Ramses 111 Battle of the Sea People at Medinet Habu

Ramses 111 had come to rule when there was unrest in the Mediterranean countries, the Trojan War was being fought, and many people were displaced and seeking new countries to settle in. Initially the first few years of his rule were quiet and so he strengthened his position. In the 5th year of his reign the Libyans tried to force there way from the desert area into the fertile lands of the western delta. Ramses took his army and quickly squashed the Libyans and anyone left alive was taken into slavery.   I n the 8th year of his reign the Sea People marched down through Syria they were accompanied by a large fleet at the Delta, they came with their families and all their possessions obviously intending to settle in Egypt’s fertile Nile lands, Ramses drove off the main force and defeated the enemy fleet in the engagement fought at the Delta.

His victories are written all over the walls inside the temple, pitiful enemies are bound by the neck and wrists, and then dragged around on a leash by him, their tribal leaders forced to prostrate before him, whilst his court celebrate releasing doves in the air that will fly to the four corners of the earth to proclaim his victory and kingship. Vast sea battles are detailed on the exterior walls of the temple, they show his army battling in the chaos of the sea, and arrows fly across the walls recording the onslaught and chaos, lifeless bodies dangle from the war barques helpless bodies pierced with bloody arrows. Soldiers leap in droves from the boundaries of their boats where fierce fighting ensues, bodies are hacked by the swords as the mighty Sheridan wearing metal helmets with horns sweep into the fray, they are mighty adversities and fearless in this battle, where they are the enemies of Egypt.
I edged my way across to  the opposite side of the courtyard towards the circular columns on which the king holds  groups of  prisoners by  their hair,  in his left hand he brandishes the hedj club ready to strike them. ‘I bind them all for thee gathered in thy grasp’ he tells Amun. This symbolic act shows his supremacy over his enemies, assuring the Egyptian people that he can bring order once again where there has been chaos. Ramses111 fought the Philistines Sardinians Cretans and the Danu.



On the east wall  Ramses rides back from the battle triumphant in his war chariot, Amenhikhopeshef and Khamwese his sons and Royal Fan Bearers  proudly walk behind his chariot,  looking closer at the  wheels of the chariot, I realized there was something not quite right, and as I stared at the image I I recognized that  Ramses had leashed two  unfortunate prisoners  to the undercarriage of his chariot by their ankles and  arms. Shocked by this image I felt that I had learnt new lessons on the brutality of ancient war practices, forget the Geneva Convention, War in this era was domination power and brutality where only the strongest survived.