With whom the ancient Egyptians fought. Warriors of the pharaoh: who fought for the great Egypt (8 photos). Robbery of conquered countries
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 was steadily growing 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 series 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 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.
Finally, the regular army was formed by the pharaoh Yakhmos I, the founder of the Egyptian Empire during the New Kingdom. Thanks to prolonged wars and sieges, Egypt became a military power. The opposition to the Hyksos and the campaign in Asia allowed the Egyptians to study military affairs. During this period, the "profession" of a warrior became the most popular. Realizing what riches can be obtained through war, the once not warlike Egyptians now sought to join the army. Administrative officials now became military leaders. Warfare has become prestigious.
So, we can conclude that the prerequisites for the creation of a standing army in Ancient Egypt were initially the desire of the pharaoh to ensure his safety, surround himself with devoted people and reduce the influence of the nomarchs. Later, realizing that it is much more profitable to regularly receive tribute from the conquered territories than periodically, by poorly organized raids, to seize the necessary resources, the pharaohs gradually form more or less permanent military units and garrisons for border protection.
But the main reason for the emergence of a regular army is the desire of the Egyptians for wealth and luxury through military conquests, which were formed among non-bellicose people during the liberation struggle with the Hyksos (XVII-XVI centuries. BC. E.), warlike customs that the Egyptians taught otherwise relate to war.
Armament of an ancient Egyptian warrior. Battle tactics
The only kind of permanent Egyptian army that began to take shape in the period of the Middle Kingdom was infantry. Later a fleet and chariot detachments appeared.
"The arsenal of the soldiers of the Old Kingdom was: a mace with a stone tip, a battle ax made of copper, a spear with a stone tip, a dagger made of stone or copper. In an earlier period, a boomerang was widely used. As a protective weapon, the soldiers had a wooden shield covered with fur." "When storming the fortresses, the Egyptians used assault stairs with wooden disc wheels, which facilitated their installation and movement along the fortress walls. A breach was made in the fortress walls with large crowbars." Already in the Ancient Kingdom, the Egyptians had rowing ships with sails. 2 fleets were created - one in Upper Egypt and the other in Lower.
The armament of the Egyptian soldiers of the Middle Kingdom has improved slightly compared to the previous period, as a result of improved methods of processing metals. Spears and arrows were now made of bronze. "A reinforced bow appeared, which increased the range of the arrow and the accuracy of its hit. The arrows had tips of various shapes and plumage; their length ranged from 55 to 100 cm. Arrows with a leaf-shaped tip, originally flint, and then copper and bronze, usual for the Ancient East, were less effective weapons than those introduced by the Scythians in the 2nd quarter of the 7th century BC.e. arrows with a faceted tip - bone or bronze.The aimed shot from a bow, the distance of flight of a boomerang and a throwing spear were approximately the same: 150-180 m; the best accuracy of a boomerang and a throwing spear was reached at a distance of 50 m. A shield upholstered in fur, half the height of a man’s height, continued to be the only protective equipment. " In the Middle Kingdom, units of equally armed warriors appear - spearmen and archers.
For a long time, weapons were not improved - there was no need for this. Spears, swords and bows were enough to pacify the neighboring wild tribes. Significant innovations appear during the rule of the Hyksos. The Egyptians learned a lot from the warlike nomads - they master new ways of making weapons for them, improve the technology of manufacturing weapons from bronze. Another innovation appears - now horses led by nomads are harnessed to the chariots, which later helps them to gain a number of victories. Thus, we can say that the Egyptians expelled the Hyksos with the help of their own weapons.
With the advent of mercenaries, not only the composition of the army is changing, but also its armament. Most mercenaries, being professional warriors, prefer to use their own weapons. This means the emergence of a variety of weapons.
The basis of the Egyptian army is still the infantry, which consisted of detachments of archers, slingers, spearmen and warriors with swords. During the campaign, the army was divided into several units, which moved in columns. Ahead sent intelligence.
Stopping, the Egyptians set up a fortified camp of shields. "When storming the cities, they used a structure called a turtle (a canopy of shields that covered the warriors from above), a ram, guilt (a low canopy of vines covered with turf to protect soldiers during siege operations) and an assault staircase."
It is known that during campaigns, soldiers were sometimes transferred to the place of battle from places of permanent location on cargo river vessels.
The tactics of warfare among the Egyptians was quite diverse. The battle was fought mainly on land, sometimes on water. There are cases when the battle was fought both at sea and on land at the same time. In battle, especially during the New Kingdom, chariot detachments began to be widely used, but infantry was still more common.
The main prey of the Egyptians were slaves. Also highly valued were "trophies" - hands cut off from defeated enemies. The vanquished were mercilessly robbed - they were seized by clothes, weapons, and other valuables. Barbarian treated and with the occupied territories.
As an additional workforce, far from all prisoners were used, but almost exclusively Asians. Captured sea pirates - Sherdans - possibly coming from distant Sardinia - often became royal bodyguards. Libyans and Ethiopians were involved in the Egyptian army, probably at first only in auxiliary units.
Thus, we can conclude that before the Hyksos conquest, the weaponry of a warrior was quite simple. It is being improved with the advent of nomads. Not only the arsenal of weapons becomes richer, but also the military experience of the Egyptians themselves. With the advent of horses, new types of weapons, battle tactics are also being improved.
The position of the army in ancient Egyptian society
Initially, when the army was an army assembled from nome squads, professional soldiers did not exist, and all combat-ready men were recruited into the militia. In peacetime, they were engaged in community service or equipped on expeditions.
Professional soldiers appeared in the Middle Kingdom. Their task was to protect the pharaoh and the borders of the state. However, the profession of a soldier became truly necessary and in demand only during the New Kingdom.
The ranks of the soldiers were replenished mainly by representatives of the middle class, and the military leaders became officials who were wounded in administrative posts. "The official who described the estates in the era of the XVIII dynasty divided the people into" soldiers, priests, tsarist serfs and all artisans ", and this classification is confirmed by everything that we know about the era; however, it should be borne in mind that all units of the free middle classes are included here as “soldiers.” The soldiers of the standing army, therefore, have now also become a special class. Representatives of the free middle class, obliged to perform military service, are called “citizens of the army” - a term already known in the Middle Ages "but which became commonplace at that time; thus, conscription becomes a characteristic designation of the class of society that bears it."
The army and class of servants are now becoming one of the 3 great social groups, along with priesthood and officials.
Ordinary soldiers received very little pay, but they could gain wealth by robbing the vanquished. Being a military was also beneficial because each soldier could have a career prospect. He could be seen and awarded for valor and service. Of course, this was very rare for a simple soldier. More often than not, this was used by the paramilitary nomic nobility. It is the generals who get the best of military campaigns. All the most valuable was subject to census and transferred to the pharaoh, who distributed the loot between the military leaders and close ones, donating the lion's share to the temples and the priesthood.
A special role was played by the "escort soldiers" - the imperial guard. For service to the pharaoh, such warriors receive gifts from the ruler - the land, slaves. In addition, they are fed from the royal economy. These warriors - bodyguards from among the selected troops and a group of close military leaders, accompanied the pharaoh at all public appearances.
