All power in the country was concentrated in the hands of one person - Pharaoh, the living God on earth, as the Egyptians considered him to be. Ancient Egypt was not an aggressive state, but wars happened often, first internecine, then, after unification, defensive. And when the state gained strength, it began to carry out aggressive campaigns to neighboring territories.
For what purposes did the pharaohs keep a large army?
- The first is, of course, defense. Constant raids from neighboring tribes were fierce and ravaged the land.
- Secondly, this is the maximum increase in the number of slaves to cultivate the land. In their raids on Nubia and Syria, the Egyptians drove the inhabitants of these countries into slavery in droves.
- The third goal is to seize the sources of raw materials (metal, wood), so necessary for the development of the slave economy. To obtain the necessary raw materials, numerous sea expeditions were made to Phenicia and the island of Crete. For the purpose of plunder, campaigns to Palestine and Nubia were equipped. This is the purpose for which the pharaohs kept a large army. As you can see, it was simply impossible to do without it.
Pharaoh's army in the Old Kingdom
For the first time, a standing army began to form during this period. For his good service the soldiers received land plots. The main part was made up of the militia from the nomes of Egypt (regions). The minority were mercenaries (mainly Nubians). The initial equipping of the army was ingenuous. The main weapons are bow and arrows. Additional items include a mace, daggers and spears. The helmet was made of leather and was also covered with this material. There were no divisions - all the soldiers belonged to the infantry. For the first time, they also began to build fortifications.
Army of the Middle Kingdom
She is characterized by improved equipment. The new bows helped increase the arrow's range to 180 meters. For the first time, chariots appear in equipment. The organization of the army improved, detachments with narrow specialization appeared, for example, archers, spearmen, infantry with swords. Each detachment had a certain number of soldiers - from 4 to 600 people. Each nom recruited volunteers from among young people who, after service, returned to a peaceful life. Mercenaries from Nubia continued to be a significant part. Pharaohs in Ancient Egypt participated in military campaigns, their chariot always led the army. Pharaoh dressed in special robes, an integral attribute of which was a headdress blue.
in the new kingdom
At this time, the military become a separate class and in the hierarchy they occupy the third place along with the nobles, after the pharaoh and his viziers. Constant raids from warring neighbors demanded improved weapons, as a result of which straight and sickle-shaped swords appeared, the body of the warriors was protected by a leather shell with metal plates sewn onto it. A structure appeared, and some differed in ammunition.
All weapons belonged to the state and were stored in peacetime in special warehouses, and only chariots were bought by the soldiers at their own expense. Numerous infantry remained the core of the army. The main striking force was chariots - they made it possible to move faster, provide greater mobility and mobility. As a rule, there were two people on the chariot - one was driving it, and the other was shooting from a bow. The privilege of going into battle in a chariot was not given to everyone, but only to people from the nobility, very often it was ruled by young princes, the sons of the pharaoh.
Pharaoh's army moved on the march, dividing into separate detachments. At long and exhausting stops, camp was set up. According to the organization of the Egyptian army, chariots began the battle, they also covered the rear, followed by infantry detachments.
Army and Pharaoh
Another answer to the question for what purposes the pharaohs kept a large army is that there was a need for the pharaoh to protect himself. The rulers always rely primarily on the army. This is a means of enslaving and oppressing not only enemies, but often also our own people. This is essential support for uprisings and riots. This was especially true of the Nubians, they were professionals and received money for it. But there is also a second side to the coin. The army is also an essential political force. And very often she not only protected the pharaohs, but also actively contributed to conspiracies and the overthrow of the ruler.
Heavy natural conditions, the need to build irrigation facilities, the cult and, as a result, the grandiose and costly construction of the pyramids, defense from external enemies - all this explains why the pharaohs kept a large army. The slaves had to be taken somewhere, the neighbors of Egypt were best suited for this, and for the capture, of course, a permanent and professional large army was needed.
Looking through the archive of my publications on the history of armor and weapons, published in the VO, I found that among them there is not a single one on the history of weapons Ancient egypt... But this is the cradle of European culture, which gave mankind a lot. As for the periodization of its history, it is traditionally divided into the Old Kingdom (XXXII century - XXIV century BC), the Middle Kingdom (XXI century - XVIII century BC) and the New Kingdom (XVII century - XI century BC) Before the Old Kingdom in Egypt there was a Predynastic period and then the Early Kingdom. After the New Kingdom, there was also the Late Period, and then the Hellenistic Period, and between the Ancient, Middle and New Kingdoms, as a rule, there were also transitional periods filled with turmoil and rebellions. Often at this time, Egypt was subjected to attacks by nomadic tribes and warlike neighbors, so that its history of peace was not at all peaceful and military affairs in Egypt, which means that offensive and defensive weapons have always been held in high esteem!
