Military of ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt was a remarkable ancient civilization in eastern North Africa, centered around the Nile River. It began around 3150 BC when the land was united under the first pharaoh. For many years, Egypt was safe behind its natural barriers, like deserts and the Nile, which helped protect it from invaders. The military played an important role in keeping Egypt secure.

The Egyptian military grew stronger and more organized over time, especially during the New Kingdom. They built forts along their borders and had small groups of soldiers ready to defend against attacks. When bigger threats appeared, messages were sent for the main army to come and help. Egyptian soldiers were skilled with weapons like bows and arrows, and they used fast-moving chariots in battle.

Even though Egypt faced challenges from time to time, its strong military helped it remain a powerful and stable place for many centuries.

History

The Old Kingdom (2686–2181 BC)

The Old Kingdom was a golden age for Egypt. With more wealth, the government could build and manage a strong military. At first, there was no standing army; each local leader had to gather volunteers to fight together under the pharaoh. Later, Pharaoh Djoser created the first professional army by asking volunteers, often from lower classes, to join each year.

Soldiers carried shields, spears, clubs, stone hammers, knives, and bows and arrows. The bow and arrow was the most common weapon. They used a simple bow at first, but later learned to use a stronger composite bow brought by new people called the Hyksos.

The First Intermediate Period (2181–2055 BC) and Middle Kingdom (2055–1650 BC)

Pharaoh Mentuhotep II led soldiers south to Nubia and brought back control of the Sinai region. From the Twelfth Dynasty onward, pharaohs kept trained armies ready to defend against attacks. Under Senusret I, Egyptians built a fort at Buhen and made lower Nubia part of their lands.

The Second Intermediate Period (1650–1550 BC)

A group called the Hyksos took over Egypt after the ruler Merneferre Ay left his palace. They ruled from a strong city called Avaris. The Hyksos brought new tools like horses, chariots, and better bows to Egypt. These new tools changed how Egyptian soldiers fought. Later, a pharaoh named Seqenenre Tao began fighting back against the Hyksos, followed by Kamose, and finally Ahmose, who pushed them out. This led to the start of the New Kingdom.

The New Kingdom (1550–1069 BC)

In the New Kingdom, Egypt faced new enemies like the Hittites and the Sea Peoples. Thanks to the new weapons and tactics learned from the Hyksos, Egypt's army grew stronger. Unlike the Hittites who relied on chariots, the Egyptians focused on their foot soldiers. Even with many challenges, the army stayed strong enough to protect the country.

Main article: Middle Kingdom of Egypt

Armies

Before the New Kingdom, Egyptian armies were made up of peasants and workers who were called to fight for the pharaoh. During the Old and Middle Kingdom times, soldiers had simple weapons like spears with copper tips and big wooden shields covered in leather. They also used bows and arrows, but did not wear armor.

Around 1600 BC, big changes happened when Egyptians fought against a group called the Hyksos. They learned about new weapons like horses and chariots, which they later improved for their own use. The bow and arrow became very important, especially after the Hyksos introduced better bows. Soldiers also started using new weapons like the khopesh sword and began wearing armor and helmets. The army became more organized, with professional soldiers instead of just temporary workers. They had to protect lands far away and fight against other strong kingdoms.

Late Period armies

During the Late Period (712–332 BC), Egypt’s armies changed. They began using soldiers on horses and weapons made of iron. After Alexander the Great took control of Egypt, the army became more like the Greek army. Soldiers often fought in a tight group called the phalanx. The Egyptians used many weapons from Western Asia and Greece instead of making new ones.

Military organization

As early as the Old Kingdom (around 2686–2160 BC), Egypt had special military units. By the time of the New Kingdom (around 1550–1069 BC), the Egyptian army had three main parts: the infantry, the chariotry, and the navy.

During wars, the Pharaoh would split his army into two groups, called the North and the South. These groups were then divided again into four armies named after Egyptian gods. The Pharaoh would choose a commander-in-chief, often a prince, who would pick captains to carry out orders. Soldiers included both volunteers and people who had to serve. Some soldiers came from other lands and trained with Egyptian troops.

Each group of soldiers could be identified by the weapon they used, such as bows, spears, or swords. Chariots were important in battles. They were pulled by two horses and carried a driver and a fighter with a bow. Chariots were used for moving quickly, shooting arrows, and sometimes ramming into enemy lines.

The navy was also important, especially before the New Kingdom. Ships were made from reed or wood and were used to move troops. Sailors used special tricks to fight in battles on water.

Main article: Chariotry in ancient Egypt

Main article: Ancient Egyptian navy

Projectile weapons

The ancient Egyptians used tools to weaken enemies before close fighting. They used slings, throw sticks, spears, and javelins, but the bow and arrow was the most important for most of Egypt's history. A very old catapult was found on the walls of the fortress of Buhen.

The throw stick was used sometimes in early times. Skilled soldiers used it for a long time, especially for hunting birds.

The spear could be used close up or thrown. In early times, it had a sharp point made of copper or flint attached to a long wooden stick. The spear was used for hunting big animals like lions. Later, the bow and arrow replaced the throwing spear.

During battles, soldiers on chariots would use spears after running out of arrows.

The bow and arrow was very important in ancient Egypt, used from very early times. Early bows were made from antelope horns joined with wood. Later, bows were made from wood. These bows shot arrows made from reeds with points made of flint or hardwood.

A new type of bow called the composite bow came into use later. These bows were made from different materials like wood, horn, and sinew. They were stronger and could shoot farther but were harder to make. They were often used by soldiers on chariots.

The sling was another tool used to throw stones. It needed little equipment and could be very effective. It was mainly used to distract enemies. When lead became more common, sling bullets were made from it instead of pebbles.