Who Were They—and Why Did They Change the Ancient World?
Around 1200 BCE, several Mediterranean civilizations collapsed. Many historians link this upheaval to the Sea Peoples, groups of mysterious raiders who attacked Egypt and other coastal regions.
What We Know
Egyptian records describe them as warriors arriving by land and sea, armed with unique weapons and wearing distinctive feathered helmets.
Their Impact
They contributed to the fall or weakening of:
The Hittite Empire
Cities across the Levant
Many Bronze Age kingdoms
Theories About Their Origins
Possibilities include:
Displaced groups from the Aegean
Environmental migrants
Former mercenaries
No single theory fully explains their identity.
A Turning Point
Their invasions helped usher in the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of new political and cultural landscapes.
