Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Banyai AT t-online.de (Banyai)]

Polycarp wrote:


> I would call to the attention of those interested in the "Sea Peoples" a 
> book 
> by Robert Drews, _The End of the Bronze Age_, (Princeton: Princeton 
> University 
> Press, 1993. ISBN 0-691-02591-6), in which his thesis is that it was the 
> development of a new type sword and a swarming tactic which brought about 
> the 
> end of the advantage of chariotry in warfare. Thereafter the chariot seems 
> to 
> have been relegated to the function of a "battle taxi" as it appears in 
> Homer 
> (Makes one wonder why Solomon was supposed to have kept a sizeable force of 
> chariotry). It would seem that his opinion is that this was a phenomenon 
> not 
> limited to one or even several political entities but was generally found 
> throughout the Mediterranian area. He appears to view them somewhat as 
> opportunists seeking booty.

Reminds me the argument of J.Spanuth, "Das enträtselte Atlantis", 1953, who 
made 
great furror as an amateur historian with his thesis, the Sea Peoples came 
from 
the "Nordsee". He was quoted with some respect even by such a reputed 
specialist 
as F. Sommer. 

He followed too the trail of this new type of sword, with much enthusisasm 
and 
naivety back into the European north. But overlooked the statistical data 
speaking against a northern not ANE-based origin of the new technology. The 
number of such swords is by far bigger in the ANE, to see anything other than 
imports in the extra ANE specimens.

We probably should see the epycentrum of the new technology around Ugarit and 
Cylicia, in Ugarit where also a sword prepared to be sent to Menreptah was 
found.

There is however quite a difference between pointing to the emergence of a 
new 
military technology and the historicity of the "Sea People´s" invasion. 

Best regards,
                   
Banyai Michael