Tool Thera
The Antecedents of The Sea Peoples
The Sea Peoples is a nineteenth century name for the maritime marauders,who challenged the might of Egypt on three occasions.Their history is poorly documented and the age estimates for the era are often based on tenuous ceramic chronologies. M Vlazaki [2011] reported the discovery of rudimentary axes and other lithic tools,which are deemed to be more than 130Ka old,near the community of Plakios on southern Crete.If this preliminary archaeological research is substantiated,hominids made a ca 65km open sea voyage to Crete from an unknown point of origin much earlier than was previously anticipated.The third metatoral of a small individual at the Callao cave on northern Luzon in the Philippines is at least 66.7 +/- 1.0Ka old [A Mijares,2010],which indicates that seafarers had reached Luzon by that date.Pre-47Ka,cal,Homo sapiens had crossed 80-120km of open sea from the Indonesian archipelago to Australia and/or New Guinea. Whether this marine colonization was planned or was fortuitous is a moot point.The water craft,which were used for these early maritime ventures,may have been primitive rafts.The Sea Peoples were recipients of ancient seafaring traditions.
There is a long history of piracy and seabourne attacks on the coastal settlements along the Mediterranean seaboard and islands.The residents of Polichini on the Aegean island of Lemos constructed strong,defensive fortifications ca 4200 BCE,cal [B Cuncliffe, 2002].The activities of freebooters ranged from hit and run raids on sea ports or unescorted vessels at sea to full scale naval engagements and harbour town sieges.The compostion of the marine raiders varied temporally.Ephemeral alliances of convenience were forged to sack vunerable,opulent sea ports.They generally looted their victims and sailed away in search of new targets.Piracy was a commercial enterprise at a number of North African ports.When powerful fleets [eg:the Minoans] protected the sealanes,the incidence of maritime attacks was relatively low.Whenever there were political power vacuums,periods of instability and/or economic stress,the opportunity for easy plunder attracted marauders from distant lands.
The cold,dry era from ca 2200-1900 BCE,cal,disrupted commodity exchange routes and social structures in NW Europe.Pollen studies recorded dramatic cooling in the Gulf of Alaska during a period of glacial advance ca 1500 BCE [G Mc Bean,2005].Adverse climatic conditions probably motivated some northern Europeans to sail or trek south in search of more diverse natural resources.Light long boats that could transport up to 80 people are depicted on rock art at Shagerrak,Sweden;on stone slabs [ca 1300 BCE] in south Sweden and on a Greek Homeric vase.A horned helmut with knobs on the end ,which is similar to the head ware of one element of the Sea peoples,was excavated at Sjaelland Island,Denmark [P Jordan,2004].A HLA-A genetic study by P Deitkiter revealed that migrants from Poland and Scandinavia journeyed to Macedonia and Greece [no date].The Sea Peoples may have included people with Scandinavian ancestry among their numbers.
Egyptian inscriptions describe a victory [ca 1278? BCE] by Ramses II over a marine force in the Nile Delta:"They came in warships from the midst of the Sea.The king destroyed the warriors of the Great Green Sea" [Aegean?].The overall compositon of the enemies,who fought against Ramses II,varied from those,who later confronted Ramses III in the Nile Delta naval engagement.Syracuse on the Island of Sicily was plundered during a seabourne attack,which was probably conducted by a western version of the Sea Peoples as early as 1270? BCE.Subsequently the Egyptian-Hittite peace treaty and the presence of the Mycenaean navy contributed to an era of relative stability.After the death of Ramses II,Egypt entered a period of flux,which encouraged other rulers to pursue their expansionist aspirations and seafaring freebooters to seek oppurtunities to procure ill-gotten gains.The victory shield on the Temple of Merenptah at Thebes commemorates the triumph of Merenptah over Libyan invaders ca 1213 BCE +/- 10a.Libya's northern allies or mercenaries in this defeat included the Shardana,Lukka,Meshwah,Teresh, Ekwesh and Shekelesh.The latter two are deemed to be Sea Peoples,who along with the Lukka probably transported the additional land forces to Libya.The Lukka from the mainland north of Rhodes had a long history of participating in piracy and they fought with the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh.The Ekwesh,who are only mentioned once in Egyptian records,were the most numerous of Libya's supporters.The Ekwesh were tall of stature,with wide bodies,fair hair, and blue eyes,which are not eastern Mediterranean features.Subsequent internal strife reduced Egypt's capacity to defend its sea routes,[F Braudal,2002].
