Pharaoh's warriors: who fought for great Egypt (8 photos). Army in ancient Egypt The weapons of Egyptian military leaders were

28.10.2023

Of armor and weapons published in VO, I discovered that among them there is not a single one on the history of the weapons of Ancient Egypt. But this is the cradle of European culture, which has given humanity 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 the 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 rebellion. Often at this time, Egypt was subjected to attacks from nomadic tribes and warlike neighbors, so its history was by no means peaceful and military affairs in Egypt, which means that offensive and defensive weapons were always held in high esteem!

Already in the era of the Old Kingdom - the era of the kings who built 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 hatchets and daggers made of copper and bronze, and squads of archers with large bows, whose arrows were tipped with flint. The task of the army 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 nomadic Bedouins in the East. During the reign of Pharaoh Snefru, the king's army captured 70,000 prisoners, which indirectly speaks of the number of Egyptian troops, the perfection of their tactics, and - 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 clothing 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 a mace and a shield. The latter was made from bull skin with the hair facing out, which was apparently joined in several layers and stretched over a wooden frame. The shields were large, covering a person right up to the neck and pointed at the top, as well as slightly smaller ones, rounded at the top, which the warriors held by straps attached to the back.

The warriors lined up in a phalanx and moved towards the enemy, covering themselves with shields and putting out spears, and the archers were behind the infantrymen and shot over their heads. Similar 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 striking weapons (clubs, clubs, axes, axes, darts, spears) who did not have shields, warriors with axes and shields, and spearmen. This “branch of troops” had shields 60-80 cm long and about 40-50 cm wide, like, for example, the figurines of warriors discovered in the tomb of the nomarch Mesehti. 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!

It is interesting that the Egyptian troops at this time consisted exclusively of infantry. The first case of the use of horses in Egypt was attested during excavations of the city of Buhen, a fortress on the border with Nubia. The find dates back 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 a certain wealthy Egyptian purchased it somewhere in the East and brought it to Nubia, but it is unlikely that he used it as a means of draft.

As for the infantry archers, they were armed with the simplest bows, that is, made from one piece of wood. A compound bow (that is, assembled from different types of wood and covered with leather) would be too difficult for them to manufacture, and also expensive, to supply ordinary infantrymen with such a weapon. 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 very powerful and long-range weapons. English bows of the Middle Ages made of yew or maple, and 1.5 to 2 m long, were also simple, but they 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. True, there is one subtlety here. They did not shoot directly at the men-at-arms, or only shot at a very close range: almost point-blank! At a long distance they fired upward in volleys 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 top of the necks of knightly horses! So there is no doubt about the capabilities of Egyptian archers armed with bows of this size, and they could easily 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 chariot warriors

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. What helped them cope with the Egyptians was 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 with them. The Hyksos were expelled, Egypt experienced a new rise, and its pharaohs, no longer content with protecting their borders and expeditions for gold in Nubia, began wars with their neighbors in Asia, and also tried to penetrate the territory of modern Syria and Lebanon.
Particularly warlike pharaohs of the era of the advent of the New Kingdom were representatives of the Ramesses dynasty. The armament of warriors at this time became even more deadly, as 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 its accuracy. The power of such bows was truly great: it is known that pharaohs such as Thutmose III and Amenhotep II pierced copper targets with arrows fired from them.

Already at a distance of 50 - 100 m, it was apparently possible to pierce the armor of a warrior on an enemy chariot with an arrow with a metal leaf-shaped tip. Bows were stored in special cases on the sides of the chariots - one on each (one spare) or one at the side closest to which the shooter stood. However, it has now become much more difficult to use them, especially while standing on a chariot and, moreover, in motion.

This is why the military organization of the Egyptian army also underwent major changes at this time. In addition to the traditional infantry - "mesha", charioteers - "netheter" appeared. They now represented the elite of the army; all their lives they studied military craft, which became hereditary for them and was passed on from father to son.

