The Merneptah Stele and Early ‘Israel’. Essay - 2314 Words

The mention of ‘Israel’ as a people rather than a region in the Merneptah Stele identifies them as an important socioeconomic entity and therefore a political threat to a hegemonic Egypt. The resilience of the people ‘Israel’ was established through a segmented tribal coalition, formed as a religious and social identity that attributed to their survival in the turbulent times of the early 12th century . The inclusion of ‘Israel’ in the Merneptah Stele demonstrates the importance of these people. It was not in the traditions of the Egyptian scribes to mention an entity that was considered socially inferior or of little importance in the political environment of the era. Poetic licence and propaganda was employed to ensure the Egyptian†¦show more content†¦This view contradicts the theory of ‘seed’ meaning grain so although appearing to be a sound hypothesis relies too heavily on hyperbole and does not fit with ‘Israel’ as an established socioeconomic entity that posed a threat to Egypt. We may ask the question of why a group of people that were perceived as a hill dwelling rural sedentary group of agriculturalists threatened the power of hegemonic Egypt. From a geopolitical perspective Egypt’s agenda was to control the coastal highway that included Ashkelon, Gezer and Yanoam to fortify military strongholds and control the trade route. ‘Israel’ situated in the hill country posed an autonomous threat, as had the other city-states so it stands to reason it needed to be conquered to fulfil the Merneptah’s campaign goals. It must also be pointed out that it was not unusual for unrest and rebellion to occur when a new ruler came to the throne. Vassals would have used this opportunity to test the governing body and try to extricate themselves from the yoke of the oppressor. The ‘†¦.sly rhetorical device’ used by the scribe in the inscription and the literary translation ‘Israel is laid waste, his seed is not’ encourages investigation into the transparency of theShow MoreRelatedList Of A Honor Code By Refraining From Lying, Stealing, Or Cheating1831 Words   |  8 Pagesof these stories are very controversial, as no evidence has been found to deem whether any of this actually happened. However, archaeologists did find evidence that the Israelites finally reached Canaan and took their land, and that the Kingdom of Israel would remain in Canaan until their eventual destruction. While many consider Judaism to be one of the first monotheistic religions of the ancient world, this proves to not be entirely true. There’s a substantial amount of evidence suggesting thatRead MoreThe Hindu Faith is an indigenous theology and philosophy of India spanning thousands of years.800 Words   |  4 PagesJorge-Manuel Almenar. â€Å"A comparative study of the Sudarium of Oviedo and the Shroud of Turin.† The Shroud of Turin Website. 1998. Web. 2010. Kirby, Peter. â€Å"Early Christian Writings: New Testament, Apocrypha, Gnostics, Church Fathers.† Early Christian Writings. 2001 - 2012. Web. 2009. â€Å"Background Note: Israel.† U. S. Relations with Israel. U.S. Department of State Publications. 2012. state.gov. Web. 2012. â€Å"Gnostic Society Library: Sources on Gnosticism and Gnosis.† Gnostic Society Library. PublicationsRead More Too Many Religions, Not Enough Truth Essay2557 Words   |  11 Pagespeople alive. Could humans become more gruesome? Oh yes, they could. The Thirty Years War between Catholics and Protestants in the 1600s brought death and misery across Europe. Hangings and chopping off limbs and heads became commonly watched events. Early settlers in the new world followed suit. The Salem witch trials in Salem Village, Massachusetts, modern-day Danvers, in the late 1600s were horrendous. Colonists who were convicted of witchcraft and heresy were tortured until they repented or wereRead MoreThe Birth of Civilization18947 Words   |  76 Pagesmyhistorylab.com CRAIMC01_xxxii-031hr2.qxp 2/17/11 3:22 PM Page xxxii EARLY HUMANS AND THEIR CULTURE page 1 WHY IS â€Å"culture† considered a defining trait of human beings? EARLY CIVILIZATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST TO ABOUT 1000 B.C.E. page 5 HOW DID control over water resources influence early Middle Eastern civilizations? ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN EMPIRES page 14 HOW DID conquest and trade shape early empires in the Near East? EARLY INDIAN CIVILIZATION page 16 WHAT INFLUENCES did the first Indus valley