NEW KINGDOM EGYPT

MILITARY AND WARFAREMILITARY AND WARFARE

EGYPT PRE HYKSOS

Egypt was considered to be the most Egypt was considered to be the most peaceful country in the ancient world. Its peaceful country in the ancient world. Its natural boundaries (the First Cataract on the natural boundaries (the First Cataract on the Nile at Aswan, the deserts east and west of Nile at Aswan, the deserts east and west of the Nile Valley, and the Mediterranean the Nile Valley, and the Mediterranean coast to the north) provided plenty of coast to the north) provided plenty of protection from outsiders, and Egyptians protection from outsiders, and Egyptians themselves were not a society of invaders or themselves were not a society of invaders or conquerors.conquerors.

Therefore, the country didn’t consider the Therefore, the country didn’t consider the need for a professional army – until the need for a professional army – until the invasion of the Hyksos during the 15th invasion of the Hyksos during the 15th Dynasty in the Second Intermediate Period. Dynasty in the Second Intermediate Period.

Up until that time, Egypt had a loosely Up until that time, Egypt had a loosely organized, part-time army and crude, organized, part-time army and crude, inferior weapons. The army that was raised inferior weapons. The army that was raised in times of need, i.e., during civil unrest, in times of need, i.e., during civil unrest, consisted of conscripts, who were generally consisted of conscripts, who were generally peasants and artisans, led by noblemen. peasants and artisans, led by noblemen.

There was, however, a small core of regular There was, however, a small core of regular soldiers, but they were mostly engaged as soldiers, but they were mostly engaged as palace guards, border police, or trade ship palace guards, border police, or trade ship escorts. escorts.

Egyptians were very hesitant to engage Egyptians were very hesitant to engage in conflicts outside their own country in conflicts outside their own country because they were afraid of dying and because they were afraid of dying and being buried elsewhere, thereby not being buried elsewhere, thereby not receiving the necessary and appropriate receiving the necessary and appropriate funeral rites. Because of this fear, funeral rites. Because of this fear, armies of the Old Kingdom were made armies of the Old Kingdom were made up of foreign mercenaries.up of foreign mercenaries.

THE HYKSOS INVASION

The Hyksos invasion The Hyksos invasion forced Egypt to create forced Egypt to create a trained, professional a trained, professional army and improve its army and improve its weaponry. The weaponry. The Egyptians learned Egyptians learned valuable lessons from valuable lessons from the Hyksos attackthe Hyksos attack

The chain of command, in order of rank, was:The chain of command, in order of rank, was: King, commander in chief King, commander in chief General, or overseer of the army, who reported General, or overseer of the army, who reported

directly to the king directly to the king Lieutenant commander, serving as senior officer Lieutenant commander, serving as senior officer Overseer of the Nubian frontier and Mediterranean Overseer of the Nubian frontier and Mediterranean

coast fortresses coast fortresses Overseer of garrison troops Overseer of garrison troops Troop commander, in charge of several regiments, a Troop commander, in charge of several regiments, a

brigade or a fortress brigade or a fortress Captain of the troop Captain of the troop Commander of 250 soldiers Commander of 250 soldiers Standard-bearer, controlling 200 men Standard-bearer, controlling 200 men "Greatest of Fifty", the lowest commander "Greatest of Fifty", the lowest commander

For major military actions, the pharaoh was For major military actions, the pharaoh was the commander-in-chief and physically led the commander-in-chief and physically led his army into battle, while minor officials or his army into battle, while minor officials or princes led less significant campaigns. The princes led less significant campaigns. The vizier acted as the minister of war, taking vizier acted as the minister of war, taking advice from an army council. Prior to a advice from an army council. Prior to a battle, the king always consulted his senior battle, the king always consulted his senior officials.officials.

The army itself was The army itself was made up of the made up of the infantry and chariotry infantry and chariotry divisions, which were divisions, which were commanded by either commanded by either the king himself or the king himself or one of the princes. one of the princes.