The first wars in Asia brought the Egyptians rich booty. So, after taking 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 armor, 200 leather armor, 502 war bows, 7 tent pillars decorated with silver and belonging to the king of Kadesh, 1929 head of cattle, 2000 goats, 20,500 sheep and 207,300 bags of flour.” The vanquished recognized the authority 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 captured armor there is only one bronze and 200 leather ones, which suggests that the presence of chariots also required increased protection for those who fought on them, since these were very valuable professional warriors whom it was a pity to lose. But the fact that there is only one metal shell speaks of the extremely high cost of the protective weapons of that time, which only the princes and pharaohs of Egypt possessed.

The many chariots taken as trophies clearly indicate their wide distribution, not only among 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 whom drove the horses, and the other fired at the enemy with a bow. The wheels had wooden rims and six spokes, the bottom was wicker, with a very minimum of wooden guards. This allowed them to develop greater speed, and the supply of arrows in two quivers allowed them to conduct a long battle.

In the Battle of Kadesh - the largest battle between the troops of Egypt and the Hittite kingdom in 1274 BC. - thousands of chariots took part 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-cutting ones - with elegant, long blades with parallel blades that smoothly turned into an edge, and also with a convex rib. The handle of both was very comfortable, with two cone-shaped bells - up - the pommel and down - the crosshair.

Sickle-shaped (sometimes double-edged) bladed weapons, borrowed by the Egyptians from their enemies in Palestine and undergoing a number of modifications in Egypt - “khopesh” (“khepesh”), were also widely used, like maces, axes with a narrow blade and moon-shaped axes.

This is what the infantry of Ancient Egypt, including the Ancient and Middle Kingdoms, might have looked like. In the foreground are two warrior-spearmen in head scarves, with printed protective aprons in the shape of a heart on top of a regular apron, possibly in quilted jackets, with sickle-shaped short swords made of bronze, and then warriors with a war club combined with an ax and an ax with a moon-shaped blade. The dart thrower has no defensive weapons at all. Two black warriors with bows in their hands are mercenaries from Nubia. Only one pharaoh has armor on his body, next to whom stands a signalman with a drum. Box of a set of soldiers from the Zvezda company. Oh, what we don’t have for boys now! And what kind of soldiers I had in childhood - heaven and earth!

Narmer palette. Depicts Pharaoh Narmer with a mace in his hands. (Cairo Museum)

Reconstruction of a New Kingdom chariot. (Römer-Pelitzeus 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. 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)

Golden dagger of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. (Egyptian Museum, Cairo)

Pharaoh on a chariot. Wall painting at the Abu Simbel Temple.

Relief from the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut depicting Egyptian soldiers of the 18th dynasty, 1475 BC. e. Limestone, painting. (Egyptian Museum Berlin)

The first weapons appeared at the dawn of civilization. The ancient hunter needed to protect himself from wild animals and get food for himself. After the emergence of states, wars began. The first major state was Ancient Egypt (from 3100 BC), whose history goes back about three thousand years. The Egyptians fought many enemies, created a well-organized army, and learned how to make different weapons.

The backbone of the Egyptian army was infantry. Large military formations of 5 thousand people were divided into detachments of spearmen, archers, slingers, and charioteers. Recruitment into the army was mandatory (10 young men out of 100), in addition, volunteers were accepted. Strict discipline reigned in the army. The Egyptians used different combat formations and walking in step.

The main throwing weapons of the infantry were bows and arrows. Even the pharaohs used bows. Bows were simple, made of wood, and complex, reinforced with tendons, plates of bone and horn.

Arrow and spear tips were made of bronze

They threw darts and short spears by hand. In close combat, spears, axes, axes, daggers and crooked cutlasses were used - khopesh .

Khopesh - a curved cleaver for applying

slashing blows. Bronze blade, handle

bronze, wood or bone

In Ancient Egypt, all weapons were made only from bronze.

Ax - bronze warhead attached

to the wooden handle with plant fibers,

judging by the decorations it belonged to a noble military leader

The weapons of pharaohs and major military leaders were decorated with gold, precious stones and colored pastes.