Unlike the elite, a simple soldier had a hard time if he returned from a campaign without achieving glory. Representatives of this class suffered various oppression by the ruling class. But they were free, and if they were lucky enough to get something during the campaign, then they could dispose of it freely, including slaves.
At the end of the New Kingdom, when mercenaries began to prevail in the army, the profession of a warrior became unprofitable for the Egyptian. The Egyptians prefer to return to agriculture and peaceful labor. Anastasi, for example, claims that the profession of a scribe is much better than a warrior. In his papyrus, he describes the miserable fate of a warrior and a charioter. Perhaps he exaggerates in his reasoning, but in his statements, there is undoubtedly some truth. However, despite all this, the power of the pharaoh still continues to be based on the strength of the army, so the army is a significant force and is not the last in society.
At the end of the period, the free and semi-dependent strata of the population are increasingly exploited by the elite of the nobility. A military career for an ordinary soldier becomes even more inaccessible. If after the expulsion of the Hyksos and the formation of a new, XVIII, the advanced Theban house needed new devotees close and granted gifts, honors and titles to all those who really distinguished themselves in the battle, now the posts and titles have become hereditary and families enriched due to these privileges passed their titles by inheritance.
It can be concluded that in general, the army occupied a significant place in ancient Egyptian society. In the era of the empire, the army and military affairs are most developed. The military is becoming a large social group along with priesthood and officials. The army becomes the main pillar of the despotic power of the pharaoh.
The influence of the standing army on the socio-economic development of ancient Egypt
With the emergence of a standing army, the socio-economic situation in Egypt changed significantly. First of all, the social structure of society has changed dramatically.
Military campaigns, international trade, admission to service in the army of foreigners led to the influx into the country of a huge number of both free and dependent foreigners. The conquests gave a large number of slaves from all over the East, mainly the Semites and Nubians.
Prisoners of war were exploited in different ways. Their work was used in the royal, temple farms, as well as in the farms of individual communities. Sherden and Libyans could serve in the army. In general, foreigners could easily make a military career at court. "A brilliant career was opened in the army for the little Asians, although the lower ranks of the pharaoh's troops were replenished mainly with recruits from among the western and southern peoples." In addition, with the emergence of a regular army in ancient Egyptian society, a new class was formed - the military class. The role of the army in the economic development of the country was that now it was not the Egyptians who fought, but foreign mercenaries, not farmers, but professional soldiers. In the fields and on farms, mainly slaves worked. The Egyptians themselves were able to calmly work in their possessions, using the fruits of conquest. "The warlike spirit that made Egypt the first world empire lasted only a few centuries, and essentially the non-warlike people returned to their usual peaceful life ..." The standing army made it possible not only to conquer new territories, wealth, slaves, but also to hold new lands for empire. The army controlled these territories and guarded the borders of the state.
The influence of the standing army on the socio-economic development of Egypt is that:
1. Egypt becomes a multinational power due to the large influx of foreigners into the country - mercenaries, slaves, merchants.
2. Foreigners began to prevail in the standing army, which entailed the distraction of the Egyptians from military affairs. They had no need to fight on their own - professional soldiers did it for them. In other words, they became dependent on foreign mercenaries.
3. The country was able to develop economically thanks to a standing army that reliably defended the borders of the empire.
4. The country developed economically due to seized lands, slaves and other military spoils. The Egyptian army has come a long way. Appearing initially as the goal of protecting the pharaoh and guarding the borders, it, constantly improving, became the pillar of the despotic power of the kings. The armament of the Egyptian warrior was distinguished by simplicity and convenience, which testifies to the non-militant mood of the Egyptians. It is being improved with the advent of the Hyksos. After the expulsion of the nomads, the army continues to develop. Now it occupies an important place in ancient Egyptian society, and the profession of a warrior is becoming in demand. The army supplied the conquered riches to Egypt, which made it all the more powerful and allowed the country to develop economically.
Egyptian war chariot.
Only the founder of the 12th (c. 2300) dynasty, Amenemhat I, defeating his rivals at Titaui (south of Memphis) and strengthening his throne, drew attention to the outward. enterprises: gold mine. the mines of Nubia (see map to Art. Egypt) abandoned in trouble. time, and undertook a series of success. hiking in the neighbor. land. His successor, Usurtusen I Heperkari, undertook successes. ex-mission to the land of Kush (present Sudan) and conquered the dark-skinned tribes of the Hasa, Sheat, Shemik, etc., pushing the country's borders to Wadi Half, that is, almost to the 2nd Nilsk. waterfalls. His son, Amenemhat II Nubkauri, built several. cr-stei to protect Nubia from raids by blacks. tribes. One of his successors, Usurtusen III Hakauri, undertook the conquest of the country of Kush and conquered all of Nubia. The inscription says that the king plunged into the country between the Nile and Krasn. by sea, captured many people, stole cattle and burned bread in the fields. South The king of the monarchy of the pharaohs then extended to the regions of Semneh and Kummeh, founded by Usurtusen, who served Egypt as a stronghold against invasions from the south. Under Pharaoh Thimeos (16th dynasty, c. 2000), Egypt was attacked by the Canaanites, the Semites and the Arabs. nomads who conquered the country and dominated in it approx. 4 centuries. The Egyptians have repeatedly tried to dump hard. yoke, but to no avail. The cause of the country's liberation went more successfully when one of the rulers of the south became the head of the uprising. okr-in, Theban. Prince Ra-Sakenen I Tiahua, who founded the 17th dynasty; small Egypt took his side. princes and rulers. Conquerors b. driven back to east. part of the Delta to Avaris, where they lasted a long time. The successors of Ra-Sakenen had to endure hard. and persistent. fight against nomads, with all their efforts lamenting for inaccessibility. strongholds of Avaris. Only Pharaoh Ahmos managed to take possession of Avaris, after which the remnants of the arch retired to Syria, where once again b. they were defeated under Sharukhan, and the land itself was taken by storm.
The Battle of the Cadet: Arrival of the Fth Legion. (From the ancient Egyptian bas-relief.).
