Sea Peoples of the Bronze Age Mediterranean c.1400 BC–1000 BC

Osprey Elite #204

by Raffaele D'Amato, Andrea Salimbeti

Sea Peoples of the Bronze Age and Mediterranean features the latest historical and archaeological research into the mysterious and powerful confederations of raiders who troubled the Eastern Mediterranean in the last half of the Bronze Age. Research into the origins of the so-called Shardana, Shekelesh, Danuna, Lukka, Peleset and other peoples is a detective 'work in progress'. However, it is known that they both provided the Egyptian pharaohs with mercenaries, and were listed among Egypt's enemies and invaders. They contributed to the collapse of several civilizations through their dreaded piracy and raids, and their waves of attacks were followed by major migrations that changed the face of this region, from modern Libya and Cyprus to the Aegean, mainland Greece, Lebanon and Anatolian Turkey. Drawing on carved inscriptions and papyrus documents - mainly from Egypt - dating from the 15th-11th centuries BC, as well as carved reliefs of Medinet Habu, this title reconstructs the formidable appearance and even the tactics of the famous 'Sea Peoples'.

Genres: History, Ancient History, Nonfiction, Military Fiction

64 pages, Paperback

First published February 17, 2015

Reviews

[فيصل بوعقة · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sea Peoples of the Bronze Age Mediterranean c.1400 BC–1000 BC
ANDREA SALIMBETI and RAFFAELE D’AMATO
66 pages
Rating : 3,5/5
For nearly a 936 years , a groupe of tribes with a unknown origins called " The Sea Peoples" have been mentioned in many inscriptions and reliefs: As a groupe of pirates or a tribal confederations that participed in battles against Egyptian Empire , or against the Hittites or in operations of raids and plunder along the eastern coasts of the mediterranean sea...or participed in waves of migration seeking for lands to settle in. And they played a major role in the decline of the late bronze age.
However , the informations about the Sea Peoples are humble and not reliable to build a clear image to study the full history of Sea Peoples as there are many uncertain theories about their geographical origins.
But , depending on a number of Egyptian inscriptions and reliefs together with inscriptions from Ugarit city-state , Hittites، Phoenician and Greeks inscriptions , the writers
ANDREA SALIMBETI and RAFFAELE D’AMATO were able to give us a good idea about the Sea Peoples and some of their names ( the Sherden , Skeleklsh , Elkewesh , Pelest ( Philistins)...etc ) and their weapons and military organization and the big events like the invasion of the Delta during the regin of Merneptah and Ramesses Ill .
It's very good book illustrated with pictures.

[Maan Kawas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book!!

[Darrell Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting history for the Sea People

It took a long time for me to completely read the book. There is a large amount of information. Granted it could be considered a hypothesis with a large amount of references to back it.

[Anibal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Team D’Amato-Salimbeti-Rava managed to bring to the general public another highly informative book regarding Bronze Age Mediterranean history. You probably should read this work with a couple more from this team such as “Early Aegean Warrior 5000-1450BC” (where you can find the antecedents of the Sea Peoples) and “Bronze Age Greek Warrior 1600-1100BC”; you would also benefit from reading “Warships of the Ancient World” by Woods and illustrated by Rava, especially because due to size constraints the naval vessels of the Sea Peoples couldn’t be much detailed in the present volume.

Much effort was done in this work to detail the primary sources and the historical background of each of the Sea Peoples. This book provides a very complete listing of the main sources and short analyses with respective conclusions or hypotheses when the state of the art haven’t reached consensus.

The analyzed Group tribes are: Sherden (S'-r’d-n; S-ar-di-na), Peleset (Pw-r-s-ty), Tjekker (T-k-k(r), Denyen (D-y-n-yw-n), Shekelesh (S’-r’-rw-s’), Ekwesh (‘-k-w’-s’), Teresh (Tw-ry-s’), Karkisa , Lukka (Rw-kw) and Weshesh (W-s-s). All with pronunciation guide and with the several probable origins of names, places of origin and respective sources.

Their activities such as mercenary service, piracy or raiding are also explained and contextualized. Very good explanation of tactics, weapons and armor worn by the several groups are provided. One campaign – The war of the eighth year - is detailed to provide a clear example of land and sea tactics, motivations and the treaties that would turn former enemies into buffer states and a mercenary recruiting ground.

