Libyan War (Merenptah)
| date | March 29 * 1208 BC . Chr fight Duration: 6 hours |
|---|---|
| place | Per-Irer (Arer / Aler / Arel / Irel / Iler) |
| output | Victory for Merenptah |
| consequences | Under Ramses III. further attacks |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
|
Egypt |
Libyan countries |
| Commander | |
|
Meria, son of Dewed |
|
| Troop strength | |
| about 20,000 men | approx.15,000 men |
| losses | |
|
high / numbers not known |
8,481 killed , of which: |
The Libyan War in the 5th year of the reign of Pharaoh Merenptah took place in 1208 BC. And describes the struggle against Libyan tribes and their allies invading the Nile Delta . After the battle of Kadesh it is another decisive armed conflict in which the existence of Egypt was at stake. The number of deaths far exceeds previous Egyptian battles. There is no information on deaths on the Egyptian side, but due to the troop strength and the losses of the attackers, a few thousand can be assumed. Overall, the battle likely claimed 12,000 to 14,000 deaths.
Before the battle
In the previous epochs , attempts were made by the Libyan side to conquer or plunder parts of Egypt. Most of the time, the Tjemehu and Tjehenu were also involved in the attacks; two tribes from the Libyan desert, which have been mentioned in armed conflicts with Egypt since the Old Kingdom . The exact geographical location of the two tribes could not be determined until today. The meshes , on the other hand, appear in Egyptian writings only since the 19th dynasty .
The Egyptian Pharaoh Merenptah had already put down unrest in the Palestinian region during his first years in power . In order to prevent further attacks, he took the first construction measures in the foreland of Heliopolis for the construction of further fortresses.
Mid-March 1208 BC During his construction work in the eastern delta, Merenptah received the news that attacks on Egypt had been carried out on the western delta border. The Libyan Prince Meria had evidently followed the construction work in the eastern delta and completed long-lasting preparations for the attack. For the first time he made use of an Alliance of Sea Peoples ; the character of the previous smaller raids changed in this case to the first war of conquest that started on Libyan soil.
The strongest contingent of allies were the Eqweš / Aqi-waša (possibly to be connected with Aḫḫijawa ), followed by the Turiša (sometimes associated with the Tyrsenians ), Šekeleš and the Šardana / Scherden . The Luka , whose equation with the inhabitants of the Lukka countries in western South Asia Minor is considered to be fairly certain, had the smallest number of soldiers. The Libyans themselves had called all capable men into battle; in addition, the allied tribes followed.
The course of the battle
After receiving the attack message, Merenptah immediately mobilized the Egyptian troops , which took him about fourteen days. In a dream, just before the battle began, Ptah symbolically presented him with the Chepesch sword .
On the 3rd Epihpi (March 29, 1208 BC) the troops of Merenptah reached the western delta at Per Irer . The battle was decided in no time; after only six hours the fighting ended and Merenptah emerged victorious from the conflict.
Extract from Merenptah's report
After Merenptah's victory, several reliefs were created in Karnak , on which the victory is proudly proclaimed:
On the 3rd day of the 3rd month of Shemu the storm was chased away over Kemet and Aton shone again over Ta Meri (Beloved Land). The locked gates were opened and the people could breathe again. The wretched prince from Libya fled that night without a headdress, without women and without a family. Their tent camps burned to ashes. Now everyone says to Libya “Well Libya, how is life now? Still comfortable? ”He who dares to fight Kemet is foolish and stupid. His attackers are now in my hand as prisoners. Ta Meri is now the master of Libya. Everyone likes to sit by the side of the strong and everyone in the country walks around singing. No crying of lament and the destroyed places will be rebuilt. Merenptah is the savior of the people.
After the battle
If Ramses II still carried out individual uncoordinated attacks by individual sea peoples , this battle formed the prelude to further battles in the next few years. At irregular intervals Libyans, individual tribes or countries of the sea peoples repeatedly entered into combat operations, until under Ramses III. the next major battle was to come.
See also
literature
- Texts from the environment of the Old Testament (TUAT), Gütersloher Verlagshaus, Gütersloh 2003.
- Jean Meeus: Astronomical Algorithms. u. a. Applications for Ephemeris Tool 4.5. 2nd edition, Barth, Leipzig 2000, ISBN 3-3350-0400-0 .
- Jean Meeus: More Mathematical Astronomy Morsels. Willmann-Bell, Richmond 2002, ISBN 0-943396-74-3 , Chapter: Equinox and Solstitial Years.
- James-Henry Breasted : Ancient records of Egypt. Volume 3: The Nineteenth Dynasty. Reproduction (English), Histories & Mysteries of Man, London 1988, ISBN 1-85417-027-9 .
Notes and individual references
- ^ Inscriptions from Karnak , see also J. Breasted: Ancient records of Egypt. Volume 3: The Nineteenth Dynasty. London 1988.
- ↑ In the literature mostly given as April 19 . March 29th = Gregorian calendar 2007 plus 3 days Julian calendar up to 46 BC BC, and 9 days to 1208 BC. Chr. = 12 days deviation = April 10th proleptic Julian calendar. The 9-day difference was mistakenly added to April 10th (instead of deduction). Beginning of spring proleptic Julian calendar 1208 BC Chr .: April 2nd / March 21st 2007 Gregorian calendar = 25th Payni (June 19th); Compare also calculations according to the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA): Astronomical and climatic date calculations by Ulrich Bastian and Axel M. Quetz
- ^ Jean Meeus: More Mathematical Astronomy Morsels. Richmond 2002, p. 362.
- ↑ TUAT Volume 1, Old Series: Legal and Economic Documents - Historical-Chronological Texts. Pp. 544-552.