The main defensive weapons were rectangular wooden shields. They were covered with leather or skins. The body was protected by soft armor made of white fabric. This was convenient in hot climates. The armor consisted of strips of linen wrapped around the body. They also used quilted linen cuirasses and leather combat belts. The head was covered with caps made of several layers of fabric. The rank and file fought naked to the waist, covering their lower bodies with a quilted cloth shield. A wig or a painted headdress was worn on the head. They fought barefoot; only rich people had leather sandals.

After numerous wars with tribes from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor, the Egyptians developed lamellar armor made of bronze plates. Only rich warriors - charioteers - could order such armor.

War chariot - it contained a charioteer and a shooter.

Archer in lamellar armor - owner of chariots and horses

As a branch of the army, chariots appeared after the conquest of Egypt by the Hyksos around 1700 BC. During the New Kingdom period after the expulsion of the Hyksos in the 1550s BC. Egypt's military art reached its peak. Egyptian chariots were two-wheeled, lightweight, the wooden frame was covered with leather, and the floor was wicker.

The battle began with infantry throwing arrows and darts, then chariots with archers went into the attack, and then warriors with melee weapons entered hand-to-hand combat. Mercenaries and prisoners from Nubia, Syria, and the islands of the Mediterranean Sea served in the Egyptian army.

Some of them came with their own weapons, for example, the Chardins from the island of Sardinia introduced the Egyptians to straight long swords and round shields. In the last centuries of the existence of the Egyptian kingdom, iron weapons appeared in it. In 30 BC. Ancient Egypt was conquered by the Romans and became a Roman province.

Peace and quiet were his rare guests. In addition to the fact that the inhabitants of the banks of the Nile had to repel attacks from warlike neighbors and numerous nomadic tribes, the state was periodically shaken by internal conflicts that resulted in bloody rebellions and unrest. Therefore, the weapons of Ancient Egypt often became the decisive argument in resolving many vital issues.

The main periods of the history of Ancient Egypt

Traditionally, the history of Ancient Egypt is usually divided into several stages, the main of which are:

An ancient kingdom that covered the period from 3.2 thousand to 2.4 thousand years BC. e. It was preceded by the Predynastic Period and the Early Kingdom.
- from 2.1 thousand to 1.8 thousand years BC. e.
New Kingdom - between 1.7 thousand years BC. and 1.1 thousand years BC. e. It was followed by the Late and Hellenistic periods.

This chronology is rather arbitrary, since between each of the main historical periods there were rather long transitional stages, which became a time of acute political and social struggle that Ancient Egypt experienced. During these periods, weapons were in demand more than ever, which gave additional impetus to their improvement.

Reasons for creating a regular army

During the period of the Old Kingdom, which left a legacy with the construction of the largest and most famous pyramids in our time, the main danger to the southern borders of Egypt was represented by its traditional enemies, the Nubians, and for the eastern borders, by the nomadic Bedouins. Since protection from their invasions and the protection of trade routes was of paramount importance, the pharaohs took care of creating a regular army, the units of which had uniform weapons. Their number included mainly free peasants who received a certain salary for their service.

What were weapons made of in Ancient Egypt?

At all stages of human development, its weapons depended primarily on the level of technological progress. Since during the period under review it was still in its initial stage, weapons in Ancient Egypt were made from the limited list of materials that the gunsmiths of that time had at their disposal. The only metals they had at their disposal were copper and bronze, which were used to make daggers and battle axes. The weapons made from them were unusually expensive at that time and were used mainly by military leaders of various levels and the pharaohs themselves.

The main striking force of the army were warriors armed with spears and covered with shields. A separate branch of the army consisted of archers and fighters who hit the enemy with maces. Tips for spears and arrows, as well as the upper thickened parts of maces, called pommels, were made of flint.

Infantry shields and wigs

The Egyptians' battle shields were mainly of two types - large, reaching almost to the warrior's chin and pointed at the top, and smaller ones, which had a rounded shape. Both of them were equipped with special belts on the inside that made it possible to hold them and easily perform various combat techniques.

As for the clothing of the ancient warriors, due to the dry and hot climate they did not have any special uniform. Their usual attire consisted of a short skirt, also common among the civilian population, as well as sheepskin wigs. This seemingly decorative attribute nevertheless had a purely utilitarian purpose. Made from several layers of sheepskin, with the fur turned outward, such headdresses played the role of helmets that protected the warrior’s head from the blow of a club or mace.