Great depictions of reliefs including hunting scenes, battle scenes and priosioner depiction, paintings, types of helmets (depicted at Luxor, Abu Simbel, Medinet Habu), types of headgears worn by the Sea Peoples; artifacts such as bronze scale from an armour, the Enkimi seal, a Rhyton of faiance from Enkomi, pottery remains, spears, swords or a ivory handle depicting a battle between a hero and a gryphon, etc ; Statuettes from Sardinia and Enkomi; credible hypothetical reconstructions of body armours worn by horned sea peoples and from the feathered tiara sea peoples, both represented in the Medinet Habu reliefs. The plates are by the talented Giuseppe Rava, which usually illustrates the works of D'Amato and Salimbeti; They include the following pieces: Sherden and Danuna Mercenaries in Egypt, 14th century BC; Sherden Mercenaries marching to Kadesh, 1274 BC; The first Egyptian campaign, 1207 BC (an Egyptian guardsman brutally leads Lukka, Teresh and Ekwesh prisioners); Sea battle off Alashiya, Cyprus, c.1200-1190 BC; The fall of the Hittite Empire c.1200-1180 BC (showing the aftermath of an assault where a Lukka prince, a Weshesh warrior and a Tjekker warlord pillage a settlement and capture an Hittite commander); The war of the eighth year - the island conspiracy, 1191/1178 BC ( showing depictions of the leadership of the Peleset, Sherden and Shekelesh; a gore filled battle scene where Sea people mercs defeat Libyans; Sea peoples in Sardinia, c.1100 BC where a Peleset and a Sherden warrior interact with a Sardinian woman.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Osprey publications are short introductions geared towards the militarist. Whether military history, or for war game/figurine enthusiasts.
Given that, the first 30 pp of this 60 pp text book gives a good thumbnail sketch of what we know (and that is VERY little) about each of the tribes that made up the Sea Peoples. D'Amato also presents the various theories regarding where each tribe came from and was located - and provides reasons why each theory could be right, or wrong.
He also gives a nice list of all the original sources where the tribes are mentioned in ancient texts. Amd ends off the book with a really nice bibliography.
The second half of the book is geared more towards the military historian and war games player. The book is filled with, ahem, highly imaginative reproductions of what the warriors looked like. A couple topless women are thrown in for good measure.
Not a bad intro to the Sea Peoples, about whom very little was known or written even in the BCE itself.

[Nathan Trachta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bronze Age has been something that's slowly grown in my. I always loved Homer's tales and after reading Mr. Gemmell's historical fiction I've been delving more and more into the historical side. In looking about for works on Bronze Age people the Sea People seem to be about the most difficult to find a good opinionated piece where a writer brings forth a something on them. To often it's speculation and not a whole lot more. Dr. D'Amato breaks the trend and presents something meaningful (at least to me) on the Sea People. Here Dr. D'Amato talks to us about the different people and their probable origin that made up what we call the Sea People. His presentation is constrained by Osprey's formatting but it's nicely done and when you merge it with the photographs of historical artifacts and the modern drawings of Sea People you have something that gives at least a good introduction to them and what made them important at the end of the Bronze Age.

[Mike O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sea Peoples of the Bronze Age Mediterranean c. 1400 BC- 1000 BC
Written by Raffaele D’amato & Andrea Salimbeti &
illustrated by Guiseppe Rava
Osprey Publishing
Elite #204
ISBN 978 1 4728 0681 9

This fascinating little book covers the various tribes we’ve come to know as “The Sea Peoples” who conducted either mass migrations, raids, battles of conquest in the Eastern Mediterranean. They weren’t a homogeneous group, but several different tribes that attacked Egypt, the Ugarite kingdom, tangled with the Hittites. They are variously blamed for a massive Bronze Age calamity, destroying who cities (certainly the Ugaritics had this happen), and becoming mercenaries for the Egyptians among others. What little we know of the survives in hieroglyphs on Pharaonic temples and monuments, and various papyri that survived.

The book, as common with most Ospreys, has some outstanding artwork, a relatively brief history, and a huge bibliography.
I highly recommend this title.

[Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The problem with old history is that we don't have that many sources. But this book tries it best, you will see a lot of illustrations of archeological finds such as reliefs, statues or swords.

Sometimes it's a little boring, but I understand that the authors need to be precise and tell us that scholars sometimes have three different theories about the origin of certain Sea Peoples.

We see modern colourful illustrations that depict Sea People such as the Shekker, Sherden or Peleset. Also the many Egyptian sources can tell us a bit more about a land and sea battle Ramesses III had with the invaders.

I had to struggle to finish the book because there are so many names and theories, but the end is rewarding as you will have a better understanding of the 2nd late millennium!

[Nick H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always find the Sea Peoples a fascinating subject. A lot about them remains necessarily a mystery, though this book does provide a lot of good info. As always, Rava’s illustrations are a major draw for me. I also unexpectedly gained a new appreciation for Egyptian art, which I’m not typically very interested in. Seeing how Greek characters would be interpreted by that art style was fascinating. [Purchased PDF Edition]

海の民はいつも面白い話題，僕にとって。すごく不思議な人々、どこから，どこまで誰もよくわからない。この本は色んないい情報あった、後イラストがラヴァのいつも通りものすごい。普段は僕はエジプトのアートそんなに興味ない、けどこの本のおかげで少し気になった

[Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun bit of history and some interesting theories presented

[Kelly Lemieux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read about these Sea Peoples from history books in the 20th century. This e-book provided all the information on these particular tribes in one place. The text was very clear and helpful. The further back in history i go, the more fun it is.