With whom the ancient Egyptians fought. Warriors of the pharaoh: who fought for the great Egypt (8 photos). Egyptian naval battle with the "peoples of the sea"

About 4 thousand years ago, a major uprising broke out in Egypt. A colorful story written by a nobleman named Ipuser has been preserved about these events. This written monument is called - "Decision  (i.e. story) Ipuser. "  True, this is not a historical record, but a literary work written under the impression of what he saw.

The poor, peasants and artisans rebelled against the power of the pharaoh, nobles, officials, scribes. Slaves also took part in the uprising.

Hyksos Invasion

Most likely, the uprising was crushed, but it certainly was not the only one. Rebellions weakened the country, but c. 1700 BC  a new disaster befell the country. Foreigners invade Egypt from Asia Hyksos. They captured the Nile Delta, and then subjugated South Egypt. For almost a century and a half, the Egyptians lost their independence.

The rulers of the city led the fight against the Hyksos Thebes,  located in south egypt. TO 1550 BC  the whole country was liberated. Thebes became the capital of Egypt, the rulers of Thebes became the pharaohs. Theban priests gained great influence. In Thebes, the sun god was revered under the name Amon. The main god of all of Egypt became known as Amon-Ra.

The army and weapons of the ancient Egyptians

In the fight against the Hyksos, Egypt did not adopt much from them. Horses and battle wheels appeared — with a chariot and an archer. Harnessed by a pair of horses, the co-rangers inflicted swift strikes on the enemy army, expanding its ranks. On chariots even the pharaohs fought.

And yet, the main role, as before, was played by the foot army, armed with bronze and copper weapons. Warriors wore armor made of leather or thick cloth with sewn-in metal plates rounded at the top of the shields. Spearheads, battle axes and long daggers were made of bronze. Such infantry was called heavily armed. There were still units lightly armed  foot soldiers - archers and spearmen throwing dart  (short spears).

The conquests of the Egyptian pharaohs

Ancient Egyptian warrior. Modern drawing

They recruited warriors throughout Egypt - one in ten adult men. Mercenary units appeared. Among them were many libyans, residents of the Libyan desert, located west of Egypt.

Conquest of Thutmose III

Beyond the Sinai Desert, on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea stretch Palestine, Phenicia  and Syria.  Having expelled the Hyksos, the headlights began to conquer these countries.

The most famous conqueror was Pharaoh. Thutmose III (1479-1425 BC).  He lost his father early, and while he was a child, his stepmother, the queen, seized power Hatshepsut. Under her, Egypt was restored after the Hyksos invasion, many beautiful temples were built, and trade commenced. Thutmose has matured. He grew up strong and courageous, strove for military victories. But the queen until her death alone ruled Egypt. Having become the host of the country, Thutmose III (3) immediately moved Egyptian troops to Asia.

Pharaoh made his first trip to the city Megiddo  in Palestine. He defeated the troops of the Syrian and Palestinian rulers and, after a 7-month siege, took the city. Information has been preserved about 15 campaigns of Thutmose III (3) to Asia. Egyptian troops reached the Euphrates - "the river flowing in the opposite direction." So the Egyptians called the Euphrates, surprised that, unlike the Nile, it flows from north to south.

Thutmose III (3) was not limited to conquests in Asia. He, subduing Nubia, a country located in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Nile rapids, and the Libyan tribes living west of the Nile. The borders of Egyptian possessions now stretched from north to south for 3200 kilometers - from the Euphrates to Nubia. In the XV (15) century BC Egypt has become the most powerful state in the world.

Robbery of conquered countries

The Egyptian army robbed and ravaged the captured cities and countries. The losers were taxed. They were supposed to send metals, precious wood, handicrafts, grain, livestock and even people to Egypt. From Nubia, the pharaohs received gold and ivory, from Syria - copper and silver. Egypt was filled with captives turned into slaves.

Looted wealth allowed the pharaohs to deploy extensive construction. The capital of Egypt Thebes became a huge city with temples and palaces of the pharaohs and nobles.

The Pharaohs generously awarded the nobility and military leaders, but especially the rich priests. The majestic ruins of the temple of Amun-Ra in Thebes have survived to this day. This is the largest temple not only in Egypt, but throughout the world. In its main hall 134 columns are installed. Some of them have a height of 21 meters and 10 meters in girth.

