Black Ships and Sea Raiders

The Late Bronze and Early Iron Age Context of Odysseus’ Second Cretan Lie

Jeffrey P. Emanuel

The end of the Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean was a time of social, political, and economic upheaval – conditions reflected, in many ways, in the world of Homer’s Odyssey. Jeffrey P. Emanuel examines the Odyssey’s Second Cretan Lie (xiv 191 – 359) in the context of this watershed transition, with particular emphasis on raiding, warfare, maritime technology and tactics, and the evidence for the so-called ‘Sea Peoples’ who have been connected to the events of this period. He focuses in particular on the hero’s description of his frequent raiding activities and on his subsequent sojourn in the land of the pharaohs, and connections between Odysseus’ false narrative and the historical experiences of one particular Sea Peoples group: the ‘Sherden of the Sea.’

Lexington Books

Pages: 228 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-1-4985-7221-7 • Hardback • December 2017 • $111.00 • (£85.00)

978-1-4985-7223-1 • Paperback • September 2019 • $47.99 • (£37.00)

978-1-4985-7222-4 • eBook • December 2017 • $45.50 • (£35.00)

Series: Greek Studies: Interdisciplinary Approaches

Subjects: Philosophy / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical, History / Europe / Greece, Literary Collections / Ancient, Classical, Social Science / Anthropology / Theory and Methods

Black Ships and Sea Raiders

The Late Bronze and Early Iron Age Context of Odysseus’ Second Cretan Lie

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

The end of the Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean was a time of social, political, and economic upheaval – conditions reflected, in many ways, in the world of Homer’s Odyssey. Jeffrey P. Emanuel examines the Odyssey’s Second Cretan Lie (xiv 191 – 359) in the context of this watershed transition, with particular emphasis on raiding, warfare, maritime technology and tactics, and the evidence for the so-called ‘Sea Peoples’ who have been connected to the events of this period. He focuses in particular on the hero’s description of his frequent raiding activities and on his subsequent sojourn in the land of the pharaohs, and connections between Odysseus’ false narrative and the historical experiences of one particular Sea Peoples group: the ‘Sherden of the Sea.’

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 228 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½

978-1-4985-7221-7 • Hardback • December 2017 • $111.00 • (£85.00)

978-1-4985-7223-1 • Paperback • September 2019 • $47.99 • (£37.00)

978-1-4985-7222-4 • eBook • December 2017 • $45.50 • (£35.00)

Series: Greek Studies: Interdisciplinary Approaches

Subjects: Philosophy / History & Surveys / Ancient & Classical, History / Europe / Greece, Literary Collections / Ancient, Classical, Social Science / Anthropology / Theory and Methods

Author

Jeffrey P. Emanuel is associate director of academic technology and CHS fellow in Aegean archaeology and prehistory at Harvard University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Epic, Oral Tradition, and Archaeology
Chapter 2: Structure and Methodology
Chapter 3: Raiders, Traders, and Sea Peoples in the Late Bronze Age and Beyond
Chapter 4: Mycenae, Aḫḫiyawa, and the Collapse of the Late Bronze Age Order
Chapter 5: The Sea Peoples and the Egyptian Records
Chapter 6: The Changing Face of War and Society
Chapter 7: Hedgehog Helmets, Sea Peoples, and Ship–to–Ship Combat
Chapter 8: Mariners and Their Ships: Vessel Types, Capacity, and Rigging
Chapter 9: Αἴγυπτόνδε: Life, Prosperity, and Health in the Land of the Pharaohs

Reviews

Black Ships and Sea Raiders is tour de force that picks up the story of the Trojan heroes where 1177, Homer's Odyssey, and Old Testament tales of the Philistines leave off, giving us new answers by redirecting emphasis to maritime technology and culture along with an astounding collection of Bronze Age textual sources. In doing so, it redirects us from the lopsided attention on the Philistines to the Sherden and other 'Sea Peoples.' While many questions continue to make the Bronze Age collapse a topic of intense fascination, Jeffrey Emanuel has written a page turner from start to finish.
— Louise A. Hitchcock, University of Melbourne

In this broad ranging and well-researched monograph, Jeff Emanuel illuminates the archaeological and historical realities of the 'Sherden,' one of the main groups of the so-called 'Sea Peoples' of the Late Bronze and early Iron Ages of the central and eastern Mediterranean. In doing so, he masterfully interweaves the Homeric epic, the ancient near eastern (and in particular Egyptian) written sources, and the archaeological evidence from various regions of the eastern Mediterranean. The result is commendable indeed, and is recommended for all those interested in the history and culture of the Bronze and Iron Age Mediterranean.
— Aren Maeir, Bar-Ilan University

Overall, Black Ships and Sea Raiders constitutes an enlightening compilation of evidence for the Sea Peoples and their lasting cultural legacies in Greek epic. The text, primary sources, and highly useful black-and-white images are presented with clear references and minimal errors. The author judiciously stops short of any arguments concerning the ethnicities of these varied groups. . .

this book shrewdly interweaves variegated pieces of evidence to demonstrate how epic and historical evidence can be brought into dialogue with one another to interpret phenomena as shadowy as the Sea Peoples. This book is recommended for anyone interested in cultural and historical aspects of the Bronze to Iron Age transition.

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