The Sea Peoples is the term used for a mysterious confederacy of seafaring raiders who around 1200 BC sailed into the eastern shores of the Mediterranean, caused political unrest, and attempted to enter Egyptian territory during the late 19th dynasty, and especially during Year 8 of Ramesses III of the 20th Dynasty. The Egyptian Pharaoh Merneptah explicitly refers to them by the term "the foreign-countries (or 'peoples' As noted by Gardiner (1947, 1:196*), other texts have N25:X1*Z4 "foreign-peoples"; both terms can refer to the concept of "foreigners" as well.) of the sea" (Egyptian Gardiner 1947, 1:196*; Manassa 2003:55) in his Great Karnak Inscription (line 52).Manassa 2003:55, plate 12 Although some scholars believe that they have "invaded" Cyprus, Hatti and the Levant, this hypothesis is disputedSee several articles in The sea peoples and their world : a reassessment, edited by Eliezer D. Oren.