Akhenaten

The priests of the god Amon-Ra accumulated huge wealth - large land holdings, tens of thousands of slaves, gold, and jewelry. All this was in abundance owned by the temples. Priestly offices often passed on to the investigation. Therefore, the priests less and less reckoned with the pharaohs.   Material from the site

But in XIV (14) century BC  the most unusual of all the pharaohs ascended the throne. He is known by the name that he invented for himself, - Akhenaten.  The young pharaoh declared that in the world there is only one god worthy of worship - Aton  and he himself is the son and supreme priest of this god. Akhenaten - means "pleasing to Aton." Aton was portrayed as a solar disk with rays ending in the palms of his hands.

Many temples of former gods were closed in the country. To undermine the influence of Theban priests, Akhenaten built a new capital — Ahetaton  (Aton Horizon). And yet the priests won. While Akhenaten was alive, they recognized Aton, but when Pharaoh died, Amon-Ra was again declared the supreme god in Egypt. The population of the country was not ready for faith in one God. The city of Ahetaton was abandoned, the name of the rebel pharaoh was betrayed by a curse. The struggle between the priests and the pharaohs, between Egyptian nobles, weakened Egypt. Subsequently, the Egyptian pharaohs lost all the conquered lands.

Questions about this material:

  Around Z100-2600 BC EARLY EGYPT.

The first identifiable figure in history was Menes (Narmer) - a warlike ruler who united under his authority into a single state the kingdom of Upper and Lower Egypt. For the next 1300 years, Egyptian civilization flourished on the banks of the Nile in relative isolation from the rest of the world.

IN THE SPECIFIED period, the rulers of the I and II dynasties. Already at the first of them an effective state apparatus was created, the city of Memphis was founded - the future capital, which stood at the junction of both halves of the kingdom - Upper and Lower. Political centralization was the basis of military centralization. The supreme power belonged to the pharaoh, who appointed the chief of the army, as well as the chiefs of detachments or fleets. Warriors were in the service of the pharaoh, the rulers of districts and temples.

  Around 2600-2000 ANCIENT KINGDOM.

From III to VII dynasty, the capital was located in Memphis. During this period, many military expeditions were undertaken to neighboring regions, Palestine and Nubia. The influence of Egypt extended far up the Nile to modern Sudan. This period is characterized by frequent internal unrest, during which kings (pharaohs) often waged civil wars against the rebellious provincial nobility. As a result, the forces at the disposal of the central government were subject to substantial fluctuations; the rhythm of change was interrupted at times by the violent collapse of dynasties. At first, the standing armies were unknown - the territorial militia troops gathered in active armies only at a time when the pharaohs entered into foreign adventures or needed forces to ensure internal security or protect the borders.

  Around 2000-1600 THE MIDDLE KINGDOM.

Starting from the XII dynasty, the pharaohs contained several well-trained, professional, standing armies, which included, as a rule, Nubian auxiliary units. These armies became the nucleus of larger forces when protection against invasion was required, as well as for expeditions up the Nile or through the Sinai. The military strategy was predominantly defensive, its essential element was the fortifications blocking the Suez Isthmus and the southern border in the area of \u200b\u200bthe first Nile rapids.

  Around 1800-1600 INVASION OF HYXOS.

Egypt suffered from its first foreign invasion in a period of internal weakness. The Hyksos (nomadic Asian tribes of Semitic origin, whose name is usually translated as "shepherd kings") introduced horses and war chariots into the Egyptian military life.

The conquerors gradually spread power to the south until (around 1700) they completely conquered Egypt.

For the next hundred years, they held power through local princes, controlling from the Avaris capital they founded in the Delta and ruthlessly suppressing frequent Egyptian revolts.

1600 g. REVOLUTION IN FIVES.

The local nobility expelled the Hyksos from Upper Egypt.

Despite their military superiority over the Egyptians (bronze weapons and war chariots), the Hyksos were unable to establish lasting power over the entire Nile Valley. The southern nomes of Egypt only verbally recognized the supremacy of the Hyksos kings, accumulating forces to fight against them.