The Minoan fleet controlled the sea lanes for more than 500 years.Their economy was trade dependent and acquisition of essential raw materials [eg:copper] was vital. Amural of a naval engagement on a wall at Thera [Santorini] indicates that Minoan sea power was challenges prior to the volcanic eruption. Ca 1450-1425? BCE most Minoan palaces ,except Knossous were danaged and there were no efforts to reconstruct them.Mycenaean warriors were well positioned to exploit any Minoan vunerability and they gradually took over the Minoan trade routes in addition to forging new ones [eg: Italy and down the line contact with Iberia,Mycenaean pottery shards were recovered at Ischia Island].However the Mycenaeans did not have the maritime resources or the political stability to protect extensive trade net works for long periods.Rivalry between Mycenaean powers was a major source of weakness and there was no central authority to coordinate military/naval warfare, [M Wood,2001].
Piracy accelerated,commodity exchange diminished and Mycenaean trade with the Near East ports gradually became negligible.As the supply of essential imports declined,many of the Mycenaean communities became economically unstable,which severely reduced their capacity to maintain an effective navy. With fewer merchant vessels on the high seas,the Sea Peoples concentrated on sacking coastal towns.The inhabits of these settlements were forced to upgrade their fortifications.Some Aegean Isles were pillaged pre 1250? BCE [M Popham,1994; Taylor,1983;A cotteral,1980].The lucrative cultural and commercial networks [Baltic amber began to be imported by the Mycenaeans ca 1550? BCE] between the Aegean Isles and the Nordic lands,which had commenced ca 1800 BCE started to wane [K Kristiansen,2006].By ca 1120? BCE the Mycenaean era had largely been terminated by a variety of misfortunes [earthquakes,Plagues,famine,and hostile attacks].
The Palace of Nestor was erected ca 1250? BCE in Pylos,which had an artifical harbour to provide access to the sea.However the residents failed to maintain their defensive walls.Pylos was destroyed by marine forces and abandoned ca 1200? BCE.The food stores were not disturbed,which can eliminate famine as the reason for the attack.The demise of Pylos has been attributed to the Sea Peoples,[C Shelmerdine,2008].A number of local sailors may have joined the Sea Peoples after their communities had been pillaged.Their numbers could have been further bolstered by recruits from the western Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic seaboards,who were attracted by the lure of booty.The Sea Peoples moved eastward to ravage ports along the shorelines of Cyprus and Rhodes.
In the Papyrus Harris [ca 1164? BCE;J Brested,Egyptian Records]Ramses III comments on the chaotic state of Egypt before his father assumed the throne:"Other times came afterwards in the empty years……a Syrian with them made himself prince.He set this entire land as a tributary before him".When the Sea Peoples ravaged Cyprus ca 1185? BCE,the Hittites lost their last source of vital copper.The gradual demise of the Hittites ca 1180? BCE was prompted by famine,plaque,earthquakes,internal strife and finally by the invasion of another military power.The above sequence of events provided the Sea Peoples with an opportunity to extend their range of activities,because their was no united force to prevent their incursions.These lawless elements had active support from a number of Mediterranean seaports.Correspondance between the leaders of Cyprus and Urgarit revealed that citizens in both populations were involved in piracy.Many Levant communities appear to have colluded with the Sea Peoples,because they were not destroyed [eg: Tyre,Sarepra,etc:G Markos,2008].The Sea peoples destroyed Ugarit ca 1180? BCE,which deprived the Hittites of another essential source of supply.
Ramses II triumphed over the Peleset and Tjekkar on Syria's Hole Plain in the fifth year of his rule.His enemies did not have war chariots,which were commonly used in the Levant [J Brested;Egyptian records].There is a possibility that the Tjekkar came from Anotalia.Ca 1177?BCE he was victorious over a loose federation of the Sea Peoples in the Nile Delta naval engagement.His foes included the Peleset,Tjekker,Denyen, Shekelesh,and Weshesh among others.They were a combination of land and sea forces [ibid].The enemy ships on the Medinet Habur battle scenes had identical fore and aft posts,with bird figure heads on the top.S Wachemann [2000] traced the design to the Danube corridor,which "might" infer that one component of the invaders came from the Black Sea [ibid].The origins of the Sea Peoples,who formed this alliance of convience to sack the riches of Egypt,has not been totally resolved,Many authors have addressed these enigmas and they will not be discussed here,with one exception.After their defeat in the Nile Dellta,the Peleset settled in the Levant,where they became known as the Philistines.