Egyptian phalanx

The size and combat effectiveness of the Egyptian army is evidenced by the fact that during the reign of Pharaoh Snefru (2614-2579 BC), as a result of military operations, the Egyptians managed to capture, in addition to rich booty, 700 thousand prisoners. Since they had to fight in open, flat terrain, the main combat tactics of the Egyptians was to form a phalanx - a dense line consisting of spearmen covered with shields.

Archers followed them, shooting over their heads and showering the enemy with clouds of arrows. With this tactic, which was also used by other nations, the more disciplined and trained army always won. In this regard, the Egyptians had no equal.

Features of the army of the Middle Kingdom period

The weapons of Ancient Egypt during the Middle Kingdom were supplemented by the widespread use of axes. In the previous historical period, they were already known on the banks of the Nile, but were used extremely rarely due to their high cost. This was a kind of wide curved ax mounted on a long shaft, made of bronze, and therefore was extremely expensive.

As before, the army was divided into warriors who used shields in battle and those who did without them. The first included spearmen, who at the end of the Middle Kingdom were also joined by infantrymen with axes, and the second included warriors armed with darts, axes, axes, clubs and clubs.

Innovations in combat tactics

The order of formation of combat phalanxes has also partially changed. If in the previous period they were single-row, now the soldiers began to line up in several ranks, standing one after another. At the same time, those who were placed in the back rows had spears with longer shafts, which allowed them to also hit the enemy.

This arrangement of spearmen was called deep formation and was then used by many armies. Despite the fact that the most perfect example of this is the famous Macedonian phalanx, this innovation was tested and developed by Ancient Egypt, whose weapons even at that time made it possible to use similar battle tactics.

A characteristic feature of the Egyptian army of the Middle Kingdom is that it consisted exclusively of infantry and did not yet use horses, although they were already known on the banks of the Nile in that era. As before, during the fighting, an important role was assigned to archers, whose weapons had several modifications.

It was a very formidable force. Calculations show that warriors armed with the simplest bows, made from one piece of wood and reaching one and a half meters in span, were capable of hitting the enemy at a distance of up to 150 meters. At the same time, there were more advanced examples of these weapons, assembled from various types of wood and covered with leather. But because of their high cost, they were hardly available to ordinary soldiers.

Decline and subsequent revival of Egypt

For the Egyptians, the era of the Middle Kingdom ended very poorly. This happened partly due to the fact that they did not promptly strengthen the army with a new branch of troops at that time - war chariots, which their neighbors had long used. As a result, they received a bitter lesson taught to them by the nomadic Hyksos tribes.

Using high-speed two-seater chariots in battle, they made lightning-fast attacks, showering the enemy with a shower of arrows and safely escaping pursuit. For their mobile detachments, the army and weapons of Ancient Egypt, which had lingered at the previous stage of its development, did not pose a serious threat. The result was its capture by the Hyksos and the subsequent period of decline.

The revival of a previously powerful state, but defeated by barbarians, began around the 17th century BC. e. The main reason for this process was that the warriors of Ancient Egypt and their weapons underwent dramatic changes, which made it possible to finally drive out the invaders.

First of all, they learned not only to breed horses, but also to manage them. In addition, Egyptian craftsmen adopted the technology of making war chariots from foreigners, and former infantrymen mastered the technique of conducting effective combat operations with their help.

What did the war chariot look like?

What Egypt was like today can be judged from the images that have come down to us, as well as from artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations. It was a light cart designed for two people, one of whom drove two horses harnessed to it, and the second at that time fired at opponents with a bow.

Its design was thought out in such a way that the chariot had the minimum possible weight and was capable of achieving high speed. For this purpose, only the required number of side wooden fences were installed, and the floor was made of wicker from thin rods. The wheels with narrow wooden rims also did not have much weight. Quivers with arrows were attached to the sides of the chariot, the supply of which allowed for a long battle.