The Hyksos quickly realized that they could not manage the conquered country, since there were too few of them and the experience of the steppe life was not suitable for new conditions. Therefore, the Hyksos began to adopt from the Egyptians their system of governance, beliefs and rites.

The rulers of the Hyksos were crowned with the crown of the pharaohs, took the Egyptian royal title, brought Egyptian nobles closer to themselves. At the same time, the Hyksos encouraged the relocation of their nomadic tribes from the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt, hoping to create an additional support for their power. However, all attempts by the Hyksos to gain a foothold in Egypt were in vain. The last Hyksos pharaohs lived locked up in their fortress capital Avaris, built on the lower Nile. The struggle for the liberation of Egypt from strangers was led by the rulers of Thebes, who founded the eighteenth dynasty of the pharaohs, the most prominent dynasty in the history of the country. In 1580, the last detachments of the Hyksos were expelled from the coastal regions of Egypt. Egyptian legend says that the defeated Hyksos were offered a choice - to leave Egypt free or to remain slaves in it. Most Hyksos preferred the latter - such was the attractive force of Egyptian culture, under the influence of which they lived for 170 years.

1580. THE APPEARANCE OF THE NEW KINGDOM.

  Having borrowed a lot from the Hyksos, the pharaohs created a complex and formidable war machine, characterized by the use of war chariots, the improvement of weapons and the massive use of archers.

1580-1557 THE REIGN OF YAHMOS.

He expelled the Hyksos to Palestine, again uniting Egypt under his rule, established a strong central authority, noticeably curtailing the autonomy of the provincial nobility. Then he again conquered Nubia, which during the occupation of the Hyksos came out of Egyptian rule. He created the first standing army in the history of Egypt and made his comparatively well-trained, disciplined archery units his main support; he mastered the use of terrible Hyksos war chariots.

1546-1507 The reign of Amenhotep I and Toothmos I.

They extended the power of Egypt to the west — to Libya, the oar — to Nubia, and to the northeast — to Palestine and Syria; Egyptian armies reached the shores of the Euphrates.

Subsequently, under the rule of their more loving heirs, Egypt’s control of the external regions weakened.

1525-1512 KINGDOM REign I.

A strong ruler, he invaded Syria to the Euphrates River, conquered Northern Nubia and reduced the strength of local princes.

1491-1449 KINGDOM REIGN III.

The first twenty years of his reign, he was only the nominal co-ruler of his aunt Hatshepsut.

After her death (1472), the king of the Hyksos Kadesh raised a well-organized uprising of Palestinian and Syrian tribes in northern Palestine against the supposedly weak young pharaoh.

1469 BATTLE AT MEGIDDO

(the first battle described in history). With a quick and unexpected march, Thutmose led the Egyptian army (possibly 20 thousand people) to Central Palestine. The rebel leaders concentrated the army in the Megiddo Valley, north of Mount Carmel, sending out guard outposts whose task was to keep the three passes leading from the south. However, Thutmose broke through Megiddo Pass, scattering the defenders with a bold attack, which he led. In the valley beyond the pass, the rebel army under the command of King Kadesh was pulled up on a hill near the fortress of Megiddo. Thutmose built an army with a concave front. While the southern wing occupied the rebels with a distracting maneuver, Thutmose personally led the northern "horn" into an attack directed between the flank of the rebels and the fortress. The result was an encirclement of the rebel flank and a crushing victory for the Egyptians.

FORTRESS Megiddo was of strategic importance, as it blocked the path from Egypt to the valley of the Oronta River. Kadesh was the political center of the tribes that rebelled against Egypt.

As soon as the Egyptian army defeated his opponent on the outskirts of Megiddo, Thutmose ordered the immediate imposition of the city. “They measured the city, surrounded by a fence erected from the green trunks of all their favorite trees”; His Majesty was himself on the fortification, east of the city, examining what had been done.