The struggle for independence was important. consequences: in such a non-militant nation as the Egyptian one, the armies awakened. ardor, which soon entailed a series of campaigns in Syria. 3) New Theban period (1800-1095). On the expulsion of the nomads, Ahmos provided uk-nr. city \u200b\u200bof Egypt, having built the territory of Zara (King) to block the ways of the Asians. hordes to the Nile Valley. Amengotep I Serkara, the son and successor of Ahmos, completed the conquest of Ethiopia, and then, moving to the village, defeated the Libyan. Amu Kekak tribe (to the west of the Delta). His son, Tutmes I Aaheperkari, the first of the pharaohs of the 18th dynasty, embarked on the path of a foreigner. conquests. He again conquered the retreating Nubia, defeated the Ethiopians and, consolidating the monarchy of the south. (through the construction of ukr-nii and observing. posts), moved to Asia. The first blows struck Syria, edge b. empty then the pharaoh went to Naharana and at Karkemish (near the present. Aleppo) crossed the Euphrates, erected monuments on the banks of Krago, and then with numerous. prisoners, horses and chariots returned to Egypt. In the campaign of Tutmes I, the Egyptians first met with the Syrian-Asian. culture, borrowed from Asia the idea of \u200b\u200bfighting. chariots, introduced a horse to their country (the first horse factory in the Delta was built in this kingdom) and organized troops on the Asians. patterned. The son and successor of Tutmes I, Tutmes II, repelled the Arabs who embarked on a campaign against the Delta. Tutmes III Menhopri (c. 1625 BC) expanded the boundaries of Egypt. kingdom and handed it over to his successors as powerful and vast as it had never been. Having stepped out of the circle of Zara, Egypt. in June the army approached the city of Mageddo, where b. collected means. Syrian forces. With the dawn, the army was built into battle. order: right. flank b. provided r. Kina, and the left reached the northwest. the limits of Mageddo. Pharaoh himself commanded the battles. chariots that made up the center of the fighting. order. Tutmes' plan was to decide. attack on the right. flank drive Syrians away from the retreat and push to the river, for which the front of the fighting. order b. facing S.-v. Details of the battle were not preserved, it is only known that he b. short-lived, and the Syrians fled. Subjugating his power to Syria and Yuzhn. Phenicia, Tutmes moved to Naharana, ravaged the cities of Tunep and Karkemish, and then stepped up to the walls strengthened. Arad and, not having time to take the city, devastated the area. Next The Egyptians reappeared in Syria and forced the cities of Kadesh, Arad, and others to surrender. leaders b. forced to make peace, take their sons hostage and take on the supply of provisions for Egypt. troops, in case of movement of the latter on sire. territory. Then Tutmes invaded Naharana and defeated the Hittites, who at that time occupied part of the sowing. Syria. The capture of the mountains. Kadesh on the Orontes was the merit of one of Egypt. military commander, Amenemkhib, who-along with several. the daredevils made a breach in the crepe. wall, after which the city b. taken by storm. Tutmes was succeeded by his son, Amenthotep II Aachepruri. Naharana and sowing. Syria, at the news of the death of the formidable pharaoh, was outraged and made an attempt to reset Egypt. yoke. The rebellion lasted approx. 3 l and b. depressed cool. measures. At the same time, military commander Amenemkhib suppressed the uprising of the nomads. tribes to century from the Nile. The son of Amenthotep II, Tutmes IV Menhepruri, made a fortune. exits to Syria, Ethiopia and the land of Kush, and the grandson of Amenthotep II, Amenthotep III Manebri, made a fortune. trip to the land of Kush and Ethiopia. The ancestor of the 19th dynasty, Ramses I Menpehutiri, first directed his weapon against the Canaanite tribe of the Heta (Hittites), who lived downstream. Oronta. This is the armies. beautiful tribe. military man. organization, it was dangerous for Egypt. prevalence in front. Asia and, being at the head of the Asian Union. cities, velo with pharaohs fierce. war. Ramses attacked him in the valley of Oronta, but after that concluded with them to defend. union. The son of Ramses I, Seti I Minefte (c. 1400 BC), made a trip to the Bedouin lands Shasu and stormed the Kanan area. Invading Haru (Phenicia), Pharaoh defeated the Bedouins. After several. time has come turn and to the south. Phenicia, edge supported Shasu in the war with Egypt; in the battle under the walls of Jamnia Canaanites b. defeated, and the country submitted to the Network. Hence, Egypt. the army advanced towards Kadesh and was inadvertently. the attack took possession of the cr-st, taking control of the key to the valley of Oronta; Networks moved to with. against Heth and defeated the Hittite army. Concluding an agreement with King Heth Motur, taking the huge. prey and many prisoners., Networks returned to Egypt. His son and successor, Ramses II Miamun (c. 1330 BC), hastened to block the way to Egypt from Asia Minor. Tirsenam tribe, a cut landed in Africa. shore and entered into an alliance with the Libyans, to commonly. forces to raid the banks of the Nile. Ramses defeated the allied army and forced them to hurry. retreat. Meanwhile, a new thunderstorm was approaching Egypt. Hittite king Motur b. killed, and a new one (his brother Hithisar) set out to expel the Egyptians from Syria. Thanks to my diplomat. art, he managed to win over Naharana, Arad, sowing. Phenicia, Aleppo (Aleppo), Kadesh and other cities. The news of the rebellion forced the pharaoh to move against the coalitions. army to Migdol, Gaza and further through Mageddo to Kadesh. The spies sent by Hithisar assured the king that the chapters. Allied forces are concentrated in Aleppo. Convinced that the prot-k was still far away, Ramses, leaving Kadesh, moved the army to the village. Meanwhile, the Allied army, concentrating in the gorges located to the n. from Kadesh, preparing to attack the Egyptians on the flank. march. Forces were not important: only battles. the Allies had more than 2½ tons of chariots (3 hours each). Heathisar subsequently modified his original. plan and decided, after waiting for the removal of the troops of the pharaoh from Kadesh, to bypass the city from the west. side, go to the rear and cut off the Egyptians retreat. However, Ramses, having received notice that the allied forces were concentrated behind Kadesh, ordered all troops to rush to the south. Meanwhile, Hitisar gave a signal, and his chariots rushed to the Ramses ar-rd, which delayed the flow until the heads approached. forces that made Hitisar retreat to Kadesh. Ramses’s troops bivoked on the battlefield and, with dawn, formed into battle. order, front on s.-v .; The 1st and 3rd lines were chariots, the 2nd - infantry. For his part, Hitisar was preparing for the battle: he pulled all the troops and placed them ahead of Kadesh, in Krom he left part of the infantry in order to, in case of defeat, delay the persecution of the Egyptians and allow the army to take cover in the fortress . Right Hitisar's flank rested against the river. Orontes and b. secured, left, on the contrary, b. open why Ramses decided to lead the chapters. attack on this flank. The battle began at dawn. After the shootout, which served as the starting point for the battle, Egypt. chariots rushed to the fighting. Higisar’s chariots, showering them with clouds of arrows, overturning the ranks of the ship and making a mess among them. Having broken through the 1st line and having driven the broken chariots in front of them, the Egyptians were already preparing to launch an offensive with the whole front, when Hitisar suddenly strengthened his retreating chariots with spare and part heavy. infantry, hit the center of Egypt. fights. order, knocked him over and crashed into the frustrated ranks of the enemy. But at that moment the pharaoh went around the lion. the flank of the Allied army and energetically led an attack on him. The Allies faltered and sought escape in flight. Then Ramses hastened to stand in the way of the protector’s retreat, in order to prevent him from entering, but at this time, according to an order given in advance, 8 thousand Mr. Zones Kadesh made a sortie and unexpectedly attacking the triumphant victors, gave the possibility of the remnants of the defeated army to hide in the fortress. Pharaoh agreed to the world proposed by Hitisar. However, the latter soon violated it, and the war resumed. Hitisar, taught by experience, avoided open encounters. field, and military. actions were limited to chalk. skirmishes, demonstrations, sieges of cities and territories, and the successes of the Egyptians were often replaced by a very senses. failures. Ramses now rarely appeared before the troops, leaving operations to his regiments, which were unable to break the Hittites’ courage and perseverance. Finally, in the 21st year of his reign, the pharaoh saw himself compelled to make peace with them. His son and successor, Mineft I Binri-Miamun (c. 1320 BC), shortly after accession to the throne, d. to take up arms: thyrsens, shardans, Lycians and certain other peoples of M. Asia, upon learning of the death of Ramses, decided to invade Egypt. They landed on the shores of Libya with the intention of conquering the Delta and founding colonies there. The Libyan king Maraoui joined with them, and the allies moved to the Nile Valley.