Innovations in weaponry

At the same time, the most important factor that made it possible to raise the army's armament to a completely different level was the improvements achieved in metal processing. Thanks to them, the former flint tips of spears and arrows were replaced by iron leaf-shaped ones. The design of the bows themselves was also improved, making it possible to significantly increase their accuracy and combat range.

During this period, the previous types of weapons of Ancient Egypt, the names of which are mostly familiar to history buffs, were replenished with a new weapon, borrowed, according to researchers, from the Sumerians. It was the so-called khopesh - a type of edged weapon, consisting of a sickle-shaped weapon and a handle. A characteristic feature of this type of sword was its high penetration ability, which made it possible to defeat warriors dressed in metal armor.

It is very noteworthy that among the new types of weapons that appeared during this period there are also boomerangs, and in appearance they are practically indistinguishable from those used by the inhabitants of Australia and Polynesia. Since in this case any borrowing is excluded, it remains to be assumed that their homeland is directly Ancient Egypt.

Weapons and military organization of the New Kingdom

The technical innovations described above made it possible to significantly reconstruct the entire military organization of the state. In addition to the infantry inherited from previous centuries - "mesha", charioteers - "netheter" appeared, who became a kind of elite of the army. They devoted their entire lives to studying fighting skills and passed down seats in chariots from father to son.

The clothing and weapons of the infantrymen of Ancient Egypt also underwent changes. Heart-shaped printed protective aprons were added to the previous skirts to cover the warrior’s belly. Fur wigs that did not justify their worth and fell out of use were replaced by headscarves that protected them from the scorching rays of the sun.

The equipment of the Egyptian soldiers of the New Kingdom period was presented in its entirety at the Battle of Kadesh (1274 BC), where their army clashed on the battlefield with the troops of the Hittite kingdom. Ancient Egypt, whose weapons continued to improve, in addition to its traditional types, such as bows, spears, darts, battle axes, axes, daggers and the khopesh that appeared shortly before, which were described above, on that day showed the world two completely new types of daggers .

Their double-edged blades, forged from steel (previously they were made from bronze), had a leaf-shaped shape in which they gradually sharpened at the ends. The handles, equipped with cone-shaped bells, were also comfortable. They were identical in design, the difference being mainly in size. This battle became a kind of boundary at which bronze and copper in the hands of warriors gave way to steel.

In subsequent historical periods, the weapons of Ancient Egypt (photos of individual samples are presented in the article) underwent further changes, which were the result of both technical progress within the country itself and the development of international relations.

The main throwing weapons of the infantry were bows and arrows. Even the pharaohs used bows. Bows were simple, made of wood, and complex, reinforced with tendons, plates of bone and horn.

Arrow and spear tips were made of bronze

They threw darts and short spears by hand. In close combat, spears, axes, axes, daggers and crooked cutlasses were used - khopesh .

Khopesh - a curved cleaver for applying

slashing blows. Bronze blade, handle

bronze, wood or bone

In Ancient Egypt, all weapons were made only from bronze.

Ax - bronze warhead attached

to the wooden handle with plant fibers,

judging by the decorations it belonged to a noble military leader

The weapons of pharaohs and major military leaders were decorated with gold, precious stones and colored pastes.

After numerous wars with tribes from Mesopotamia and Asia Minor, the Egyptians developed lamellar armor made of bronze plates. Only rich warriors - charioteers - could order such armor.

War chariot - it contained a charioteer and a shooter.

Archer in lamellar armor - owner of chariots and horses

Prerequisites for the creation of a standing army

The army in Ancient Egypt has come a long way in 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 nome had its own armed detachment - the militia. Such a detachment, as a rule, was led by a civilian official who did not have special military training. There was no special officer class. Large temple estates could also have similar detachments.

In the event of war - an attack on the borders of the state by hostile tribes, each nome supplied its 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 reduced to the defense of borders or to predatory raids on neighboring tribes. Individual nome or temple military detachments could take part in such expeditions. Naturally, the spoils were concentrated in the hands of the nomarchs and the priesthood, whose influence was steadily growing and the pharaohs, not having their own military strength, had to put up with this.