However, the king of Kadesh managed to escape from the city. After several weeks of siege, the city of Megiddo surrendered. Assessing the significance of his success, Thutmose said: "Amon gave me all the allied regions of Jahi, prisoners in one city ... I caught them in one city, I surrounded them with a thick wall." The trophies of Thutmose were: 924 chariots, 2238 horses, 200 sets of weapons, a harvest in the valley of Ezraelon, shot by the Egyptian army, 2000 head of cattle and 22 500 head of small cattle. The list of trophies shows that the Egyptians were supplied at the expense of local funds. To consolidate their success, the Egyptians moved on, took three more cities and built a fortress, which was called "Thutmose - connecting the barbarians." Now the Egyptians controlled all of Palestine. But to consolidate Egyptian rule and prepare the base on the coast, four more campaigns were required. At the end of the sixth campaign, Kadesh fortress was taken.

1470-1450 TOP OF POWER OF EGYPT.

After seventeen campaigns, Thutmose III not only crushed the rebel rulers of Palestine and Syria, but also extended the rule of Egypt to the borders of the Hittite Empire, and in Asia Minor to Northwest Mesopotamia; his fleet controlled the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea.

TUTMOS III is the first commander known in history to carry out a planned offensive. He outlined strategic objects and persistently sought to master them. The campaigns of the Egyptians during his reign were distinguished by purposefulness. The Egyptians did not disperse their forces, but delivered concentrated and consistent strikes at important strategic points. So, the first five campaigns created the necessary base for an attack on Kadesh, the mastery of which made it possible to undertake campaigns into the depths of Asia Minor, and the latter consolidated the initial successes. To ensure advancement into the territory of the enemy, the Egyptians expanded their bases, taking care of the rear. Finally, the strategy of the Egyptians of this period is characterized by the desire to consolidate the achieved success by establishing fortified points on the conquered territory and organizing multiple campaigns with the aim of completely subjugating the conquered tribes.

Statue of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten) .XVIII Dynasty

1380-1365 The reign of Akhenaten.

Serious internal religious strife weakened Egyptian dominance over the external regions. Militant Hittites invaded Syria and - with the support of local allies - much of Palestine.

1352-1319 THE KINGDOM OF KHOREMHEB.

Just as the Egyptian empire seemed to be on the verge of collapse, the warlord Horemheb seized the throne and founded the XIX dynasty. He restored internal order and stopped the disintegration of borders by solid defense and a number of offensive expeditions abroad.

1317-1299 REIGN OF NETWORK I.

The reorganized Egyptian army again conquered Palestine, but was powerless to shake the Hittite power in Syria.

Statue of Pharaoh Ramses II. XIX dynasty

1299-1232 KINGDOM OF RAMESES II (son of Seti I).

He partially succeeded in trying to restore the old borders of the empire.

Ramses led an army of about twenty thousand, including 2,500 chariots and consisting mainly of Numidian mercenaries, against the Hittite fortress Kadesh, which stood on the River Oront. Hurrying to capture Kadesh before the approach of the main Hittite army, he, along with his vanguard, was temporarily surrounded and cut off from the main forces by a surprise attack by the enemy. Holding out until reinforcements arrived, Ramses repelled the Hittites. However, Kadesh was incapable of taking, and eventually made peace, leaving the Hittites in control of most of Syria. Ramses' superiority as a military leader was negated by the fact that the enemy was apparently armed with new iron weapons, while his mercenaries still used bronze.

The war with the Hittites lasted 18 years and ended with the conclusion of the so-called “eternal peace”, according to which the Egyptians and the Hittites pledged to help each other. An agreement was written, which is the first international document known to us.

  Around 1200 the invasion of the "PEOPLES OF THE SEA."

  These were sea pirates from the islands of the Mediterranean, as well as from southern Europe. Most of their attacks were repelled, but some of the invaders managed to settle along the coast - such as the Philistines in Palestine.

Egyptian naval battle with the "peoples of the sea"

To fight the "peoples of the sea" the Egyptians created a strong fleet. A large role in its foundation is attributed to Ramses II. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, Ramses II assembled a fleet of 400 naval vessels, with the help of which he managed to repel the invasion of the inhabitants of the islands and coasts of the Aegean Sea.

The battle of Migdol (circa 1200) in the Egyptian war with the Libyans and the "peoples of the sea" is characterized by the organization of interaction between the fleet and the army. The Egyptian army took up positions at Migdol, where the right flank was strengthened by fortifications, and the left was provided with a fleet. The outcome of the battle was decided by the Egyptian fleet, which defeated the fleet of the "peoples of the sea", after which their land army also fled.