The Battle of the Cadet: Ramses II in his war chariot. (From the ancient Egyptian bas-relief.).
The news of their approach terrified the country, edge was completely unprepared for war: army b. shortened, launched. the cr-sts were not able to resist. But the son of the great Ramses discovered noticed. energy and disposition: making sure that indirect directs the blow from s. on the Delta, Minefta decided to deploy troops in two groups: chapters. strength b. focused on the position of Peiru, but stayed. part - at the Kanopsky arm of the Nile, brought in to defend. state. Holding offensive forces from the front, the pharaoh until then delayed the attack until he received news that the detachment sent to him through the desert had not entered the rear to the rear. Then he ordered an immediate attack on the allies, the columns of which were approaching Peir in the meantime, with the intention of knocking the Egyptians off from the position that covered the road to Memphis. Stubbornly tied. and continue. battle, in Krom the Egyptians defeated the Libyans and their allies. Track. Pharaoh, Ramses III Hakon (c. 1200 BC), the 2nd king of the 20th dynasty, happily fought with the Libyans. Following this, the Thyrsen, Jackals, Tevkriytsy, Lycians, Philistines and so on. the small peoples of M. Asia discovered their intention to invade Egypt. The fight against such a prot-com was more serious than the war with the Libyans and required the strain of all the forces of the state. Cr-sti Delta b. are given in defenses. state, erected a lot of uk-ry, and field. the army took a position at Migdol, strengthened with rights. flank line Ukraine, and with the lion. - By sea, Egypt was dominated by Krom. flotilla. Here it happened decides. battle. After perseverance. battlefield fleet b. sunk by the Egyptians, and dry. the army fled. Soon Libyan. King Kapoor, in alliance with certain neighbors. tribes made an attempt to take possession of the Delta. But energetic. Pharaoh, vigilantly watching all his actions, hastened to the shore of the Kanop arm (now Maddieh), defeated Kapoor and threw him into the desert. Following this, the troops of the pharaoh, crossing the tsu, led the rebellious sire to obedience. the provinces and, having penetrated the island of Cyprus, occupied by the Phoenicians, took a huge. prey. 4) Sais period (1095-345). Shashank I Miamun, pharaoh of the 20th dynasty, wanting to push the borders of Egypt in sowing. for example, he sent troops to Judea and plundered Jerusalem. He came to Naharana, but his campaign in Palestine did not deliver durable. state in Judea, a cut stopped after his death. With the ancestor of the 24th dynasty, Pharaoh Tafnakhta, Egypt entered the battle against Ethiopia, the king cut of Pianhi-Miamun (c. 1000 BC) hoped to unite the Nile valley under the heights. Ethiopian authorities. The beginning of the war was marked by pestilence. the victory of the Ethiopians over the Tafnacht fleet, sailing up the Nile to Thebes, after which Pianhi besieged the mountains. Khmuny (now Ashmunen), the ruler of k-rago, vassal of Tafnakhta, Namrud, taking advantage of the fact that the Ethiopians sank for too long in the provinces they occupied, managed to prepare for defense. The blockade of Khmuna continued without success until Pianhi ordered to replace it with a proper siege. Seeing the impossibility to stay longer and not receiving help, Namrud handed over the city to the Ethiopians, who then moved along the road to Memphis. Last b. strongly fortified, meant. g-zones and b. provided with food. Meanwhile, strong. the Ethiopian fleet entered the harbor, capturing the sais ships that stood there, and the land. troops advanced to storm. After 2 days persistent battle on the streets of Memphis, the city surrendered, and with the fall of his large-in the area. rulers and princes obeyed the power of Pianha, who brought the land of the pharaohs into a vassal. Head of Ethiopia. One of the kings of the latter, activ. and energetic. Shabak, proclaiming himself a pharaoh, entered the struggle against Assyria, but b. defeated under Rafia, and under his successors Egypt fell under the rule of the Assyrians (see Assyrian wars) Pharaoh of the 26th dynasty, Psamethix I (652-612 BC), freed from the vassal. Head of Assyria, took possession of the Nubian Territory of Dodekashen and conquered the mountains. Nitrogen (see this word) The son and successor of Psamethix I, Necho (Niko), stepped on the path of a foreigner. conquest, having moved in 605 his troops to Syria, which belonged to the Chaldeans. the Jewish troops of King Josiah tried to block the path, but in battle. under Mageddo b. broken Nehao conquered all of Syria. In 604-603 years. Babylon. King Nabopolassar (see Assyrian wars), deciding to take from Necho was conquered. im province and put an end to conquer. the attempts of the Egyptians in Syria, sent against them strongly. army, under the beginning. his son, the famous Nebuchadnezzar. Having received the news of the advance of the Chaldeans, the pharaoh hastened to meet them. On the banks of the Euphrates at Karkemish (603) a decisive event occurred. battle ended with the defeat of Egypt. army. This defeat entailed the loss of all the conquests made by Necho in Syria, and the restriction of the limits of the monarchy of the pharaohs to the valley of the Nile. The grandson of Necho, Pharaoh Wahabri, however, again undertook a campaign in Syria, took the dates by storm. Sidon repelled the invasion of the Chaldeans in Egypt, but he could not prevent Nebuchadnezzar from taking Jerusalem and would confirm the Chaldean there. influence (see Babylon) Under Pharaoh Psametich III (531-527, 27th dynasty) Egypt, in its quest for lordship over Asia, met with strength. the opponent is young. gos-teve, - of Persia, the king, a swarm of Cambyses undertook the conquest of the Nile Valley. Gathering huge. army, he went to Pelusium, under the walls of k-rago occurred decides. battle (527), in a cut the Egyptians were defeated. Pharaoh fled and locked himself in the citadel of Memphis. A city besieged from all sides soon b. forced to capitulate, politic. the freedom of Egypt perished, and the land of the pharaohs became a Persian. Mudrayu province. After defeat pers. army at the Marathon (see Greek Persian Wars) in 486, a rebellion broke out in Egypt, a stranger. g-zone b. driven away, the country declared free, and the descendant of the aftermath. dynasties, Habbash, b. proclaimed pharaoh. For 2 years, the latter prepared to protect the banks of the Delta and strengthened the mouth of the river. Despite, however, the energy of the pharaoh, the country was unable to withstand the Persians. hordes, and rebellion b. crushed. After 23, at the head of the new. outrage became Libyan. ruler Inar, k-rago was considered the son of Psamethix III (463). His side was accepted by the population of the Delta, oppressed by the governor Achaemenes, and the Athens sent 200 k-blei, separating them from their es-dra, cruising approx. Cyprus. Achaemenes b. forced to flee to the established on pers. throne to his nephew Artaxerxes I; the latter moved the army and navy to Egypt, and entrusted the command over the ex-mission to the same Achaemenes (see Greek Persian Wars) Meanwhile, the help of the Egyptians arrived in time. Greek detachments, the appearance of which immediately changed the situation. Papremis pers. army b. defeated and almost all destroyed, with which Achemenes died. After several days after this victory of Athens. Es-DR Haritimida destroyed dates. fleet, to-ry sailed to the aid of the Persians. Following this, the Attic-Ionian forces, together with the native. the army of Inar expelled the Persian. Mr. Zones from Memphis and took possession of the city, except the citadel of the fortress. Thanks successfully. the defense of the citadel, Artaxerxes managed to set new. satrap army of Megabaza (see Greek Persian Wars) and the satrap fleet of Artabaz. The combined forces of both Persians. the military commanders forced the Egyptians and Athenians to lift the blockade of Memphis. cit or retreat to the sky. nilsk. Prosopitidu Island, where the allies b. forced for 18 months. withstand siege. Great part is auxiliary. Hellene. troops fell in battle or b. captured, nek-rym managed to get to Cyrena and return to the fatherland, and the rest fled with Inar, but soon pursued on his heels, d. surrender with the leader. 