However, already at the beginning of the Middle Kingdom, the pharaohs tried to surround themselves with people devoted and loyal. Many officials are chosen from the ruler's inner circle. A class of the pharaoh's military retinue, his guards, emerges. These units consisted of professional soldiers stationed in groups of 100 in palaces and fortresses throughout Egypt from Nubia to the borders of Asia. They formed the core of the standing army, although at that time they were still very small in number and their main task was to protect the ruler. Their bosses were of upper middle class origin.

During the war, the army, as before, consisted of detachments of different nomes, led by nomarchs. In peacetime, these people were involved in public works, that is, there were almost no professional soldiers, since the entire war boiled down to a series of poorly organized predatory raids, which indicates the non-militant 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 retain them 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 protect the borders without a standing army. But war was still not a special activity in Egypt. Only after the fall of the Middle Kingdom and almost 100 years of domination of the nomadic Asian tribes - the Hyksos, did the Egyptians learn to fight for real. The expulsion of the Hyksos and the desire of the pharaoh to retain power in his hands became an important stage in the formation of a permanent Egyptian army.

The regular army was finally formed by Pharaoh Ahmose I, the founder of the Egyptian Empire during the New Kingdom. Through prolonged wars and sieges, Egypt became a military power. Confrontation with the Hyksos and campaigns in Asia allowed the Egyptians to study military science. During this period, the “profession” of a warrior became the most in demand. Having realized what wealth could be gained through war, the once unwarlike Egyptians now sought to join the army. Administrative officials now became military leaders. Military affairs became prestigious.

So, we can conclude that the prerequisites for the creation of a standing army in Ancient Egypt were 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 was much more profitable to regularly receive tribute from conquered territories than to periodically, through poorly organized raids, seize the necessary resources, the pharaohs gradually formed more or less permanent military detachments and garrisons to protect the borders.

But the main reason for the emergence of a regular army is the Egyptians’ desire for wealth and luxury through military conquests, which were formed among a non-warlike people during the period of liberation struggle against the Hyksos (XVII-XVI centuries BC), warlike customs that taught the Egyptians differently relate to the war.

Armament of an ancient Egyptian warrior. Combat tactics

The only branch of the permanent Egyptian army that began to take shape during the Middle Kingdom was the infantry. Later a fleet and detachments of charioteers appeared.

“The warriors of the Old Kingdom were armed with: 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, the boomerang was widely used. As a defensive weapon, the warriors had a wooden shield covered with fur.” “When storming fortresses, the Egyptians used assault ladders with wooden disc wheels, which made them easier to install and move along the fortress walls. They made holes in the fortress walls 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 improved somewhat compared to the previous period, as a result of improving metal processing methods. 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. Common for the Ancient East, arrows 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 2nd quarter of the 7th century BC.A 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 spear 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 appeared - spearmen and archers.

For a long time, weapons were not improved - there was no need for this. There were enough spears, swords and bows to pacify the neighboring wild tribes. Significant innovations appeared during the period of Hyksos rule. The Egyptians learned a lot from the warlike nomads - they mastered new methods of making weapons and improved the technology of making weapons from bronze. Another innovation also appears - now horses brought by nomads are harnessed to chariots, which subsequently helps them win a number of victories. Thus, we can say that the Egyptians drove out 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 was still infantry, consisting of detachments of archers, slingers, spearmen and warriors with swords. During the campaign, the army was divided into several detachments that moved in columns. Reconnaissance was sent ahead.

When stopping, the Egyptians set up a fortified camp of shields. “When storming cities, they used a formation called a turtle (a canopy of shields that covered the soldiers from above), a ram, a vine (a low canopy of vines covered with turf to protect soldiers during siege work) and an assault ladder.”

It is known that during campaigns, warriors were sometimes transferred to the battle site from their permanent locations on cargo river ships.

The Egyptians' combat tactics were quite varied. 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, charioteer units became 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 - clothes, weapons, and other valuables were seized. 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 the royal bodyguards. Libyans and Ethiopians were recruited into the Egyptian army, probably at first only as auxiliary units.