1198-1167 KINGDOM OF RAMSES III.

When he ascended the throne, the Philistines attacked Egypt from Palestine, the Libyans approached from the west, and the "peoples of the sea" again troubled the shores of the Delta. Ramses inflicted a decisive defeat on all of them and restored Egyptian rule over Palestine. He was the last great pharaoh - in the following centuries, the power and influence of Egypt was steadily declining and the country was often subjected to foreign conquests.

During the reign of Ramses III, the Egyptian army was reorganized. The distribution of service in the infantry and in the chariot detachments was distributed, and mercenary detachments from foreigners were organized. Discipline was strengthened, the demands of commanding officers increased, and at the same time, the corporal punishment of soldiers was abolished, they were replaced by deprivation of honor, which the warrior could return, showing courage in battle.

Around 730. CONQUEST OF EGYPT BY ETHIOPES.

The leader of the conquerors was King Pyanha, whose capital was located in Napat, near the fourth rapids of the Nile.

671-661 years Assyrian invasion.

  The Assyrians expelled the Ethiopians.

661-626 years. TIME OF TROUBLES.

The constant riots and coups in Egypt ended with the expulsion of the Assyrians.

609-593 SHORT EGYPTIAN REVIVAL.

This happened during the reign of Pharaoh Necho, who led the Egyptian invasion of Palestine and Syria.

609. SECOND BATTLE AT MEGIDDO (or Armageddon).

Necho easily defeated the Jewish army under the command of Josiah and marched north to the Euphrates.

605 BATTLE AT CARHEMISH.

Necho suffered a crushing defeat from the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, and the Egyptians were completely expelled from Syria and Palestine.

The first wars of ancient Egypt

One of the first known pharaohs-commanders was Mendres, during his reign, Upper and Lower parts of Egypt were conquered, united in one state with the capital in Memphis. In the era of the Old Kingdom, many military campaigns were organized in Palestine and Nubia, the borders of Egypt expanded to the territory of Sudan. This was an unstable period in the life of Ancient Egypt, there were constant civil wars between the central government and the provinces, and the dynasties of kings often changed.
During the Middle Kingdom, the rulers maintained a constant powerful army, the military strategy was based on the defense of the invaders. In 1800-1600 BC Nomadic Hyksos tribes invaded the territory of Ancient Egypt, as a result of which they took possession of the entire territory of the state. In 1600 BC the invaders were expelled from Upper Egypt, and after 20 years - the last Hyksos left Egyptian lands.

Ancient Egyptian Army

The most famous wars in ancient Egypt

In the era of the New Kingdom under rule Amenhotep I and Thutmose I  Egyptians captured many new territories: Palestine, Syria, Libya and Nubia. Under Pharaoh Thutmose III, a legendary battle took place near the Megiddo Valley, during which Egyptian troops defeated the enemy, led by the rebellious king Kadesh, and extended the power of Egypt to all of Palestine.
  In 1380-1365 BC of the rules Akhenaten, at this time in the country raged confusion and strife on religious grounds. The army was weakened, and the Egyptians lost a number of their territories, including Syria. In 1299-1232 BC Ramses II tried to regain control of the lost borders. In 1294, the famous Battle of Kadesh took place, in which Ramesses III wanted to capture the Hittite fortress of Kadesh, but the plan failed, because his opponent was much better armed. The confrontation between the Egyptians and the Hittites lasted about 18 years, after which the parties agreed on an “eternal peace”.
  After reign Ramesses III, in which it was possible to repel the attacks of the Libyans and the peoples of the Mediterranean, the power of Egypt was weakening more and more, as a result of which the state was repeatedly subjected to the conquest of its lands by Ethiopians and Assyrians.

Already in the era of the Middle Kingdom, the army was quite highly organized. Egyptian troops were structured, recruitment to the army took place on a voluntary basis. There was a high military post - jati, who commanded the army and navy and monitored the recruitment of warriors. Then special detachments of personnel officers appeared, they carried out special military orders of the pharaohs. At the same time, a guard was formed to guard the king.
  According to ancient Egyptian law, a person with a wealth in order to become an aristocrat had to take 8 soldiers into his service. They had to be constantly trained and engaged in military training, not burdening with ordinary work. Noble rich people formed squads, companies that obeyed the colonels. In the era of the New Kingdom, the army became a lot of foreign mercenaries, and later they formed the basis of the Egyptian army.