50 Athens. K-blei, not knowing about the disaster that befell the army of Inar, entered the Mendezian sleeve and fell into the hands of the Phoenicians. This pogrom put an end to the uprising. Nevertheless, in the future, it turned out that the Egyptians hope that the Egyptians' hope for liberation, at least temporarily, could be realized, because the custom began inside the Ahemenides monarchy, which was declining after the death of Artaxerxes I. bloody. disputes for the throne (425). Using the availability of these conditions, one of the descendants of Sais. at home, Noferit I, expelled from the country a stranger. Mr. Zones and took the title of Pharaoh. His successor Hakori gathered his strength to the more important strategist. regarding items and prepared for the case of new. Persian. intrusion. At the same time, he hired 20 tons of Greek. mercenaries, entered into an alliance with the Pisidians and felt so strong that he intended to commit sabotage to M. Asia. Under successors of Hakori country b. dragged into the inner. civil strife and, if the Persians took advantage conveniently. moment, they could easily lead to obedience to the departed Mudraya, but the uprising on the island of Cyprus (led by talent. Evagor Salaminsky and supported by the Athenians) absorbed their attention. Meanwhile, Egypt, hitting hard. hands, he gathered his strength and, preparing for the fight, could expect the invasion of the Persians, a cut, in fact, was not slow to follow. Pharaoh Nektaneb I (Nehtaribi) entrusted the organization of the defense of Egypt to the Athenian regiment, Khabriy, who built an entire system of Ukrainian settlements in the Delta, supplying them with g-zones and battles. stocks. But in the last. a minute Egypt lost its best. strategist: according to the intrigues of the Suz court, who feared Habria’s talents, and with the help of the Persian. gold handed out by the opposition. Athens orators, Khabriy b. recalled to Greece. Meanwhile, in May 373 Pers. Satrap army of Farnabaz, consisting of 200 tons of soldiers, 20 tons of Greek. mercenaries, 300 trireme, 230 oars. galley and cargo. to Bley, went camping.
The battle under the Cadet. The collision of military chariots. (From the ancient Egyptian bas-relief).
The first region, the edge blocked the Persians, was Pelusium. Using the delays that came from disagreements between the Persians. leaders and from the indecision of Farnabaz, Nektaneb from defense went on the offensive, attacked the Persian. camp and in several. battles won. Immediately by the way, the flood period arrived, and the Nile stepped out of the coast. Farnabaz b. retreat and return to Syria. However, it was not difficult to foresee that the conquest of Egypt by the Persians is a matter of time, since a weakened country alone was not able to render them serious. resistance. Soon a new Persian. King Artaxerxes III Oh, pacifying the rebellion. province, decided to subjugate the fallen Mudraya. He personally led the campaign, but for the first time he was seriously expected. failure: attack b. beaten off with a big. damage, thanks to art. tactics of the leaders Greek. auxiliary detachments, Lamia of Spartan and Diophantus of Athens, who were in Egypt. service. In 346, Oh, undertook a new. trek, exhibiting 330 tons. Asian. troops and 10 tons of Greek. mercenaries and hoping with this power to crush the rebellion. Egypt. Pharaoh Nectaneb II could expose 60 tons of Egyptians, 20 tons of Libyans and the same number of Greeks. Fights. actions focused approx. Pelusium, employed 5 thousand a detachment of Philofron, blocking the way to the Persians in the Nile Valley. The Thebans, who served at Okha, lured Mr. Zones out of the territory and, although they did not win, decides. victory is open. battle, but they delivered the ability to divert water from the canal surrounding the city, to build through the last dam and, moving the detachment to the crepe. walls, with the help of machines to break an easily visible gap. This circumstance did not have important consequences, just because the defenders of Pelusium were skilled. engineers: while the outer wall fell, a new one was already rising behind it, which was no less serious. let. The siege dragged on, and the arrival of Nectaneb with 45 thousand. the army attracted the attention of the Persians to him and did not allow them to move forward. But impatience is Greek. the commanders who served Pharaoh spoiled the whole affair and served as heads. the reason for the loss of the campaign. They overlooked that they had to act not against the wild hordes of Asians, but, ch. arr., against their own assemblies, trained tactically. the techniques invented by Xenophon and the improved Iphicrates; In addition, in pers. troops, including the Hellenes. mercenaries, served many Thebans, fights. associates of Epaminondas, who gained fame in the fields of Levctra and Mantinea and represented the best fights. element in the army of Okha. Availability of these conditions b. ignored Greek. the leaders of Nectaneba, and they, headlong, rushed to the very risks. enterprises that destroyed the wisely launched military. actions. At that time, the Nicocrates of Argiv, who served in the army near Okha, proposed penetrating one of the Nile's unprotected estuaries, landing a detachment there, and going into the rear of Nektaneb’s army to prepare for the fall of the fortress. With nothing. he successfully performed this by forces. Nach-to g-zone neighbor. the city, Klin Kossky, went out to meet Nicostratus and was defeated; after several days, cr-st fell and thus opened the way to the inside of the monarchy of the pharaohs. Nektaneb managed, however, to retreat to the top of the Delta, trying to pull back and arrange troops, but his army lost heart, and entire detachments began to desert from it. Now Pharaoh had no choice but to take care of his own. salvation. Having captured the treasures, he fled to Ethiopia, and his monarchy again b. forced to submit to the Persian. yoke (345 g.), although this time the lord of the Persians lasted only 13 liters, after which Egypt passed into 332 into the hands of Alexander the Great (see this word). (V.P. Maksutov, History of the ancient East; Brugsch, Histoire d’Egypte dès Les premiers temps De son existence jusqu’à nos jours; Erman, Aegypten und ägypt. Leben im Alterihum; LenormantManuel d’histoire ancienne De l’Orient jusqu’aux guerres Midiques; LepsiusDenkmäler aus Aegypten und Ethiopien; Maspero, Histoire ancienne Des peuples De l’Orient; Müller, Asien und Europa nach Altägyptischen Denkmälern; SalvioliniCampagne De Rhamsès Le Giand contre Les Schéta Et Leur Alliés; Vigouroux, La Bible Et Les Découvertes Modernes en Palistine, en Egypte Et en Assyrie).
