Battle of Djahy
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The Battle of Djahy was a significant land battle between the forces of Pharaoh Ramesses III and the Sea Peoples, who sought to invade and conquer Egypt around 1178 BC. This confrontation occurred on Egypt's eastern frontier in Djahy, now southern Lebanon. Ramesses III led the Egyptians to victory against the Sea Peoples, who were attacking both by land and sea. Our primary knowledge of this battle comes from the detailed descriptions and reliefs at Ramesses III's mortuary temple in Medinet Habu, which include the longest known hieroglyphic inscription and numerous depictions of bound prisoners.
The battle took place during the Bronze Age collapse, a period marked by widespread droughts, crop failures, invasions, and the collapse of urban centers. Egypt's Nile-irrigated lands remained fertile and desirable amidst the chaos. The Sea Peoples, a coalition of groups from the north, attacked and plundered various Near Eastern civilizations. Ramesses III had previously repelled a Libyan attack in 1181 BC. The Sea Peoples had already devastated other major civilizations, including the Hittite Empire and Mycenaean Greece. They then targeted Egypt, renowned for its fertile lands and resources, aiming to conquer rather than merely plunder.
Before the battle, the Sea Peoples had sacked the Hittite vassal state of Amurru, giving Ramesses III time to prepare. He fortified his frontier in Djahy, as he noted in his inscriptions. The Sea Peoples' land forces moved south along the Levantine coast and through Palestine, where they were confronted by Ramesses' forces. The battle resulted in a decisive Egyptian victory, but the conflict with the Sea Peoples continued with a naval battle at the Nile Delta. Though Ramesses III's forces triumphed again, Egypt could not stop the Sea Peoples from settling in its eastern territories later. These battles, along with subsequent conflicts, drained Egypt's resources, leading to the eventual decline of the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses XI, the last ruler of the New Kingdom.