The main force of the Egyptian army was infantry troops and chariot detachments, and from the period of the Middle Kingdom a navy began to appear. Most often, warriors armed themselves with an ax of copper, a mace, a bow, a spear or a copper dagger. For protection, they used a shield made of wood, which was covered with fur. In the Middle Kingdom, in connection with the development of metal processing, the spear, sword and arrowhead became bronze. At this time, units of archers and spearmen appear.

At the turn of the IV-III millennium BC. e. one of the most powerful and developed civilizations of antiquity stretches along the banks of the Nile River in Africa. The remains of the culture of Ancient Egypt are still striking in their grandeur and grandeur.

The secret of the popularity of Ancient Egypt in the 21st century

The army of Ancient Egypt, in addition to protecting borders, was engaged in maintaining order within the country. Recruits were recruited among the population, but no fewer soldiers were mercenaries from neighboring Nubia - the territory of present-day Sudan. The Mejai in Ancient Egypt are officers who commanded small units. Parts involved in restoring order in the cities, and mercenaries were also called mejai.

Why is Nubia considered the birthplace of the Medjays?

The Mejai are Nubian tribes roaming the territory of present-day Sudan. While hunting mainly for cattle breeding, many of them willingly hired to serve the Egyptians.

On the territory of Nubia at different times there were several states. The most famous of them is the kingdom of Kush. Its capital was the city of Napata, and later - Meroe. With the discovery of gold, the life of the region’s population has changed for the better, the Kush state has risen, and its rulers have been called black pharaohs. Below is a drawing of a Meroe reconstruction.

The Nubians were excellent wars and often hired in Egypt for service. The main role of Nubian Majais in is the protection of the tombs of kings and nobles, the fight against robber units in the country. Terrible Kush warriors opposed the Romans in their expansion of Africa.

The figure below is a reconstruction of the exit of Taharka, one of the pharaohs of the Nubian dynasty of Ancient Egypt.

Apparently, the word "Mejai", when used frequently in relation to Nubian mercenaries in Ancient Egypt, became a household word for the ministers of law and order.

It turns out that the Mejai of Egypt are not just small owners, but owners, who, according to the laws of the country, themselves had to maintain order and calm on their lands.

What did the mejai look like?

In the Mummy tape, the vestments of the Majais are more of a traditional outfit for Arab Bedouins. In fact, clothing in ancient Egypt was not at a premium. Its wearing by children and adolescents until puberty was not provided at all. In large cities and settlements, adults wore a minimum of things from a light white canvas: men - skirts, women - togas, opening one chest.

Mejay in ancient Egypt - is primarily a representative of the authorities. For the servants of order and soldiers of the regular army, a number of distinctive signs were provided.

Warriors wore "shells" of strips of durable linen fabric, many additionally lined them with leather inserts, and warlords relied on crocodile skin shells. During the campaigns and during the assaults, the soldiers put on a special hat - a leather helmet with metal stripes.

The uniform provided for a wide variety of shields, spears, berdysh, swords and additional protection for each type of troops. The photo below shows sketches of the reconstruction of weapons and protective equipment.

Why did the Mejai have tattoos?

And you can call champions in the number of tattoos. Scientists still do not know for what purpose the people of antiquity adorned their bodies. Tattoos are found on the remains of people around the world.

There are several suggestions about the meaning of tattooing:

1. Thus, belonging to a particular tribe, caste, estate or religion was noted.
2. Tattoos were supposed to attract good luck and wealth in a person’s life, the favor of the gods, determine the path and destiny.
3. Early tattoos did not differ in artistry, but represented sets of dots and dashes. Scientists believe that this could be a variant of the "passport" in antiquity. This theory is also supported by the fact that in ancient Egypt special signs were applied to the bodies of criminals, which made them outcasts of society.

