The Battle of Perire was fought in 1208 BC between New Kingdom Egypt and a coalition of Libu tribes and Sea Peoples.
In the late 13th century BC, a famine in Libya compelled many of the Libu tribes to unite under the leadership of the chief Meryey; together, these tribes prepared to invade grain-rich Ancient Egypt and either set up a new Libyan dynasty there or set up a new state within Egypt's borders. As the Libyans were rich through control of trade from Central Africa to the Mediterranean, they were able to hire raiders and mercenaries from across the Mediterranean; these fearsome "Sea Peoples" included the Sherden (Sardinians), Shekelesh (Sicels), Ekwesh (Achaeans), Lukka (Lycians), and Teresh (Etruscans). Meryey took the best of ever warrior and every man of war in his country for his campaign, while also bringing his wife and children with him. The Libyans also attempted to form an alliance with the Nubians, who raided Upper Egypt before their alliance with the Libyans fell through.
Meanwhile, the Libyans captured the Siwa Oasis and moved into Lower Egypt, where Pharaoh Merneptah met them in battle in the Nile Delta region. The Egyptian archers spent 6 hours attacking the enemy before Egyptian chariots charged in and caused a rout; as the Sea Peoples had superior infantry to the Egyptians, Merneptah never fully engaged his infantry, instead using them to occupy the enemy while his archers did the real work. After the Libyans and Sea Peoples' lines had been thinned by archers, he sent in his chariots to finish the work, and the Egyptians killed 6,000 of their enemies and captured 9,000. Meryey was slain, and the leaderless Libyan coalition returned home and collapsed. The surviving Sea Peoples were forced to find work elsewhere, and Merneptah continued the tradition of allowing captive Sea Peoples to serve in his Sherden bodyguard corps. The Sea Peoples would become a bigger problem in the coming years and a major cause of the Late Bronze Age collapse, as famines, natural disasters, and political instability in the eastern Mediterranean enticed them to take advantage of the situation and make their wealth.