Wars and economics
Each war has its own socio-economic roots, is closely connected with the development of the economy, state and culture. In ancient Egypt, economic development was directly related to the conduct of predatory, predatory wars. It was the war that caused the rapid development of the economy in Egypt.
The socio-economic causes of the most ancient wars are a shortage of labor, slaves, which were easiest to get through war. The development of crafts, agriculture and exchange required additional raw materials. The wars that were fought earlier for the defense of territories are now being waged for the sake of robbery and are becoming a permanent trade. Predatory expeditions to the north, south, west, the purpose of which was the capture of slaves, were of great importance for the development of the economy. In parallel with these countries, exchange and trade developed. "And here we see how Egypt’s military policy was closely intertwined with the expansion of Egyptian trade: the need to penetrate the southern countries entailed a series of wars with the tribes inhabiting areas east and south of Egypt."
The Middle Kingdom is characterized by the general development of the economy. Agriculture, agriculture, craft and trade are developing. For production, both the natural resources of Egypt and the additional resources supplied by the conquered states are used. A large role with the development of trade began to play trade routes - the old fortified and new (for example, Wadi - Hammamat, connecting the Nile valley with the Red Sea coast).
The development of the productive forces that caused the flourishing of the economy required the development of exchange and the attraction of a new labor force, i.e., slaves. "This explains the development of the military policy of the Egyptian pharaohs of the Middle Kingdom, who considered it their duty not only to protect Egypt from the attacks of the warlike tribes of Libya, Nubia and neighboring Asian regions, but also to undertake offensive campaigns against neighboring peoples. The purpose of the campaigns was, first of all, robbery, the seizure of a wide variety of values, the most varied production, gold, livestock, slaves, then the seizure of territories, important sources of raw materials, and, finally, the consolidation of Egypt's dominant position in major trade ways. "
The Hyksos invasion markedly weakened Egypt economically. But despite the loss of the Delta, Upper Egypt to some extent managed to maintain its economy, the functioning of the irrigation system of agriculture, crafts and even foreign trade, the main direction of which was now the south. Thus, the people, economy, and even the culture of Egypt withstood the onslaught of the Hyksos. The Egyptians were able to expel the Hyksos and unite the country into a single whole. This entailed the rapid growth of economic life, especially since there were all the possibilities for this. Again, additional labor was needed. "The slave-holding economy of economically growing and growing Egypt needed a new influx of a large number of slaves, as well as the delivery of various types of imported foreign raw materials, mainly metal." The growth of productive forces required the expansion of foreign trade, and hence new conquests. But the rapid development of the economy and close ties with neighbors, as well as the use of cultural achievements and borrowing in the field of military affairs, contributed to the wide scope of Egypt's military policy, which quickly turned into a major military power. Having expelled the Hyksos, the Egyptians penetrate into Syria and Palestine.
"The military predatory campaigns undertaken by Yahmos in Phenicia and Palestine again filled the Pharaoh's treasury with gold, silver and other valuables exported from neighboring countries in the form of booty and tribute." The conquests in Syria, Nubia, Libya created all the prerequisites for the further development of an aggressive policy in neighboring territories. The gradual penetration of the Egyptians into Palestine, Syria and Phenicia from the south-west contributed to the economic rapprochement of Egypt with Mitanni. Egypt through trade received from Mitanni gold, lapis lazuli, precious stones, bronze, oils, fabrics, clothes, chariots, horses, etc. From the Hittite countries, the Egyptian nobility received silver, lapis lazuli, slaves, and iron. During this period, trade with the islands of the Aegean Sea is developing. Egypt mainly imported Cretan crafts, precious stones and metals. Robbery, seizure of prey and receipt of tribute or gifts were closely connected with this trade. Gifts sent by the rulers of distant states are an opportunity to pay off the invasion of the Egyptian army. "But nevertheless, it is this development of a kind of primitive predatory trade that largely explains the broad aggressive policy of the Egyptian pharaohs of the XVIII dynasty, which in its development led to major aggressive campaigns ..."
Thus, the development of the economy led to widespread conquests in the Middle and New Kingdoms. And the resources obtained by the war, in turn, contributed to the recovery of the economy. Successful wars contributed to the development of all sectors of the economy - agriculture, crafts, trade. In addition, distant countries sent numerous gifts.
The effect of wars on social relations in ancient Egyptian society
The war of conquest entailed a large influx of slaves, which were used in temple and palace farms, in agriculture and other fields. Slaves from all over the East were brought to Egypt. Especially large was the number of Nubians, Libyans, and Semites from Western Asia. It is noteworthy that not all prisoners of war became slaves. Many of them managed to make a military career. Already in the Middle Kingdom, detachments in the army were formed from Nubian and Libyan mercenaries. And the base of the fleet was the Phoenician mercenaries or captured pirates. Among the strata of the population, slaveholders and slaves can be distinguished. But later new strata of society also appeared, intensifying especially during the period of the New Kingdom.
In the New Kingdom, slavery reached its peak. Egypt's growing economy required a huge amount of labor. Conquests were aimed mainly at the extraction of slaves. "However, this slavery even in the era of the New Kingdom still retained a largely undeveloped, domestic character"
With the development of the economy, the importance of free artisans and merchants increases. Gradually, a closed social layer of professional artisans is formed, transferring their knowledge and positions from generation to generation. Civil servants come out of this milieu, having reached an influential position with wealth, connections, gifts to the pharaoh and his entourage. Especially these strata were strengthened during the XVIII dynasty, when the rulers needed support in the fight against the noble nobility. Along with these strata of the population, an influential class of slave-owning aristocracy stands out. It expanded significantly with the increase in the number of officials, both military and civilian. The composition of this class included representatives of the court and service nobility, officials, priesthood, clan nobility, as well as military commanders. It is with the increasing role of war in society that representatives of the military nobility enter the ruling class. The strengthening of this class was facilitated by the right to transfer their posts to children. At the end of the New Kingdom, a special layer of the highest court aristocracy is formed, which has become the most solid support of the pharaoh.
Since ancient times, priesthood has had a great influence on society and rulers. It also develops and very soon becomes an integral part of Egyptian society. We can say that its development as a class was also influenced by aggressive wars. It was the priests and temple households that were given the bulk of the looted wealth, including slaves. And they, in turn, justified the robbery and ruin of the occupied territories, motivating this with the desire of the gods. For a long time the priestly estate was closed, and the property of the temples, i.e., the priests themselves, was untouchable. This was his strength as an estate. But during the period of the New Kingdom, there is an active interaction with the cultures of neighboring states. There are changes in religion. Along with the unchanging old, new cults appear. The priesthood is somewhat weakening, although it continues to play a prominent role in politics.
During the Late Kingdom period, temple holdings were looted. And even with the advent of the XXVI dynasty, the priesthood can no longer regain its former position.
So, wars have a significant impact on the social structure of society. With the development of craft and trade, free traders and artisans began to play an important role. The number of officials is increasing, including the military now; the need for an ideological justification of conquests strengthens the priesthood.