Already in the era of the Old Kingdom - the era of the kings-builders of the pyramids in Egypt there was an army recruited from free peasants, individual units of which were armed with uniform weapons. That is, the army consisted of warriors with spears and shields, warriors with maces, small axes and daggers made of copper and bronze, and detachments of archers with large bows, whose arrows were tipped with flint. The task of the troops was to protect the borders and trade routes from attacks by the Libyans - the most significant among the tribes of the "Nine Bows" - the traditional enemies of Ancient Egypt, the Nubians in the south and the Bedouin nomads in the East. During the reign of Pharaoh Sneferu, the king's army captured 70,000 prisoners, which indirectly speaks about the number of Egyptian troops, about the perfection of their tactics, and - about their superiority in weapons!
Since it is very hot in Egypt, the ancient warriors did not have any special "military uniform" or protective clothing. All their clothes consisted of a traditional skirt, a wig made of sheep's wool, which played the role of a helmet, protecting the head from the stunning blow of the mace and shield. The latter was made of bovine hide with the wool outward, which, apparently, was combined in several layers and stretched over a wooden frame. The shields were large, covering the person up to the neck and pointed at the top, as well as somewhat smaller, rounded at the top, which the warriors held by the straps attached from the back.
The warriors formed a phalanx and moved towards the enemy, covering themselves with shields and putting out their spears, while the archers were behind the infantrymen and fired over their heads. Such tactics and approximately the same weapons among the peoples with whom the Egyptians fought at that time did not require any greater perfection of weapons - more disciplined and trained warriors won, and it is clear that these were, of course, the Egyptians.
At the end of the Middle Kingdom, the Egyptian infantry, as before, was traditionally divided into archers, warriors with short-range percussion weapons (clubs, clubs, axes, axes, javelins, spears) who did not have shields, warriors with axes and shields, and spearmen. This "branch of the army" had shields 60-80 cm long and about 40-50 cm wide, as, for example, in the figurines of soldiers found in the tomb of nomarch Mesekhti. That is, in the era of the Middle Kingdom, the Egyptians knew a deep formation of spearmen, covered with shields and built in several rows!
Interestingly, the Egyptian troops at this time consisted exclusively of infantry. The first case of using horses in Egypt was attested during the excavations of the city of Buchen - a fortress on the border with Nubia. The find belongs to the era of the Middle Kingdom, but although horses were already known at that time, they were not widespread in Egypt. It can be assumed that some wealthy Egyptian bought it somewhere in the East and brought it to Nubia, but he hardly used it as a means of draft.
As for the infantry archers, they armed themselves with the simplest bows, that is, made from one piece of wood. A complex bow (that is, assembled from different types of wood and pasted over with leather) would be too difficult for them to manufacture, and expensive to supply ordinary infantrymen with such weapons. But one should not think that these bows were weak, because they had a length of 1.5 m or more, and in skillful hands they were a very powerful and long-range weapon. The English bows of the Middle Ages of yew or maple, and with a length of 1.5 to 2 m, were also simple, but pierced steel armor at a distance of 100 m, and the English archer despised anyone who could not fire 10 - 12 arrows in a minute. However, there is one subtlety here. They did not shoot directly at the men at arms, or they only shot at very close range: almost point-blank! At a long distance, volleys were shot upwards on command, so that the arrow fell on the knight from above and hit not so much himself as his horse. Hence the armor on the neck of the knight's horses from above! So there is no doubt about the capabilities of Egyptian archers armed with bows of this size, and they could well hit opponents not protected by metal armor at a distance of 75 - 100 m and up to 150 m under favorable conditions.
Ancient Egypt: weapons and armor of warriors on chariots
Over its thousand-year history, Egypt has experienced not only ups but also downs. So the era of the Middle Kingdom ended with the invasion of the Hyksos nomads, its defeat and a period of decline. To cope with the Egyptians, they were helped by the fact that they fought on two-wheeled high-speed chariots drawn by a pair of horses, which gave their troops unprecedented maneuverability and mobility. But soon the Egyptians themselves learned to breed and train horses, make chariots and fight on them. The Hyksos were expelled, Egypt experienced a new rise, and its pharaohs, no longer content with defending their borders and expeditions for gold to Nubia, began wars with their neighbors in Asia, and also tried to penetrate the territory of modern Syria and Lebanon.