Thus, we can conclude that before the Hyksos conquest, the warrior’s weapons were quite simple. It is improved with the arrival of nomads. Not only the arsenal of weapons becomes richer, but also the military experience of the Egyptians themselves. With the advent of horses and new types of weapons, combat tactics are also improved.

The position of the army in ancient Egyptian society

Initially, when the army was an army assembled from new detachments, there were no professional soldiers, and all able-bodied men were recruited into the militia. In peacetime, they were engaged in public works or equipped for expeditions.

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 New Kingdom.

The ranks of the soldiers were replenished mainly by representatives of the middle class, and officials who previously held administrative positions became military leaders. “The official who described the estates in the era of the XVIII dynasty divided the people into “soldiers, priests, royal serfs and all artisans,” and this classification is confirmed by everything that 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, therefore, now also became 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 era of the Middle Kingdom, but which became common in this time; thus, conscription becomes a characteristic designation of the class of society bearing it."

The army and the servant class now become one of the 3 great social groups, along with the priesthood and officials.

Ordinary soldiers received very little pay, but they could gain wealth by plundering the vanquished. Being a military man was also beneficial because every soldier could have a career prospect. He could be noticed and awarded for valor and service. Of course, it was extremely rare for an ordinary soldier to achieve this. Most often, this was used by the militarized nobility. It is the military leaders who get the best of military campaigns. All the most valuable things were subject to a census and handed over to the pharaoh, who distributed the loot among military leaders and officials, sacrificing the lion's share to temples and priesthood.

A special role was played by the “escort soldiers” - the royal guard. For their service to the pharaoh, such warriors receive gifts from the ruler - land, slaves. In addition, they feed from the royal household. These warriors - bodyguards from among the selected army and a group of close military leaders - accompanied the pharaoh in all public appearances.

Unlike the elite, the common soldier had a hard time if he returned from a campaign without achieving glory. Representatives of this class suffered various oppressions from the ruling class. But they were free, and if they were lucky enough to get something during the campaign, they could dispose of it freely, including slaves.

At the end of the New Kingdom, when mercenaries began to predominate in the army, the warrior profession became unprofitable for the Egyptian. Egyptians prefer to return to agriculture and peaceful work. Anastasi, for example, claims that the profession of a scribe is much better than a warrior. In his papyrus, he describes the pitiful fate of the 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 sections of the population were increasingly exploited by the elite of the nobility. A military career for the ordinary soldier is becoming even more inaccessible. If after the expulsion of the Hyksos and the formation of a new, XVIII, the advancing Theban house needed new loyal confidants and bestowed gifts, honors and titles on all those who really distinguished themselves in battle, now positions and titles became hereditary and families enriched due to these privileges passed on their titles by inheritance.

We can conclude that in general, the army occupied a significant place in ancient Egyptian society. During the era of the empire, the army and military affairs received the greatest development. The military became a large social group along with the priesthood and officials. The army becomes the main support of the despotic power of the pharaoh.

The influence of a standing army on the socio-economic development of Ancient Egypt

With the advent 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, and the recruitment of foreigners into the army led to the influx into the country of a huge number of both free and dependent foreigners. Conquests yielded a large number of slaves from all over the East, mainly Semites and Nubians.

Prisoners of war were exploited in various ways. Their labor was used in royal and temple farms, as well as in the farms of individual communities. Sherdens and Libyans could serve in the army. In general, foreigners could easily make a military career at court. “A brilliant career was open to 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 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 warriors. Mostly slaves worked in the fields and farms. The Egyptians themselves were able to work quietly 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 the essentially 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 is becoming a multinational power due to the large influx of foreigners into the country - mercenaries, slaves, traders.

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 themselves - 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 captured lands, slaves and other war booty. The Egyptian army has come a long way in development. Having initially appeared for the purpose of protecting the pharaoh and protecting borders, it, constantly improving, became the support of the despotic power of the kings. The armament of the Egyptian warrior was distinguished by its simplicity and convenience, which indicates the non-militant mood of the Egyptians. It was improved with the arrival 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 warrior profession is becoming in demand. The army supplied Egypt with conquered wealth, which made it increasingly powerful and allowed the country to develop economically.