in​ ​his​ ​reign​ ​when​ ​the​ ​Hittites​ ​took​ ​the

city​ ​of​ ​Kadesh​ ​with​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​in​ ​his​ ​army.​ ​Countering​ ​the​ ​attack,​ ​Ramesses​ ​took​ ​an​ ​army​ ​of​ ​his

own,​ ​in​ ​it​ ​were​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​to​ ​fight​ ​for​ ​him.​ ​They​ ​took​ ​the​ ​city​ ​back​ ​and​ ​drove​ ​the​ ​invaders​ ​out.

In​ ​the​ ​documentation​ ​of​ ​the​ ​events​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​were​ ​not​ ​described​ ​in​ ​their​ ​origin.​ ​Meaning

that​ ​the​ ​audience​ ​already​ ​knew​ ​where​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​had​ ​come​ ​from.​ ​Later​ ​in​ ​his​ ​reign

Ramesses​ ​also​ ​experienced​ ​victory​ ​over​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​when​ ​they​ ​had​ ​come​ ​for​ ​a​ ​raid​ ​down​ ​the

Nile​ ​River.​ ​With​ ​expert​ ​strategy,​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​were​ ​defeated,​ ​flanked​ ​from​ ​all​ ​sides​ ​in​ ​a​ ​quick

naval​ ​battle.​ ​Most​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​Peoples​ ​who​ ​survived​ ​were​ ​plunged​ ​into​ ​the​ ​ranks​ ​of​ ​Ramesses

army.​ ​(Sanford​ ​Holst)

In​ ​Merenptah’s​ ​encounter​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​Peoples​ ​had​ ​a​ ​different​ ​plan.​ ​They​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​make

home​ ​for​ ​themselves​ ​in​ ​Egypt.​ ​They​ ​brought​ ​things​ ​to​ ​build​ ​with​ ​and​ ​home​ ​supplies.​ ​(Sanford

Holst)​ ​They​ ​were​ ​allied​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Libyans​ ​to​ ​invade​ ​the​ ​Nile​ ​Delta.​ ​Merenptah​ ​with,​ ​great​ ​prayer
and​ ​thought,​ ​decided​ ​that​ ​he​ ​was​ ​going​ ​to​ ​take​ ​every​ ​tactical​ ​strategy​ ​at​ ​his​ ​disposal​ ​and​ ​meet​ ​the

invaders​ ​in​ ​open​ ​battle.​ ​With​ ​his​ ​overwhelming​ ​power,​ ​they​ ​defeated​ ​the​ ​“Nine​ ​Bows”​ ​as​ ​they

referred​ ​to​ ​the​ ​invading​ ​army.​ ​(Evan​ ​Andrews)​ ​Merenptah​ ​was​ ​so​ ​proud​ ​of​ ​his​ ​victory​ ​he​ ​had​ ​it

carved​ ​into​ ​his​ ​temple​ ​and​ ​into​ ​history.​ ​He​ ​thought​ ​that​ ​with​ ​this​ ​victory​ ​he​ ​had​ ​paved​ ​the​ ​way

for​ ​Egypt’s​ ​future,​ ​however​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​would​ ​return​ ​again.

Finally,​ ​the​ ​third​ ​Pharaoh,​ ​Ramesses​ ​III​ ​has​ ​the​ ​final​ ​encounter​ ​with​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People.​ ​They

had​ ​sacked​ ​and​ ​destroyed​ ​the​ ​crucial​ ​trading​ ​center​ ​of​ ​Kadesh​ ​and​ ​were​ ​quickly​ ​approaching

Egypt​ ​by​ ​sea.​ ​Rather​ ​than​ ​fight​ ​the​ ​great​ ​warriors​ ​in​ ​open​ ​battle​ ​as​ ​his​ ​predecessor,​ ​Ramesses​ ​III

decided​ ​to​ ​use​ ​guerrilla​ ​warfare.​ ​He​ ​lined​ ​the​ ​forest​ ​surrounding​ ​the​ ​river​ ​with​ ​archers.​ ​At​ ​his

command,​ ​they​ ​rained​ ​down​ ​fire​ ​on​ ​the​ ​ships-​ ​neutralizing​ ​the​ ​crew,​ ​and​ ​heavily​ ​weakening​ ​the

soon-to-come​ ​land​ ​invasion.​ ​(Evan​ ​Andrews)​ ​Finally,​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​launched​ ​an​ ​attack​ ​on​ ​the

city​ ​of​ ​Xois​ ​in​ ​1187​ ​B.C​ ​in​ ​which​ ​Ramesses​ ​handedly​ ​defeated​ ​his​ ​opponents.​ ​Again,​ ​the

surviving​ ​invaders​ ​were​ ​sold​ ​as​ ​slaves​ ​or​ ​thrown​ ​into​ ​the​ ​Egyptian​ ​army.​ ​Rather​ ​than​ ​being

showered​ ​in​ ​glory​ ​this​ ​lead​ ​Ramesses​ ​III​ ​to​ ​have​ ​the​ ​first​ ​ever​ ​labor​ ​strike.​ ​The​ ​war​ ​had​ ​cost​ ​him

so​ ​much​ ​money​ ​the​ ​laborers​ ​were​ ​not​ ​being​ ​payed​ ​in​ ​full,​ ​leaving​ ​Ramesses​ ​III​ ​with​ ​a​ ​mess​ ​to

clean​ ​up.​ ​(Evan​ ​Andrews)