Be that as it may, the fascination with tattoos in ancient Egypt was a ubiquitous phenomenon. The most popular tattoo symbols among mejai are scarab, Horus eye and Ankh.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF UKRAINE

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF ARC

RVUZ "CRIMEAN HUMANITARIAN UNIVERSITY"

Evpatoria Pedagogical Faculty

Department of History and Law

COURSE WORK

ON DISCIPLINE "HISTORY OF ANCIENT WORLD"

ON THE TOPIC

MILITARY POLICY OF ANCIENT EGYPT

Performed:

1st year student of group 11-EI

Mehontseva Julia Vadimovna

Scientific adviser:

Chernykh Igor Ivanovich

Evpatoria, 2008

CHAPTER 1. ARMY IN ANCIENT EGYPT

1. 1 Prerequisites for the creation of a standing army

1. 2 Armament of an ancient Egyptian warrior. Battle tactics

1. 3 the situation of the army in ancient Egyptian society

1. 4 The impact of the standing army on the socio-economic development of ancient Egypt

CHAPTER 2. THE CONQUESTING WARS OF THE GOVERNORS OF ANCIENT EGYPT

2. 1 Period of the Ancient Kingdom

2.2 Middle Kingdom

2. 3 Conquests of the New Kingdom

CHAPTER 3. PECULIARITIES OF MILITARY POLICY OF THE LADY KINGDOM GOVERNORS

3. 1 Board of foreign conquerors

3. 2 Rulers of the XXVI dynasty

3. 3 Egypt under the rule of the Persians

CHAPTER 4. THE ROLE OF WAR IN ANCIENT EGYPT

4. 1 War and Economics

4. 2 The effect of wars on social relations in ancient Egyptian society

CONCLUSION

LIST OF USED LITERATURE

INTRODUCTION

According to the author, this topic received little attention in historiography. This topic has been studied one-sidedly. We know about military campaigns only from a few sources, which are not always objective. So, for example, military victories always praise rulers, occasionally military leaders, but little is known about the life and position of ordinary soldiers. In addition, victories are often exaggerated, but little is said about defeats, which makes it impossible to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the Egyptian army and the organization of military campaigns. Such sources do not allow to fully explore the life, life and position in society of ordinary soldiers, through whose efforts a huge Egyptian empire was created.

This topic is also relevant in that it has a connection with modernity. The Egyptian Empire of the New Kingdom era pursued an active conquest policy. Without a strong army and the conduct of successful war of conquest, the development that Egypt received would have been impossible. The comprehensive development of the country depended directly on the army and wars. In the modern world, this dependence has been preserved, which appeared in ancient Egypt.

The purpose of this work is to characterize the military policy of Ancient Egypt, the policy of military campaigns, the causes and consequences of the wars in Ancient Egypt, and their influence on ancient Egyptian society.

Based on the goal, the objectives of this work is the following:

1. To analyze the causes, characteristics and position of the standing army in ancient Egyptian society.

2. To characterize the conquering expeditions of the rulers of Ancient Egypt during the periods of the Ancient, Middle and New kingdoms.

3. To explore the features of military policy of the rulers of the period of the Late Kingdom

4. To characterize the importance of wars for the socio-economic development of ancient Egyptian society.

This work in accordance with the tasks consists of 4 chapters, 12 subchapters.

In chapter I, the author tries to analyze the causes of the appearance, the influence of the army and its position in ancient Egyptian society. The author also describes the weapons of an ancient Egyptian warrior, tactics of warfare. In chapter II, the author characterizes the military campaigns of the rulers of Ancient Egypt and gives a comparative description of the conquests in different periods.

In chapter III, the author explores the military policy of the rulers of the late kingdom. Chapter IV describes the role of wars in Ancient Egypt, their influence on the socio-economic and cultural development of ancient Egyptian society.

In this paper, the author uses the method of structural analysis in Chapter I to characterize the value of a standing army in ancient Egyptian society; in chapter II, analyzing the results of the aggressive policy of the rulers of the Ancient, Middle, and New kingdoms; in Chapter III, when studying the military policy of the rulers of the era of the Late Kingdom; in Chapter IV, characterizing the role of wars in Ancient Egypt and their influence on the cultural and socio-economic development of ancient Egyptian society.

The work also uses the critical analysis method in chapter I to characterize the position of the army in ancient Egyptian society, as well as chapter III to study the characteristics of the military policy of the rulers during the late kingdom and chapter IV to characterize the significance of wars for the socio-economic and cultural development of ancient Egypt .