The representatives of the Ramses dynasty were especially warlike pharaohs of the era of the onset of the New Kingdom. The armament of the warriors at this time became even more lethal, as the metal processing technology was improved, and in addition to chariots, the Egyptians also learned a reinforced bow, which increased the range of the arrow and the accuracy of its hit. The power of such bows was truly great: it is known that such pharaohs as Thutmose III and Amenhotep II pierced copper targets with arrows fired from them.
Already at a distance of 50 - 100 m with an arrow with a metal leaf-shaped tip, apparently, it was possible to pierce the armor of a warrior on an enemy chariot. The bows were kept in special cases on the sides of the chariots - one on each (one spare) or one at the side closer to which the shooter was. However, using them has now become much more difficult, especially while standing on a chariot and, moreover, in motion.
That is why the military organization of the Egyptian army at this time also underwent major changes. In addition to the traditional infantry - "mesh", charioteers - "netheter" appeared. They now represented the elite of the army, all their lives they studied the military craft, which became hereditary for them and was passed on from father to son.
The very first wars in Asia brought rich booty to the Egyptians. So, after the capture of the city of Megiddo, they got: “340 prisoners, 2041 horses, 191 foals, 6 breeding horses, 2 war chariots decorated with gold, 922 ordinary war chariots, 1 bronze carapace, 200 leather carapaces, 502 battle bows, 7 tent pillars decorated with silver and belonging to the king of Kadesh, 1,929 head of cattle, 2,000 goats, 20,500 sheep and 207,300 sacks of flour. " The defeated recognized the power of the ruler of Egypt over themselves, took an oath of allegiance and pledged to pay tribute.
It is interesting that in the list of trophy shells there is only one bronze and 200 leather, which suggests that the presence of chariots also required increased protection of those who fought on them, since they were very valuable professional warriors who were sorry to lose. But the fact that there is only one metal shell speaks of the extremely high cost of the then protective weapons, which only the princes and pharaohs of Egypt possessed.
The many chariots taken as trophies unambiguously speaks of their widespread distribution, not only among the Asians, but also among the Egyptians themselves. Egyptian chariots, judging by the images and artifacts that have come down to us, are light carts for two people, one of which drove horses, and the other fired at the enemy from a bow. The wheels had wooden rims and six spokes, the bottom was wicker, with the very minimum of wooden fences. This allowed them to develop high speed, and the supply of arrows in two quivers allowed them to wage a long battle.
The Battle of Kadesh - the largest battle between the armies of Egypt and the Hittite kingdom in 1274 BC. - Thousands of chariots participated on both sides, and although it actually ended in a draw, there is no doubt that it was the chariots that played a very important role in it. But in addition to new bows, the Egyptians also had two new types of long daggers - with a massive leaf-shaped blade with an edge in the middle, and a blade rounded at the end and piercing-chopping - with graceful, long blades with parallel blades, which smoothly passed into a point, and also with a convex edge. The handle of both was very comfortable, with two cone-shaped sockets - upward with a pommel and downward with a crosshair.
The sickle-shaped (occasionally double-edged) blade weapon, borrowed by the Egyptians from their enemies in Palestine and underwent a number of modifications in Egypt - "khopesh" ("khepesh"), was also widely used, as were maces, narrow-bladed axes and moon-shaped axes.
This is how the infantry of Ancient Egypt could look like, including the Ancient and Middle Kingdoms. In the foreground are two spear warriors in headscarves, with printed protective aprons in the shape of a heart over an ordinary apron, possibly in quilted jackets, with crescent short swords made of bronze, and further warriors with a battle club combined with an ax and a poleaxe with a moon-shaped blade. The dart thrower has no protective weapons at all. Two black warriors with bows in their hands - mercenaries from Nubia. Only one pharaoh has armor on his body, next to which there is a signalman with a drum. Zvezda soldier set box. Eh, what is not for the boys just now! And what soldiers I had in my childhood - heaven and earth!
Narmer's palette. Depicts Pharaoh Narmer with a mace in his hands. (Cairo Museum)
Head of the mace of Pharaoh Nermer. (British Museum, London)
Darts and shield. Ancient Egypt. Middle Kingdom. Modern renovation. (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)
Painted figurines of warriors from the tomb of nomarch Mesekhti. (Cairo Museum)
Head of the Egyptian warrior's mace. (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)
Ax of their tomb of Ahhotep. New kingdom. 18th dynasty, 16th century BC. (Egyptian Museum, Cairo)
Ancient Egyptian battle ax. (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)
Reconstruction of the chariot of the New Kingdom. (Römer-Pelizaeus Museum. Lower Saxony, Hildesheim, Germany)
Egypt for a long time remained one of the greatest states of antiquity. Since the period of the Old Kingdom (2778-2220 BC), during the era of the kings who built the pyramids, Egypt led constant fighting against neighbors, both offensive and defensive. Of course, in such "practical" conditions, the strongest army of the region was born - the fearless warriors of the pharaohs.