MIDDLE-LATE 18TH DYNASTY

From the time of From the time of Amenhotep III on, most Amenhotep III on, most enlisted men were former enlisted men were former prisoners of war. In the prisoners of war. In the 1818thth Dynasty recruits Dynasty recruits would be brought in from would be brought in from Nubia; in later periods Nubia; in later periods recruits came from many recruits came from many foreign areas. foreign areas.

However, during the However, during the New Kingdom New Kingdom soldiers were recruited soldiers were recruited locally by conscription locally by conscription and by the time of and by the time of Ramesses II, one man Ramesses II, one man in ten was forced to in ten was forced to serve in the military. serve in the military.

Some men did not Some men did not have to be recruited – have to be recruited – they chose the army as they chose the army as their professiontheir profession

Reasons include: Reasons include: booty, land, hereditary booty, land, hereditary rewards – sons could rewards – sons could inherit land etcinherit land etc

Herodotus

"The warriors were the only Egyptians, except the "The warriors were the only Egyptians, except the priests, who has special privileges: for each of priests, who has special privileges: for each of them an untaxed plot of twelve acres was set them an untaxed plot of twelve acres was set apart. …. A thousand Calasirians and as many apart. …. A thousand Calasirians and as many Hermotybians were the king’s annual bodyguard. Hermotybians were the king’s annual bodyguard. These men, besides their lands, each received a These men, besides their lands, each received a daily provision of five minae’s weight of roast daily provision of five minae’s weight of roast grain, two minae of beef, and four cups of wine. grain, two minae of beef, and four cups of wine. These were the gifts received by each bodyguard."These were the gifts received by each bodyguard."

The The chariotchariot and chariotry and chariotry were introduced to Egypt were introduced to Egypt by the Hyksos. The by the Hyksos. The Egyptian chariotry Egyptian chariotry consisted of five consisted of five squadrons, with twenty-squadrons, with twenty-five chariots in each and five chariots in each and two men in each chariot: a two men in each chariot: a driver and a soldier armed driver and a soldier armed with bows and arrows, a with bows and arrows, a shieldshield, a sword, and a , a sword, and a javelin. javelin.

The pharaoh’s specialized troops were The pharaoh’s specialized troops were called "Braves of the King". These were the called "Braves of the King". These were the elite fighting forces that led attacks, while elite fighting forces that led attacks, while the garrison troops, called the the garrison troops, called the ‘w’yt‘w’yt, , sometimes served as the pharaoh’s sometimes served as the pharaoh’s household troops both in Egypt and in household troops both in Egypt and in foreign lands. A group called the foreign lands. A group called the "Retainers" distributed rations to troops "Retainers" distributed rations to troops during the 18during the 18thth Dynasty, acted as letter Dynasty, acted as letter carriers during the Ramesside Period, and carriers during the Ramesside Period, and may have functioned as the royal may have functioned as the royal bodyguards.bodyguards.

Mercenaries were still Mercenaries were still important in the important in the professional army of the professional army of the New Kingdom. The New Kingdom. The number of foreigners number of foreigners including Medjay, including Medjay, SheridenSheriden, and Libyans in , and Libyans in the Egyptian army was so the Egyptian army was so high that captains were high that captains were specially designated to be specially designated to be in charge of them. in charge of them.

TraveTravellling along with the army were scribes, who ling along with the army were scribes, who appeared to have low regard for the professional appeared to have low regard for the professional soldier. soldier.

The Instructions of scribe The Instructions of scribe Wenemdiamun Wenemdiamun

"woes of the soldier", counting among these woes "woes of the soldier", counting among these woes the fact that each soldier had many superiors who the fact that each soldier had many superiors who could wake him at any hour of the night for any could wake him at any hour of the night for any purpose. He wrote "One is after him as a donkey", purpose. He wrote "One is after him as a donkey",

METHODS

FortificationsFortifications Hand-hand combat in Hand-hand combat in

open areasopen areas Collection of bootyCollection of booty The Egyptians adhered The Egyptians adhered

to a strict military to a strict military code in battle.code in battle.

THE DEFEATED

Enemy survivors were taken as POWs or Enemy survivors were taken as POWs or enslaved.enslaved.

