Sea Peoples Summer

Sea Peoples Summer is upon us.

In this episode of Barbarian Banter, we discuss the mysterious raiders and displaced warriors who emerged during the Bronze Age Collapse and terrorized the eastern Mediterranean. We discuss why the Sea Peoples should not be understood simply as villains who destroyed civilization, but as part of a wider Mediterranean crisis involving famine, piracy, earthquakes, collapsing trade networks, migration, and warfare.

We break down what we actually know from Egyptian records, especially the inscriptions connected to Ramses III, and how those sources describe groups like the Sherden, Philistines, Weshesh, and other peoples associated with Sardinia, Troy, Greece, Anatolia, Italy, and possibly Iberia. We also talk about the material culture of the Sea Peoples: horned helmets, feathered crests, long swords, ships, beards, armor, mercenary warbands, and the broader world of Bronze Age piracy.

From there, we move into the genetics and archaeology of the Philistines, the evidence for European ancestry appearing briefly in the Levant, and what that suggests about migration across the Mediterranean. Finally, we turn Sea Peoples Summer into a modern life philosophy: travel, risk, physical vitality, friendship, exploration, sun, ocean, aesthetics, and the willingness to look ridiculous while doing something memorable.

Jonas’ Links:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Jonaskilker 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonaskilker/ 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jonaskilker

X: https://x.com/jonaskilker

Jonas’ Merch: https://constantinegraphicsco.com/collections/mythic-vitalism 

Website: https://jonaskilker.com/

Danes Links: 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatdane269

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_great_dane469/ 

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreatdane13

X: https://x.com/thegreatdane269?s=20 

Substack: https://substack.com/@danemillerhass

Dane’s Merch: https://constantinegraphicsco.com/collections/under-construction

Timestamps:

00:00:15 – Sea Peoples Summer Begins
00:01:02 – Who Were the Sea Peoples
00:04:53 – Egyptian Sources and Philistines
00:07:11 – Sherden, Troy, and Achaeans
00:10:05 – Bronze Swords and Mercenaries
00:13:00 – Philistine Genetics and European DNA
00:17:30 – Troy, Earthquakes, and Collapse
00:22:40 – Migrations, Famine, and Displacement
00:27:55 – Egypt Versus the Sea Peoples
00:43:10 – What Sea Peoples Summer Means
00:53:21 – Samurai, Bushido, and Honor
00:58:45 – Why We Started Barbarian Banter
01:00:58 – Boars, Kings, and Neoplatonists
01:10:23 – Pirates, Gods, and Heaven
01:21:10 – Out-of-Character Stories and Lessons