In the era of the Old Kingdom, Egypt begins to gradually form a permanent army. For service, the soldiers received large allotments of land, which served as an excellent incentive to really love the country and fight for its well-being.
Old Kingdom Equipment
A simple warrior armed himself with a bow and arrow. For hand-to-hand combat used maces, and copper battle axes, those who poorer did not hesitate to use stone daggers and spears with stone tips. At that time, Egypt had only one family ground forces, infantry. However, even then these were not just scattered detachments - the commanders knew how to build soldiers in ranks, and when storming fortresses they skillfully used assault ladders.
Clear structure
Unlike many other nationalities of that time, the Egyptians knew how and loved the clear organization of any business. The army of Egypt during the Middle Kingdom was divided into detachments of 2.3 and 10 thousand soldiers. Recruitment into the army took place on a voluntary basis, which was also unusual - all of Egypt's neighbors generally used the services of mercenaries, whom they bought at the right time.
Middle Kingdom Specialization
The armament of the Egyptian warriors was constantly evolving. Already in the days of the Middle Kingdom, new, more advanced bows appeared with an arrow flight range of up to 180 meters. The organization of the entire army, divided into detachments of spearmen and archers, also changed. All units had a certain number of soldiers of 6, 40, 60, 100, 400 and 600 soldiers.
Regular army and chariots
At some point, the Egyptian army turned into a regular conscript army. The youth had to serve a certain period of time, after which people returned to a peaceful life. A significant strengthening of the army was due to the use of mercenaries - most often the Egyptians used the Nubians. In the middle of the 17th century BC, the Hyksos seized power in Lower Egypt, from whom the Egyptians learned about war chariots.
Equipment of the New Kingdom
The organization of the Egyptian army reached its peak during the New Kingdom. The army became not only a regular, but also a caste one; the state supplied the warriors with weapons (straight and sickle swords were used). Previously, a warrior was protected only by a helmet and a wooden shield, but now the majority could boast of reliable leather shells with sewn bronze plates. The infantry had already begun to give way to war chariots: the Egyptians realized that this force was almost impossible to resist.
War chariots
In the middle of the New Kingdom era war chariots took the lead roles. Each death machine was equipped with a charioteer and a shooter, and foreigners were not allowed to control the war chariot. The warriors were forced to buy a very expensive chariot for their own money, but this was considered more of a privilege - at that time the army finally became caste.
Warrior caste
Even ancient authors divided the military caste of Egypt into Kalasirians from the eastern delta of the Nile and the hermotibians who lived near the western delta. Their number was enormous: the Kalasirians numbered up to 250,000, the Hermotibians - 140,000. The Pharaoh did not allow these castes to engage in other craft: the son had to acquire military skills from his father.
I discovered that there was not a single one among them according to the history of the weapons of Ancient Egypt. But this is the cradle of European culture, which gave mankind a lot. As for the periodization of its history, it is traditionally divided into the Old Kingdom (XXXII century - XXIV century BC), the Middle Kingdom (XXI century - XVIII century BC) and the New Kingdom (XVII century - XI century BC) Before the Old Kingdom in Egypt there was a Predynastic period and then the Early Kingdom. After the New Kingdom, there was also the Late Period, and then the Hellenistic Period, and between the Ancient, Middle and New Kingdoms, as a rule, there were also transitional periods filled with turmoil and rebellions. Often at this time, Egypt was subjected to attacks by nomadic tribes and warlike neighbors, so that its history of peace was not at all peaceful and military affairs in Egypt, which means that offensive and defensive weapons have always been held in high esteem!
Already in the era of the Old Kingdom - the era of the kings-builders of the pyramids in Egypt there was an army recruited from free peasants, individual units of which were armed with uniform weapons. That is, the army consisted of warriors with spears and shields, warriors with maces, small axes and daggers made of copper and bronze, and detachments of archers with large bows, whose arrows were tipped with flint. The task of the troops was to protect the borders and trade routes from attacks by the Libyans - the most significant among the tribes of the "Nine Bows" - the traditional enemies of Ancient Egypt, the Nubians in the south and the Bedouin nomads in the East. During the reign of Pharaoh Sneferu, the king's army captured 70,000 prisoners, which indirectly speaks about the number of Egyptian troops, about the perfection of their tactics, and about their superiority in weapons!