Papyrus Anastasi describes the fate of a warrior and the fate of a charioter. He encourages the reader to choose the profession of a scribe from all existing professions, while showing their negative sides. Papyrus is a record of the author’s monologue, proving that the profession of a scribe is better than others. This is a monologue of the period of the end of the New Kingdom. This also determines the negative attitude of the author to the profession of a warrior.

The biography of the lord of Una describes the military campaigns of the lord, led by the pharaoh himself. The document also speaks of the award received by Una for courage. This document cannot be completely objective, as it describes the absolute victory of the pharaoh and. perhaps embellishes her somewhat.

The will of Ramses III describes in detail all the acts of the pharaoh, his campaigns, wars with nomads, etc. This document also cannot be completely objective, as it was written with the aim of emphasizing and exalting the power of the pharaoh.

In the work of Professor Avdiev Vsevolod Igorevich "The Military History of Ancient Egypt", the military policy and military affairs of Egypt in the period of the Ancient, Middle and New Kingdoms are thoroughly studied. The causes of wars, their consequences and the organization of military affairs in Egypt are described in detail.

Turaev Boris Alexandrovich in the first two volumes of "History of the Ancient East" examined political history and social relations in Ancient Egypt. In his work, the author described the influence of wars on socio-economic and cultural changes in ancient Egyptian society.

The "History of Military Art" by Razin Evgeny Andreyevich characterizes the armament of the Egyptians, the organization of military affairs and analyzes the development of military art in Ancient Egypt.

This work cannot pretend to be a complete study and requires further refinement.

CHAPTER 1. ARMY IN ANCIENT EGYPT

1. 1 Prerequisites for the creation of a standing army

The army in ancient Egypt has come a long way. This is due to the fact that the Egyptians were not a warlike people. They are, first of all, peaceful farmers.

During the period of the Old Kingdom, the state could not have a single standing army, since there was no unity in the state itself. Egypt consisted of separate independent regions - nomes. A fragmented state was constantly in a state of danger, while each individual nominee had its own armed detachment - the police. Such a detachment, as a rule, was led by a civil servant who did not have special military training. The class of special officers did not exist. Large temple estates could also have similar units.

In the event of war — attacks on the borders of the state by hostile tribes, each nominee supplied his troops to the combined army. Command was most often entrusted to some capable official. The war was not a special occupation for the Egyptians. Military operations were limited to defending borders or to predatory predatory raids on neighboring tribes. In such expeditions, individual nome or temple military units could take part. Naturally, the prey was concentrated in the hands of the nomarchs and the priesthood, whose influence grew steadily and the pharaohs, without their military strength, had to put up with this.

However, at the beginning of the Middle Kingdom, the pharaohs are trying to surround themselves with people devoted and loyal. Many officials are selected from the immediate environment of the ruler. There is a class of military retinue of the pharaoh, his guards. These units consisted of professional soldiers, housed 100 people each in the palace and fortresses throughout Egypt from Nubia to the borders of Asia. They formed the core of a standing army, although they were then very small in number and their main task was to protect the ruler. Their superiors were by origin superior to the middle class.

During the war, the army, as before, consisted of detachments of different nomes, led by nomarchs. In peacetime, these people were attracted to community service, that is, there were almost no professional soldiers, because the whole war was reduced to a number of poorly organized predatory raids, which indicates the non-militant mood of the Egyptians.

During the period of the Middle Kingdom, Egyptian rulers were no longer content with periodic raids on neighboring tribes. They strive not only to seize these territories, but also to retain them in order to obtain a steady income. Frontier fortresses guarded by garrisons were to control the occupied territories. The first fortresses in Nubia and Kush were built by the legendary Senusert III, with whom the first foreign conquests of the Egyptians are associated. But guarding the borders without a standing army was impossible. But war was still not a special occupation in Egypt. Only after the fall of the Middle Kingdom and the almost 100-year domination of the nomadic Asian tribes - the Hyksos, did the Egyptians learn to fight for real. The expulsion of the Hyksos and the desire of the pharaoh to keep power in his hands was an important stage in the formation of a permanent Egyptian army.