Conquest wars were caused by economic development, which required a large number of slaves and additional raw materials. This allowed Egypt to develop all spheres of society. So wars have become inextricably linked with the well-being of the country. Wars influenced social changes in society. New classes appear, strata of society, among which are free artisans serving the nobility, court officials.
VOYSKO was organized in the form of military settlements located in the center of the country and in the most threatened areas; the main forces were in Lower Egypt, which was often attacked: there were fewer settlements in Upper Egypt, since the neighboring Nubian tribes could not be a serious opponent of the Egyptians because of their fragmentation. Moreover, the conquered Nubian tribes were obliged to give Egypt a certain number of soldiers to perform internal "police" service. During large campaigns, the pharaohs strengthened their army at the expense of the conquered neighboring tribes. These soldiers cannot be considered mercenaries, since there is no evidence that they received any payment for participating in the campaign. We can only assume their right to some share in military production.
The documents of the times of the Old Kingdom refer to the “house of weapons” - a kind of military department, which was in charge of the manufacture of weapons, the construction of ships, the supply of troops and the construction of defensive structures. There is no data on the number of Egyptian troops in the period of the Old Kingdom. As regards the fleet, there is only one mention of a detachment of 40 ships sent for cedars.
In service with the warriors of the Old Kingdom were: a mace with a stone tip, a battle ax made of copper, a spear with a stone tip, a military dagger made of stone or copper. In an earlier period, boomerang was widely used. The main weapons were a bow and a battle ax. As a protective weapon, the soldiers had a wooden shield, covered with fur.
The army consisted of units. Sources that have reached us say that the soldiers were engaged in combat training, which was in charge of the special head of military training. Already in the period of the Old Kingdom, the Egyptians applied the construction in ranks. All soldiers in the ranks had a uniform weapon.
| Egyptian fortress in Semne. Reconstruction |
Fortresses of the period of the Old Kingdom were of various shapes (circle, oval or rectangle). The fortress walls sometimes had round towers in the shape of a truncated cone with a platform at the top and a parapet. So, the fortress near Abydos is post-roen in the shape of a rectangle; the length of its sides reached 125 and 68 m, the height of the walls - 7-11 m, the thickness in the upper part - 2 m. The fortress had one main and two additional entrances. The fortresses in Semne and Kumme were already complex defensive structures that had ledges, walls and a tower.
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Image on the walls of the tomb of Inti in Deschas |
When storming the fortresses, the Egyptians used assault stairs with wooden disc wheels, which facilitated their installation and movement along the fortress wall. A breach in the fortress walls was punched with large crowbars. So the technique and methods of storming fortresses arose. The Egyptians were not natural sailors, and for a long time their voyages were limited to the Nile and adjacent canals, which represented the most convenient communication routes among the mountains and deserts surrounding the country. The absence of forests, with the exception of acacia, a hard and not very suitable tree for shipbuilding, forced for a long time to build (or, as they called, "knit") vessels from long bundles of reed papyrus, growing in abundance in the country. Over time, the Egyptians had to use acacia in shipbuilding.
The Egyptian ships were rowing, but they had sails. On each ship there was a standing team with a chief at the head. A detachment of ships was led by the chief of the fleet. The construction of ships was controlled by the so-called shipbuilder. “Two large fleets” were created: one in Upper, the other in Lower Egypt.
Sea ships raided the Mediterranean Sea.
Organization of the Egyptian Army in the Middle Kingdom
TERRITORY of Egypt in the Middle Kingdom was approximately 35 thousand square meters. km Its population, according to ancient authors and modern estimates, was approximately 7 million people. Judging by the available data on the recruitment in one of the nomes (one warrior out of a hundred men), the Egyptian army could consist of several tens of thousands of warriors. Usually several thousand warriors took part in the campaign. The Pharaoh carried with him “retinue people”, who constituted his personal guard, and “companions of the ruler” - a group of noble soldiers devoted to him, from which military commanders were appointed: “commander of the army”, “commander of the new recruits”, “military commander of Central Egypt” and others bosses.
The armament of the Egyptian warriors of the Middle Kingdom period has improved slightly compared to the previous period, as metal processing has become more advanced. Spears and arrows now had bronze tips. The shock weapons remained the same: a battle ax, a spear up to 2 m long, a mace and a dagger.
As throwing weapons were used spear for throwing, boomerang, sling for throwing stones, bow. A reinforced bow appeared, which increased the range of the arrow and the accuracy of its hit.
Arrows had tips of various shapes and plumage; their length ranged from 55 to 100 cm.The usual arrows in the Ancient East with a leaf-shaped tip, initially flint, and then copper and bronze, were less effective weapons than arrows with a faceted tip - bone or bronze, introduced by the Scythians in the second quarter of the 1st millennium. A shield upholstered in fur half the height of a man continued to be the only protective equipment.
During the Middle Kingdom, the organization of troops was improved. Units now had a certain number of 6, 40, 60, 100, 400, 600 warriors. Units totaled 2, 3, 10 thousand soldiers. Units of uniformly armed warriors appeared - spearmen and archers, who had the order of construction for the movement; moved a column in four rows along the front and ten rows deep.
For their merits, the soldiers promoted, received land, cattle, slaves, or were awarded “gold of praise” (like an order) and decorated with military weapons.
From west and east, access to Egypt was reliably protected by the Libyan and Arabian deserts.
To protect the southern border, three lines of fortresses were built in the area of \u200b\u200bthe first and second rapids of the Nile. The fortresses became more perfect: they now had battlements that covered the defending warriors; protruding towers for shelling the approaches to the wall; moat, obstructing the approach to the wall. The fortress gates were protected by towers. Small outings were arranged for sorties. Much attention was paid to supplying the fortress garrison with water; wells or hidden exits to the river were arranged.
Of the surviving remains of ancient Egyptian fortresses of that period, the most characteristic is the fortress in Mirgiss, built in the form of a rectangle.
This fortress has an internal wall 10 m high with protruding towers located 30 m from one another on the opposite front of the river and a ditch 8 m wide. An external wall is built 25 m from the inner wall, which covers the fortress on three sides; on the fourth side, a cliff abruptly breaks off to the river. The outer wall is surrounded by a moat 36 meters wide. In addition, forward-facing walls were built on the rocky ledges, adjacent to the corners of the fortress and allowing flanking of approaches from the side of the river. Other walls protected the main entrance to the fortress. The fortress in Mirgiss was already a complex defensive structure, which was based on the requirement of flanking approaches. This was a step forward in the development of fortification - one of the branches of military art.
The most vulnerable spot in the country's defense was the north - the lower reaches of the confluence of the Nile into the Mediterranean Sea were open to conquerors. When the power of the Pharauns in the country was strong, it was here that the Egyptians held the bulk of their fleet and ground army. But during the uprisings against the tsarist government, the defense of the northern frontiers sharply weakened, and the Asiatic nomads could freely penetrate into Egypt.
The pharaohs and their military leaders tried to fight quickly, so that in a few months they could return the troops home. Often the Egyptian army returned home after a three-, four-month campaign, capturing only one or two small fortresses. Major battles were rare - commanders cherished the soldiers, whom they called the "flock of God."
