The Ancients The Sea Peoples
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Aug 28, 2025 Tristan Hughes talks to Professor Eric Cline, a leading expert on the Bronze Age Collapse and the Sea Peoples. They unpack ancient Egyptian records to identify these mysterious invaders and challenge the notion that they solely caused the Bronze Age collapse. Discoveries from recent archaeological sites like Tel Dor reveal diverse motivations behind their migrations. The conversation also highlights the interplay of cultures during this tumultuous time, showing how the Sea Peoples were part of a larger narrative of societal change.
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Key Egyptian Records
- Major Egyptian sources are Merneptah's fifth-year inscriptions (c.1207 BC) and Ramses III's eighth-year records (c.1177 BC).
- Cline explains these two inscriptions show at least two distinct waves involving named groups later labelled collectively as the Sea Peoples.
Merneptah Names Invading Groups
- Merneptah's inscriptions name groups (e.g., Ekwesh, Teresh, Luka, Shardana, Shekelesh) and record casualties and captives.
- The detail, including specific counts and cultural notes (e.g., about circumcision), lends specificity but still leaves origin questions open.
Ramses III's Naval Account
- Ramses III left a long Medinet Habu inscription and a dramatic naval scene describing land and sea phases of the campaign.
- He lists confederated groups (Peleset, Tjekker, Shekelesh, Denyen, Weshesh) and claims decisive Egyptian victories and relocations.