Just​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​came,​ ​they​ ​left-​ ​in​ ​mystery.​ ​Following​ ​their​ ​final​ ​defeat,​ ​they​ ​are

completely​ ​erased​ ​from​ ​history.​ ​Just​ ​as​ ​Merenptah​ ​had​ ​thought​ ​that​ ​he​ ​had​ ​finished​ ​the​ ​Sea

People,​ ​and​ ​his​ ​predecessor​ ​too,​ ​Ramesses​ ​III​ ​actually​ ​did​ ​complete​ ​the​ ​task.​ ​Whether​ ​these

brutal​ ​barbarians​ ​simply​ ​died​ ​off​ ​or​ ​blended​ ​themselves​ ​into​ ​Egyptian​ ​culture,​ ​nobody​ ​knows.​ ​As

one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​most​ ​interesting​ ​groups​ ​of​ ​people​ ​in​ ​the​ ​history​ ​of​ ​time,​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​disappeared​ ​in

mystery.​ ​The​ ​most​ ​feared​ ​pirates​ ​in​ ​their​ ​time,​ ​just​ ​as​ ​all​ ​the​ ​others,​ ​faded​ ​into​ ​civilization.
 Works​ ​Cited

Dailymail.com,​ ​Cheyenne​ ​Macdonald​ ​For.​ ​“Mysterious​ ​Civilization​ ​of​ ​'Sea​ ​Peoples'​ ​Were
Wiped​ ​out​ ​by​ ​'World​ ​War​ ​Zero'​ ​3,000​ ​Years​ ​Ago​ ​.”​ ​Daily​ ​Mail​ ​Online​,​ ​Associated​ ​Newspapers,
13​ ​May​ ​2016,
www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3587701/Mysterious-civilisation-Sea-Peoples-wiped-w
orld-war-zero-according-new-study.html.​ ​This​ ​website​ ​explained​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​how​ ​mysterious​ ​this
civilization.​ ​It​ ​took​ ​a​ ​deeper​ ​look​ ​into​ ​the​ ​origin​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​Peoples.​ ​Additionally​ ​it​ ​showed​ ​what
their​ ​impact​ ​on​ ​history​ ​was.​ ​What​ ​happened​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​was​ ​a​ ​partial​ ​focus​ ​of​ ​this
piece.

Mark,​ ​Joshua​ ​J.​ ​“Sea​ ​Peoples.”​ ​Ancient​ ​History​ ​Encyclopedia​,​ ​Ancient​ ​History​ ​Encyclopedia,​ ​2
Sept.​ ​2009,​ ​www.ancient.eu/Sea_Peoples/.​ ​This​ ​piece​ ​was​ ​the​ ​first​ ​I​ ​saw​ ​and​ ​gave​ ​a​ ​great
general​ ​overview​ ​of​ ​what​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People​ ​did,​ ​who​ ​they​ ​were,​ ​and​ ​how​ ​they​ ​vanished​ ​into​ ​thin
air.

Holst,​ ​Sanford.​ ​“Sea​ ​People​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Phoenicians:​ ​A​ ​Critical​ ​Turning​ ​Point​ ​in​ ​History​ ​.”​ ​Sea
Peoples​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Phoenicians​,​ ​The​ ​Phoenicians​ ​Experience​ ​,​ ​28​ ​June​ ​2005,
www.phoenician.org/sea_peoples.htm.​ ​With​ ​this​ ​source,​ ​it​ ​told​ ​me​ ​nothing​ ​very​ ​new​ ​in
particular,​ ​however​ ​it​ ​does​ ​provide​ ​a​ ​vast​ ​amount​ ​of​ ​practical​ ​theories​ ​and​ ​ideas​ ​of​ ​who​ ​the​ ​Sea
People​ ​may​ ​have​ ​been​ ​and​ ​how​ ​they​ ​would​ ​have​ ​lived.

Andrews,​ ​Evan.​ ​“Who​ ​Were​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​Peoples?”​ ​History.com​,​ ​A&E​ ​Television​ ​Networks,​ ​2​ ​June
2017,​ ​www.history.com/news/ask-history/who-were-the-sea-peoples.​ ​This​ ​source​ ​told​ ​me​ ​more
of​ ​the​ ​same,​ ​but​ ​what​ ​made​ ​it​ ​stand​ ​out​ ​more​ ​so​ ​that​ ​others​ ​was​ ​its​ ​look​ ​into​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​the
rulers​ ​of​ ​Egypt​ ​who​ ​defeated​ ​the​ ​Sea​ ​People.