Since it is very hot in Egypt, the ancient warriors did not have any special "military uniform" or protective clothing. All their clothes consisted of a traditional skirt, a wig made of sheep's wool, which played the role of a helmet, protecting the head from the stunning blow of the mace and shield. The latter was made of bovine hide with the wool outward, which, apparently, was combined in several layers and stretched over a wooden frame. The shields were large, covering the person up to the neck and pointed at the top, as well as somewhat smaller, rounded at the top, which the warriors held by the straps attached from the back.
The warriors formed a phalanx and moved towards the enemy, covering themselves with shields and putting out their spears, while the archers were behind the infantrymen and fired over their heads. Such tactics and approximately the same weapons among the peoples with whom the Egyptians fought at that time did not require any greater perfection of weapons - more disciplined and trained warriors won, and it is clear that these were, of course, the Egyptians.
At the end of the Middle Kingdom, the Egyptian infantry, as before, was traditionally divided into archers, warriors with short-range percussion weapons (clubs, clubs, axes, axes, javelins, spears) who did not have shields, warriors with axes and shields, and spearmen. This "branch of the army" had shields 60-80 cm long and about 40-50 cm wide, as, for example, in the figurines of soldiers found in the tomb of nomarch Mesekhti. That is, in the era of the Middle Kingdom, the Egyptians knew a deep formation of spearmen, covered with shields and built in several rows!
Interestingly, the Egyptian troops at this time consisted exclusively of infantry. The first case of the use of horses in Egypt was attested during the excavations of the city of Buchen - a fortress on the border with Nubia. The find belongs to the era of the Middle Kingdom, but although horses were already known at that time, they were not widespread in Egypt. It can be assumed that some wealthy Egyptian bought it somewhere in the East and brought it to Nubia, but he hardly used it as a means of draft.
As for the infantry archers, they armed themselves with the simplest bows, that is, made from one piece of wood. A complex bow (that is, assembled from different types of wood and pasted over with leather) would be too difficult for them to manufacture, and expensive to supply ordinary infantrymen with such weapons. But one should not think that these bows were weak, because they had a length of 1.5 m and more, and in skillful hands they were a very powerful and long-range weapon. The English bows of the Middle Ages of yew or maple, and with a length of 1.5 to 2 m, were also simple, but pierced steel armor at a distance of 100 m, and the English archer despised anyone who could not fire 10 - 12 arrows in a minute. However, there is one subtlety here. They did not shoot directly at the men at arms, or they shot only at a very close distance: almost point blank! At a long distance, volleys were shot upwards on command, so that the arrow fell on the knight from above and hit not so much himself as his horse. Hence the armor on the neck of the knight's horses from above! So there is no doubt about the capabilities of Egyptian archers armed with bows of this size, and they could well hit opponents not protected by metal armor at a distance of 75 - 100 m and up to 150 m under favorable conditions.
Ancient Egypt: weapons and armor of warriors on chariots
Over its thousand-year history, Egypt has experienced not only ups but also downs. So the era of the Middle Kingdom ended with the invasion of the Hyksos nomads, its defeat and a period of decline. To cope with the Egyptians, they were helped by the fact that they fought on two-wheeled high-speed chariots drawn by a pair of horses, which gave their troops unprecedented maneuverability and mobility. But soon the Egyptians themselves learned to breed and train horses, make chariots and fight on them. The Hyksos were expelled, Egypt experienced a new rise, and its pharaohs, no longer content with defending their borders and expeditions for gold to Nubia, began wars with their neighbors in Asia, and also tried to penetrate the territory of modern Syria and Lebanon.
The representatives of the Ramses dynasty were especially warlike pharaohs of the era of the onset of the New Kingdom. The armament of the warriors at this time became even more lethal, as the metal processing technology was improved, and in addition to chariots, the Egyptians also learned a reinforced bow, which increased the range of the arrow and the accuracy of its hit. The power of such bows was truly great: it is known that such pharaohs as Thutmose III and Amenhotep II pierced copper targets with arrows fired from them.
Already at a distance of 50 - 100 m with an arrow with a metal leaf-shaped tip, apparently, it was possible to pierce the armor of a warrior on an enemy chariot. The bows were kept in special cases on the sides of the chariots - one on each (one spare) or one at the side closer to which the shooter was. However, using them has now become much more difficult, especially while standing on a chariot and, moreover, in motion.
That is why the military organization of the Egyptian army at this time also underwent major changes. In addition to the traditional infantry - "mesh", charioteers - "netheter" appeared. They now represented the elite of the army, all their lives they studied the military craft, which became hereditary for them and passed from father to son.
