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RAMESES III's
SHIP
Defeated the tall ships of the dangerous Sea
People
During the
reign of Rameses III which was in 1182 BCE to 1151
BCE, a new threat arose to challenge the Egyptians
in a different way. A new people called the
Sea People were arriving in the Levantine region and
destroying its cities. Already the once mighty
Hittites were destroyed by these people of
mysterious origin and it soon became obvious that
Egypt with all of its wealth would be next.
Rameses III prepared a mighty
fleet and planned to repulse the Sea Peoples in the
Nile. In the account from the temple relief of
Medinat Habu Ramises states, "I prepared the
river-mouth like a strong wall with warships,
galleys, and light craft. They were completely
equipped both fore and aft with brave fighters
carrying their weapons, and infantry of all the pick
of Egypt."
In that relief, it
portrays the enemy with their tall ships all falling
into the Nile and pierced by the arrows that were
being fired from the Egyptian ships. Ramses lured the enemy close to Nile shore
where he unleashed upon them hundreds of thousands
of arrows. The Egyptians on their fast and
nimble riverine crafts won against the maritime
vessels of the Sea People.
The war against the
Sea People was perhaps the most famous Egyptian war
that was heavily involving the naval strength of the
empire, and it is the first to ever be well
documented.
Ramses III was one of
the greatest Egyptian pharaohs. He reigned during a
very turbulent time in the Mediterranean that saw
the Trojan War, the fall of Mycenae, and a great
surge of displaced people from all over the region
that wreaked havoc and even toppled some empires. He
defended his country against foreign invasion in
three great wars, thus ensuring tranquility during
much of his reign. Ramses III is well known for his
domestic building program, a consolidation of law
and order, as well as a tree-planting program. The
king ruled for 31 years and 41 days. Many scholars
consider him to be the last pharaoh who could yield
substantial authority over Egypt.
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This beautiful model
of Rameses III's ship is 30" long x 21" tall x 13" wide
(17" when the oars are fully deployed)
$1,290
Shipping and insurance in the contiguous
USA included. Other places: $400 flat rate. This
model is in stock and can be shipped within five
business days.
For more Egyptian boat
models, please click here:
Egyptian
Transport, Queen Hatshepsut
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