distinguished by
their remarkable helmets and apparently body armour of metal. The Lukku
are certainly the same as the Lycians. Probably they were all sea-rovers
from the shores and islands of the Mediterranean, who were willing to
leave their ships and join the Libyans in raids on the rich lands of
Egypt. Mineptah was one of the most unconscionable usurpers of the
monuments of his predecessors, including those of his own father, who,
it must be admitted, had set him the example. The coarse cutting of his
cartouches contrasts with the splendid finish of the Middle Kingdom work
which they disfigure. It may be questioned whether it was due to a wave
of enthusiasm amongst the priests and people, leading them to rededicate
the monuments in the name of their deliverer, or a somewhat insane
desire of the king to perpetuate his own memory in a singularly
unfortunate manner. Mineptah, the thirteenth son in the huge family of
Rameses, must have been old when he ascended the throne; after his first
years of reign his energies gave way, and he was followed by a quick
succession of inglorious rulers, Seti II., the queen Tuosri, Amenmesse,
Siptah; the names of the last two were erased from their monuments.

XXth Dynasty.

A great papyrus written after the death of Rameses III. and recording his
gifts to the temples briefly reviews the conditions of these troublous
times. "The land of Egypt was in the hands of chiefs and rulers of towns,
great and small slaying each other; afterwards a certain Syrian made
himself chief; he made the whole land tributary before him; he united his
companions and plundered their property (i.e. of the other chiefs). They
made the gods like men, and no offerings were presented in the temples.
But when the gods inclined themselves to peace ... they established their
son Setenkhot (Setnekht) to be ruler of every land." Of the Syrian
occupation we know nothing further. Setenkhot, c. 1200 B.C., had a very
short reign and was not counted as legitimate, but he established a
lasting dynasty (probably by conciliating the priesthood). He was father
of Rameses III., who revived the glories of the empire. The dangers that
menaced Egypt now were similar to those which Mineptah had to meet at his
accession. Again the Libyans and the "peoples of the sea" were acting in
concert. The latter now comprised Peleset (the Cretans, ancestors of the
Philistines), Thekel, Shekelesh, Denyen (Danaoi?) and Weshesh; they had
in