The very first wars in Asia brought rich booty to the Egyptians. So, after the capture of the city of Megiddo, they got: “340 prisoners, 2041 horses, 191 foals, 6 breeding horses, 2 war chariots decorated with gold, 922 ordinary war chariots, 1 bronze carapace, 200 leather carapaces, 502 battle bows, 7 tent pillars decorated with silver and belonging to the king of Kadesh, 1,929 head of cattle, 2,000 goats, 20,500 sheep and 207,300 sacks of flour. " The defeated recognized the power of the ruler of Egypt over themselves, took an oath of allegiance and pledged to pay tribute.
It is interesting that in the list of trophy shells there is only one bronze and 200 leather, which suggests that the presence of chariots also required increased protection of those who fought on them, since they were very valuable professional warriors who were sorry to lose. But the fact that there is only one metal shell speaks of the extremely high cost of the then protective weapons, which only the princes and pharaohs of Egypt possessed.
The many chariots taken as trophies unambiguously speaks of their widespread distribution, not only among the Asians, but also among the Egyptians themselves. Egyptian chariots, judging by the images and artifacts that have come down to us, are light carts for two people, one of which drove horses, and the other fired at the enemy from a bow. The wheels had wooden rims and six spokes, the bottom was wicker, with the very minimum of wooden fences. This allowed them to develop high speed, and the supply of arrows in two quivers allowed them to wage a long battle.
The Battle of Kadesh - the largest battle between the armies of Egypt and the Hittite kingdom in 1274 BC. - Thousands of chariots participated on both sides, and although it actually ended in a draw, there is no doubt that it was the chariots that played a very important role in it. But in addition to new bows, the Egyptians also had two new types of long daggers - with a massive leaf-shaped blade with an edge in the middle, and a blade rounded at the end, and piercing-chopping - with graceful, long blades with parallel blades, which smoothly passed into a point, and also with a convex edge. The handle of both was very comfortable, with two cone-shaped sockets - upward with a pommel and downward with a crosshair.
The sickle-shaped (occasionally double-edged) blade weapon, borrowed by the Egyptians from their enemies in Palestine and underwent a number of modifications in Egypt - "khopesh" ("khepesh"), was also widely used, as were maces, narrow-bladed axes and moon-shaped axes.
This is how the infantry of Ancient Egypt, including the Ancient and Middle Kingdoms, could look like. In the foreground are two spear warriors in headscarves, with printed protective aprons in the shape of a heart over an ordinary apron, possibly in quilted jackets, with crescent short swords made of bronze, and then warriors with a battle club combined with an ax and a poleaxe with a moon-shaped blade. The dart thrower has no protective weapons at all. Two black warriors with bows in their hands - mercenaries from Nubia. Only one pharaoh has armor on his body, next to which there is a signalman with a drum. Zvezda soldier set box. Eh, what is not for the boys just now! And what soldiers I had in my childhood - heaven and earth!
Narmer's palette. Depicts Pharaoh Narmer with a mace in his hands. (Cairo Museum)
Reconstruction of the chariot of the New Kingdom. (Römer-Pelizaeus Museum. Lower Saxony, Hildesheim, Germany)
Surprisingly, the ancient Egyptians knew and used boomerangs very similar to those used and used by the indigenous people of Australia. So these two boomerangs from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun are very similar to the Australian ones and differ from them only in their decoration! (Egyptian Museum, Cairo)
Pharaoh Tutankhamun on a chariot. Painting on wood, length 43 cm. (Egyptian Museum, Cairo)
Gold dagger of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. (Egyptian Museum, Cairo)
Pharaoh on a chariot. Wall painting in the Abu Simbel temple.
Relief from the funeral temple of Queen Hatshepsut depicting Egyptian soldiers of the 18th dynasty, 1475 BC. e. Limestone, painting. (Egyptian Museum Berlin)
Prerequisites for the creation of a standing army
The army in Ancient Egypt has come a long way of development. 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. The fragmented state was constantly in a state of danger, while each individual nom had his own armed detachment - the militia. Such a detachment, as a rule, was headed by a civilian official who had no special military training. The class of special officers did not exist. Large temple estates could also have such units.
In the event of war - an attack on the borders of the state of hostile tribes, each nom supplied his troops to the combined army. Command was most often entrusted to some capable official. War was not a special occupation for the Egyptians. Military operations were limited to the defense of borders or to predatory, plundering raids on neighboring tribes. Separate nominal or temple military detachments could take part in such expeditions. Naturally, the prey was concentrated in the hands of the nomarchs and the priesthood, whose influence grew steadily and the pharaohs, having no military force, had to put up with it.