Organization of the Egyptian Army in the New Kingdom
The EGYPTIAN army during the New Kingdom was a military caste, which was divided by age or duration of service into two groups that differed in the clothes they wore. The first group, according to Herodotus, totaled up to 160 thousand people, the second - up to 250 thousand. It must be assumed that these figures give the strength of the entire military caste, including the elderly and children, and possibly women. So, at best, only tens of thousands of soldiers could go on a campaign.
Most of the soldiers of the New Kingdom were armed with swords, a bow played a significant role in the battle. The defensive armament has improved: the warrior, in addition to the shield, also had a helmet and a leather shell with attached bronze plates. An important part of the troops were war chariots. The chariot was a wooden platform (1x0.5 m) on two wheels, to which the drawbar was tightly attached. The front part and the sides of the chariot were sheathed in leather, which protected the legs of the combat crew, which consisted of a driver and one fighter, from arrows. Two horses were harnessed to the chariot.
The main force of the Egyptian army was the infantry, which after the introduction of uniform weapons consisted of archers, slingers, spearmen, warriors with swords. The presence of equally armed infantry raised the question of the order of its construction.
If in earlier times the Egyptians fought with deep, closed column-shaped constructions, then later, as a result of the improvement of weapons and the acquisition of combat experience, the depth of construction decreases and the front lengthens - this was caused by the need to use more warriors and weapons with simultaneous action. The battle formation of the heavy infantry of the Egyptians consisted of one closed line of 10 or more lines in depth. The war chariots were the mobile force of the battle order of the Egyptians. A tightly closed construction of 10 or more lines in depth (phalanx) was introduced for the first time not in Ancient Greece, but in the countries of the Ancient East.
The tactics of the Egyptians was reduced mainly to a frontal attack.
The battle before the appearance of the war chariots began on foot soldiers - archers and dart throwers, then the opponents approached and decided its outcome by hand-to-hand combat. With the advent of chariots, the battle became more complicated - chariots, for example under Pamses II, were built in one open line and were located in front, on the flanks and behind the infantry. The chariot attack aimed to upset the ranks of the enemy with the first blow. The success of the battle depended on a combination of chariot and infantry operations.
War chariots, in addition, were a powerful means of pursuing the enemy. During the campaign, the Egyptian army was divided into several units, which moved in columns. Intelligence was necessarily sent forward. At stops, the Egyptians set up a fortified camp of shields. When storming the cities, they used a structure called a “turtle” (a canopy of shields that covered the soldiers from above), a ram, guilt (a low canopy of vines covered with turf, to protect the soldiers during siege operations) and an assault staircase.
A special authority was in charge of supplying the troops. Products were issued from warehouses according to certain standards. There were special workshops for the manufacture and repair of weapons.
During the New Kingdom, the Egyptians had a strong fleet. The ships were equipped with sails and a lot of oars.
According to some reports, the bow of the ship was adapted to deliver a ram attack to an enemy ship.
The war between Egypt and the Hittite state (Hatti state), which occupied the territory of Asia Minor, for domination in Palestine, Syria and Phenicia.
According to Egyptian sources, the Hittites were the first to attack the borders of Egypt. Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II went on a campaign against the Hittite king Muwatalli in the fifth year of the war. The battle took place in 1312 BC. e. near the city of Cadet (Cilantro) in Syria, where the 20,000th Egyptian army, dominated by Numidian mercenaries, encountered a 30,000th Hittite army (according to other sources, Muwatalli had 35,000 soldiers, including 6,000 horsemen and 3,500 fighting chariots).
The Hittites were numerically dominated by Asia Minor and Palestinian allies. The Egyptian army, like the Hittite, consisted of infantry and chariots and was divided into three detachments. There was no communication on the march between the units. Ramses believed that the enemy was far north, and with a forward detachment moved towards the Cadet, hoping to occupy the fortress before the Hittites approached.
But the detachment was ambushed by the Asia Minor Hittites, including the Dardanyans, who are believed to be the legendary Trojans of the Homeric epic. Pharaoh believed the message of a scout sent to him, claiming that the Hittite troops had retreated north of the Cadet, and hastened to occupy the city. The retreat of the Hittites was also reported to him by the commanders of the Egyptian detachments in Palestine.
Suddenly, in front of the pharaoh’s detachment, a wall of enemy chariots grew, breaking through the Egyptian system and almost reaching Ramses’ headquarters. These chariots were wade across the Orontes River. They were more than Egyptian and carried a crew of three people: a charioteer and two shooters.
Pharaoh in a chariot, along with his bodyguards, rushed into battle and was soon surrounded. However, the congestion of bulky Hittite chariots prevented the Hittites from using their success. Then Ramses was rescued by a detachment of selected "fellows" who had approached the battlefield, moving from the sea coast. Their chariots brought confusion into the enemy ranks. The Hittite chariots were hit twice. Many of them were dumped into the Orontes River. However, Muwatalli sent another thousand chariots into battle, and military happiness again began to lean towards the Hittites. Only with great difficulty did the detachment of the pharaoh after the reinforcements approach manage to break out of the encirclement. At the same time, the Egyptians upset the enemy ranks and captured the prisoners. But the Hittite army was not defeated and retreated in order to the Cadet.
Muvatalli hardly used his infantry in battle and retained enough strength to continue the battle the next day. The next day, the battle did not have a decisive outcome. When the Egyptians began to prevail, the 8,000th squad under the command of Muwatalli left the gates of Kadesh. He stopped the onslaught of the Egyptians and made it possible for the Hittite army to quietly take cover behind the ramparts. Both sides suffered heavy losses in two days of fighting. The Egyptians failed to capture Kadesh. At the suggestion of Muwatalli, a truce was concluded. Ramses protected Palestine from the Hittite claims. The Hittites, in turn, retained their control of Syria.
Three years later, the war resumed, and the Egyptian troops again reached the Syrian border. The pharaoh had to crush the rebellion of his Palestinian subjects from the Canaanite tribe and take a number of fortresses in Palestine and southern Syria.
The assault on the city usually took place as follows. With the help of axes, the Egyptians tried to crush the fortress gates, and long stairs helped them climb the walls. The advancing ones were covered by shields and movable walls with awnings. A barrage of arrows, darts and stones fell upon the defenders. The population of the conquered cities turned into slavery.
The Egyptians also managed to capture the fortress of Debir in the Hittites subject to Northern Syria and Dapur in the Asia Minor possessions of the Hittites. In 1296, already under the new Hittite king Hattusili III, a peace treaty was concluded between Egypt and the Hittite power, sealed by the marriage of Ramses with his daughter Hattusili. Both sides recognized the partition of Syria and left Palestine behind Egypt. Pharaoh, although he proved his military superiority over the Hittites, henceforth saw in friendly relations with the recent enemy a guarantee of maintaining his control over the Syro-Palestinian lands. Egypt took only tribute from the local princes, preferring not to constantly keep significant contingents of troops there. The increase in tribute led to revolts only when local authorities could rely on Hittite support. Now, after the reconciliation of Hatti with Egypt, the population of Palestine has become much less prone to rebellion.