Towns and forts were ransacked and booty was Towns and forts were ransacked and booty was given to the Egyptian soldiersgiven to the Egyptian soldiers

Enemy princes who surrendered to the pharaoh Enemy princes who surrendered to the pharaoh had the option of accepting the Egyptian pharaoh had the option of accepting the Egyptian pharaoh as their overlord; these princes were then allowed as their overlord; these princes were then allowed to continue governing their own cities. to continue governing their own cities.

WEAPONS

NAVY

prime purpose was long prime purpose was long distance transport of distance transport of troops and supplies, or troops and supplies, or mobile military operation mobile military operation bases. bases.

Occasionally the navy did Occasionally the navy did engage in warfare, but engage in warfare, but even then, sailors acted as even then, sailors acted as soldiers at sea rather than soldiers at sea rather than as a separate forceas a separate force

Many naval ships were actually built in Many naval ships were actually built in Byblos; the Gebel Barkal stela shows that Byblos; the Gebel Barkal stela shows that ship makers in Byblos built ships annually, ship makers in Byblos built ships annually, then sent those ships to Egypt along with then sent those ships to Egypt along with other tributes. This provided the Egyptian other tributes. This provided the Egyptian navy with a steady influx of high quality navy with a steady influx of high quality vessels.vessels.

Egypt developed coastal bases in other Egypt developed coastal bases in other territories, as well as creating a naval centterritories, as well as creating a naval centrere near Memphis called Perw-nefernear Memphis called Perw-nefer

Outside Egypt, TOutside Egypt, Thhutmosutmosee III took over III took over harbour after harbour in Phoenicia’s coastal harbour after harbour in Phoenicia’s coastal cities, acquiring supplies for his troops from cities, acquiring supplies for his troops from each in order to proceed to the next. each in order to proceed to the next.

Naval recruits, called Naval recruits, called w’ww’w, mainly served , mainly served on warships and most were the sons of on warships and most were the sons of military families who became professional military families who became professional sailors themselvessailors themselves

According to naval officials’ biographies and the Nauri According to naval officials’ biographies and the Nauri Decree, naval rankings probably were as follows:Decree, naval rankings probably were as follows:

King King Crown prince, commander in chief Crown prince, commander in chief Admirals Admirals Overseer, chief of ship’s captains (commanded several Overseer, chief of ship’s captains (commanded several

ships) ships) Ship captain (navigation) Ship captain (navigation) Captain’s mates (navigational support) Captain’s mates (navigational support) Commander of troops (older men with land-based Commander of troops (older men with land-based

duties) duties) Standard-bearer Standard-bearer Commander of rowers Commander of rowers Sailors Sailors

THE POLICE FORCE

Egypt’s police force, on the other hand, was not an Egypt’s police force, on the other hand, was not an extension of the army. It was established to extension of the army. It was established to enforce the gods’ orders and protect the weak enforce the gods’ orders and protect the weak from the strong in the general society. The police from the strong in the general society. The police maintained order by bringing guilty parties to maintained order by bringing guilty parties to justice. Even so, the police were not looked upon justice. Even so, the police were not looked upon as a hostile body, but rather as the guardians and as a hostile body, but rather as the guardians and protectors of generally law-abiding communities.protectors of generally law-abiding communities.

NubianNubian nomads, called the nomads, called the Medjay, became part of Medjay, became part of the Egyptian police force the Egyptian police force in the 18in the 18thth Dynasty. Dynasty.

The Medjay also served as The Medjay also served as tomb guardians during the tomb guardians during the construction of the royal construction of the royal necropolis at necropolis at DeirDeir el-Medina el-Medina..

In this capacity, Medjay In this capacity, Medjay police had many police had many responsibilities including responsibilities including ensuring the tomb’s safety, ensuring the tomb’s safety, inspecting the tomb, inspecting the tomb, guaranteeing good behavior guaranteeing good behavior on the part of the workers, on the part of the workers, protecting workers from any protecting workers from any dangers (including threats dangers (including threats by invaders), and by invaders), and occasionally assisting the occasionally assisting the workers and moving blocks workers and moving blocks of stone. of stone.