However, already at the beginning of the Middle Kingdom, the pharaohs are trying to surround themselves with people who are devoted and loyal. Many officials are selected from the inner circle of the ruler. The class of the pharaoh's military retinue and his guards emerged. These troops consisted of professional soldiers stationed 100 each in palaces and fortresses throughout Egypt, from Nubia to the borders of Asia. They formed the nucleus of a standing army, although at that time they were still very small in number and main task they were guarded by the ruler. Their bosses were above the middle class by birth.
During the war, the army, as before, consisted of detachments of different nomes, headed by nomarchs. In peacetime, these people were involved in public works, that is, there were almost no professional soldiers, since the whole war was reduced to a series of poorly organized predatory raids, which testifies to the non-warlike mood of the Egyptians.
During 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 keep them for themselves in order to obtain a permanent income. Border fortresses guarded by garrisons were supposed to control the occupied territories. The first fortresses in Nubia and Kush were built by the legendary Senusret III, with whom the first foreign conquests of the Egyptians are associated. But it was impossible to guard the borders without a standing army. But war was still not a special occupation in Egypt. Only after the fall of the Middle Kingdom and almost 100 years of domination by the nomadic Asian tribes - the Hyksos, did the Egyptians learn to fight for real. The expulsion of the Hyksos and the pharaoh's desire to retain power in his hands was an important stage in the formation of a permanent Egyptian army.
Finally, the regular army was formed by Pharaoh Ahmose 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 campaigns in Asia allowed the Egyptians to study military affairs. During this period, the "profession" of a warrior became the most popular. Realizing what wealth can be obtained through war, the once belligerent Egyptians now sought to get into the army. Administrative officials were now military leaders. Military science has become prestigious.
So, we can conclude that the preconditions for the creation of a permanent army in Ancient Egypt was initially the pharaoh's desire to ensure his safety, surround himself with loyal 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, through poorly organized raids, to seize the necessary resources, the pharaohs gradually form more or less permanent military detachments and garrisons to guard the borders.
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 the non-warlike people during the liberation struggle against the Hyksos (XVII-XVI centuries BC), the warlike customs that the Egyptians had taught differently relate to war.
The armament of the ancient Egyptian warrior. Combat tactics
The only kind of permanent Egyptian army, which began to take shape during the Middle Kingdom, was the infantry. Later the fleet and chariot detachments appeared.
"The warriors of the Old Kingdom were armed with a stone-tipped mace, a copper battle-ax, a stone-tipped spear, a stone or copper dagger. In the earlier period, the boomerang was widely used. As a protective weapon, the warriors had a wooden shield covered with fur." "When storming the fortresses, the Egyptians used assault ladders with wooden disc wheels, which facilitated their installation and movement along the fortress walls. A breach in the fortress walls was punched with large crowbars." Already in the Old Kingdom, the Egyptians had rowing ships with sails. 2 fleets were created - one in Upper Egypt and the other in Lower Egypt.
The armament of the Egyptian warriors of the Middle Kingdom has slightly improved in comparison with the previous period, as a result of the improvement of 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 varied from 55 to 100 cm. Arrows with a leaf-shaped tip, originally flint, and then copper and bronze, are common in the Ancient East. were less effective weapons than arrows with a faceted tip - bone or bronze introduced by the Scythians in the 2nd quarter of the 7th century BC Aimed shot from a bow, the flight distance of a boomerang and a throwing spear were approximately the same: 150-180 m; the best accuracy of a boomerang and a throwing javelin was reached at a distance of 50 m. A fur-lined shield, half 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 savage tribes. Significant innovations appear during the reign of the Hyksos. The Egyptians learned a lot from the warlike nomads - they master new methods of making weapons for them, improve the technologies for making weapons from bronze. There is also another innovation - now horses brought by the nomads are harnessed to the chariots, which later helps them to win a number of victories. Thus, it can be said 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 changes, but also its weapons. 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 detachments, which moved in columns. Reconnaissance was sent ahead.
Stopping, the Egyptians set up a fortified camp of shields. "When storming cities, they used a structure called a turtle (a canopy of shields that covered the soldiers from above), a ram, a wine (a low canopy of grape vines covered with turf to protect soldiers during siege work) and an assault ladder."
It is known that during campaigns, soldiers were sometimes transferred to the battlefield from their permanent locations on cargo river ships.
The tactics of warfare among the Egyptians were 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 the infantry was still more widespread.
The main prey of the Egyptians were slaves. Also highly valued were "trophies" - hands cut off from defeated enemies. The defeated were mercilessly robbed - they seized clothes, weapons, and other valuable things. The occupied territories were also treated barbarously.
Not all prisoners were used as additional labor, but almost exclusively Asians. Captured sea pirates - Sherdans - possibly from distant Sardinia - often became royal bodyguards. The Libyans and Ethiopians were involved in the Egyptian army, probably at first only in auxiliary units.
