Below is the tenth in a series of articles from Mark McLaughlin showcasing the 16 civilizations in Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East. You can find the first nine articles in the series here.
The countries — –, the [Northerners] in their isles were disturbed, taken away in the [fray] — at one time. Not one stood before their hands, from Kheta, Kode, Carchemish, Arvad, Alashia, they were wasted. {The}y {[set up]} a camp in one place in Amor. They desolated his people and his land like that which is not. They came with fire prepared before them, forward to Egypt. Their main support was Peleset, Tjekker, Shekelesh, Denyen, and Weshesh. (These) lands were united, and they laid their hands upon the land as far as the Circle of the Earth. Their hearts were confident, full of their plans.
Inscription on mortuary temple of Ramses III (1186-1155 BC)
The Sea Peoples are an enigma; scholars have many theories regarding their origin, but all agree that they were not one tribe or people but a confederation (at best) of nations. They came in wave upon wave across the Eastern Mediterranean to sweep down upon Greece, Anatolia, Egypt and the Levant with devastating consequences. Egypt alone held against the storm – and then by only the narrowest of margins. Several of the Sea Peoples tribes, notably the Philistines, settled in southern Anatolia and the Levant.
In the game, the Sea Peoples are another of the military civilizations and are best played as such given their bonuses. While they do gather extra victory points just for being in Sea areas, their true power is most evident when used to sack and loot at least one City a turn, for which they can an extra mina. They also have some leeway in where they start out, which allows them to concentrate on a northern (Anatolia), southern (Egyptian) or middle (the Levant) course – or just scatter to the wind and waves to frighten and threaten other civilizations – as they did historically.
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Sumerians
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Egyptians
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Elamites
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Assyrians
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Akkadians
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Babylonians
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Hittites
Ancient Civilizations of the Middle East: Meet the Mittani
Author: Mark McLaughlin
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