This may have been part of Ramses III's policy to minimize insurrection proximal to Egypt's borders.A Aja [2009] reported that the Aegean architectural traditions near Corinth,which may have had some origins in Anatolia,have numerous features in common,with those in Philistia,the Philistine homeland.This does not constitute definitive proof that the Peleset could have come from the region of Corinth with ancient roots in Anatolia,but it might merit a degree of consideration.The Egpytian victory may not have been as comprehensive as the Medinet Habur battle scenes imply [eg:Ramses II's propaganda for the Battle of Kadesh] and/or the engagement appreciably weakened Egypt's capacity for future expansion.Ramses III's endeavours to extend his sphere of influence north of modern Palestine were thwarted.
Subsequently the Phoenicians,another maritime power,emerged along the Levant coastal ports to dominate commercial activity over a considerable portion of the Mediterranean Sea and beyond the Pillars of Melqart to the eastern shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
About the Author
Outdoor training tool thera band
 |
 Theracane Massage Tool + Thera Cane DVD + Manual $53.74 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 49m Buy It Now for only: $53.74 Buy It Now |
 Thera Shower Therashower Aromatic Filtration Massage Shower Head List Price: Sale Price: $10.95 See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThera Shower helps give you an energizing shower in the morning or a soothing shower at night, your ordinary shower will become a Spa with TheraShower. Removable cartridges filter out damaging chlorine and chemicals, promoting softer skin and healthier hair...  |
 Thera Shower - Chrome List Price: Sale Price: $14.49 You save: $25.50 (64%)  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionTurn your ordinary shower into a soothing paradise with the aroma cartridge. The Thera Shower has a unique water filtration system.. This eliminates damging chlorine, promoting softer, healthier hair and skin... |
 Thera Cane Massager List Price: Sale Price: $29.95 You save: $17.05 (36%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionEase your aches and pains without hiring a professional masseuse with the TheraCane massager. The simple yet effective self-massager makes it easy to apply pain-relieving deep compression directly to hard, knotted trigger points anywhere they occur, breaking up tension even in the hardest-to-reach muscle areas... |
 Thera-band Green 65cm Slow Deflate System Pro-Series Anti-Burst Exercise Ball- For Body Height 5' 6" - 6' 1" List Price: Sale Price: $28.20 You save: $11.80 (30%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThera-Band® SDS® Exercise Ball (replaced by Pro Series SCP) The Thera-Band® Pro Series SCPTM Exercise Ball is the latest offering in ball technology. Four common sizes are available for a custom fit... |
 Abilitations Super Pro Anti-Burst Therapy Balls - 65cm, Green List Price: Sale Price: $54.44 You save: $2.87 (5%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThe Super Pro Anti-Burst Therapy Ball is a unique RipStop vinyl ball with 2 great features. First, the outside of the ball has a unique, tactile feel that awakens the senses in a most gentle way. Hundreds of soft, gentle, non-abrasive bumps cover the ball's surface... |
 The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief, Second Edition List Price: Sale Price: $15.61 You save: $7.34 (32%) Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThe first edition of this workbook is regarded as a classic in its field, and was the first book to introduce trigger point therapy to the general public as a self-care tool for alleviating chronic pain caused by a variety of conditions, including arthritis, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, headache, muscle ache, and repetitive strain injuries... |
 Thera:Vie Gloves To-Go List Price: Sale Price: $4.99 See Reviews For This Product DescriptionUse Thera:Vie Booties anytime, anywhere for a high quality skin treatment on-the-go or in the comfort of your home. The face quality serum infused into the booties is crafted from the richest botanicals including hazelnut oil, safflower oil grapseed oil and vitamins a & e... |
 Thera'ssage Jet See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThera'ssage Jet p/n: 16-5550 |
 Hydro Air Theras`sage Jet Assy 1"Ax1.5"W 16-5550WHT Sale Price: $114.95 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product |
 Thera'ssage Outer Cannister, Hydro See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThera'ssage Outer Cannister, Hydro p/n: 16-5520 |