Thus, it can be concluded that before the Hyksos conquest, the warrior's weapons were quite simple. It improves with the arrival of nomads. Not only the arsenal of weapons is becoming richer, but also the military experience of the Egyptians themselves. With the advent of horses and new types of weapons, combat tactics are also being improved.
The position of the army in ancient Egyptian society
Initially, when the army was an army assembled from nominee detachments, professional soldiers did not exist, and all combat-ready men were recruited into the militia. In peacetime, they were engaged in community service or were outfitted on an expedition.
Professional soldiers appeared already 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 period of the New Kingdom.
The ranks of the soldiers were replenished mainly by representatives of the middle class, and officials who had previously occupied administrative positions became military leaders. "The official who described the estates in the eighteenth dynasty divided the people into" soldiers, priests, royal serfs and all artisans ", and this classification is confirmed by everything we know about the era; it should, however, be borne in mind that all divisions of the free middle class are included here among the “soldiers.” The soldiers of the standing army are therefore now also a special class. Members of the free middle class, obliged to serve in the military, are called “citizens of the army,” a term already known in the era of the Middle Kingdom, but became common in this is the time; thus conscription becomes a characteristic designation of the class of society that carries it. "
The army and employee class are now one of the 3 great social groups, along with the priesthood and officials.
Ordinary soldiers received very little pay, but they could obtain wealth by plundering the vanquished. It was also beneficial to be a soldier because every soldier could have a career perspective. He could be seen and awarded for valor and service. Of course, an ordinary soldier rarely succeeded. Most often, this was used by the militarized nominal nobility. It is the military leaders who get the best of military campaigns. All the most valuable things were subject to census and transferred to the Pharaoh, who distributed the loot between the commanders and entourage, donating the lion's share to the temples and priesthood.
A special role was played by the "escort warriors" - the tsarist guard. For service to the pharaoh, such soldiers receive gifts from the ruler - the land, slaves. In addition, they feed on the royal economy. These warriors - bodyguards from among the elite army and a group of close military leaders, accompanied the pharaoh at all public appearances.
Unlike the elite, the common soldier had a hard time returning from a campaign without achieving glory. Representatives of this class endured various oppression from 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 predominate 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, argues that the profession of a scribe is much better than a warrior. In his papyrus, he describes the miserable fate of a warrior and charioteer. He may be exaggerating in his reasoning, but there is undoubtedly some truth in his statements. 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 does not occupy the last place in society.
At the end of the period, the free and semi-dependent strata of the population were increasingly exploited by the top 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 Theban house was in need of new loyal confidants and bestowed gifts, honors and titles to all those who really distinguished themselves in the battle, now positions and titles became hereditary and families enriched due to these privileges passed on 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 getting big social group along with the priesthood and officials. The army becomes the main pillar of the despotic power of the pharaoh.
The influence of a 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, has changed dramatically social structure society.
Military campaigns, international trade, recruitment of foreigners into the army led to the influx of a huge number of both free and dependent foreigners into the country. The campaigns of conquest yielded a large number of slaves from all over the East, mainly Semites and Nubians.
POWs were exploited in different ways. Their labor was used in the royal, temple farms, as well as in the farms of individual communities. Sherdens and Libyans could serve in the army. In general, foreigners could easily do military career at the court. "A brilliant career was opened for the Asians in the army, 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 appearance of a regular army in ancient Egyptian society, a new class was formed - the class of the military. 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. Mainly slaves worked in the fields and farms. The Egyptians themselves were given the opportunity to work in peace in their possessions, using the fruits of their conquests. "The warlike spirit that made Egypt the first world empire lasted only a few centuries, and in essence, the non-warlike people returned to their usual peaceful life ..." The standing army allowed 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 social and economic development of Egypt is that:
1. Egypt is becoming a multinational power due to the large influx of foreigners into the country - mercenaries, slaves, merchants.
2. Foreigners began to predominate 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 got the opportunity to develop economically thanks to a standing army that reliably defended the borders of the empire.
4. The country developed economically at the expense of the captured lands, slaves and other military booty. The Egyptian army has come a long way in development. Having originally appeared as the goal of protecting the pharaoh and guarding the borders, she, constantly improving, became the support of the despotic power of the kings. The armament of the Egyptian warrior was distinguished by simplicity and convenience, which testifies to the non-warlike mood of the Egyptians. It improves with the arrival of the Hyksos. After the expulsion of the nomads, the army continues to develop. Now she occupies an important place in ancient Egyptian society, and the profession of a warrior is becoming in demand. The army supplied the conquered wealth to Egypt, which made it more and more powerful and allowed the country to develop economically.