In some ways, the chariots of the Late Bronze Age served the purpose of heavily-armored platforms that often decided the fate of many a battle fought in open grounds (much like latter-day knights and modern tanks). Equipment from the former Soviet Union is being progressively replaced by more modern U.S., French, and British equipment, a significant portion of which is built under license in Egypt, such as the M1 Abrams tank. The Ancient Egyptian infantry of the New Kingdom mainly comprised the archers and the melee fighters. June 16, 2017. The soldiers of the Egyptian army were well respected. The kings of the 12th Dynasty, like Senusret III, were strong rulers … Of course, beyond just gold, many of the officers could claim their fair share of land-grants, booty, and slaves. Army divisions were often named after gods. Simply put, while the sons of nobles were expected to be inducted into elite corps (like the chariot regiments), even commoners had their chance to progress through the ranks of the military – as can be attested by one Horemheb, a scribe who went to become the last pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. However the overall frame of the Ancient Egyptian chariot continued to be nimble – and that allowed their horse-driven war-machines to maneuver better inside enemy lines, with zig-zag movements and surprise turns. These close combat soldiers possibly carried small spears which were thrown at the enemy in close range, much like the Roman pilum, while their melee weapons varied from bronze khopesh to even bigger mace-like axes. To bolster stabi… The ancient Egyptian military, like all armies, was a product of the society that created it. Lightly equipped with bows and javelins, these dynamic troops accompanied the chariots (behind their charge) to dispatch enemy charioteers and even rescue their own comrades who had crashed. For example, Ahmose I, the founder of the Eighteenth dynasty (reign 1549–1524 BC), reorganized his band of warriors into a full-fledged standing army of the Late Bronze Age. The following list outlines the major equipment In service with the Egyptian Army. To that end, bravery was seen as an important benchmark for choosing high-ranking leaders; and as such the selected men (who had proven their value in battles) were rewarded by the ‘valor of gold’, a military tradition that entailed ostentatious gifts of gold ornaments and objects being presented to the candidates. The Egyptians often hired foreign mercenaries to fight for them, especially in battles that were away from the land of Egypt. Like other ancient empires, the Egyptians of the New Kingdom recruited their fair share of mercenaries and auxiliary troops who came from different parts of Africa and Asia. On the other side of the proverbial coin, much like their Assyrian contemporaries, the Egyptian state was overly dependent on its ruler. *Each nation is assessed on individual and collective values processed through an in-house formula to generate a 'PwrIndx' score. Furthermore, the sturdy frame that complemented the overall pliable design came in handy when navigating through the rough terrains of Egypt and Canaan, which in turn made them effective in deserts and hilly areas. Each army had three major branches: the Infantry, the Chariotry, and the Navy. The Contributions of the Hyksos. In essence, the Egyptian chariots were contrived to ‘react’ based on their better maneuverability and speed and thus proved to be more flexible when it came to variant battlefield roles, including even scouting ahead. They didn't actually start fighting until they were 20 years old, however. In that regard, the very large number of bronze weapons, like the famed khopesh swords and arrowheads, could only be supplied by a properly organized military infrastructure. These highly-prized animals were also taken as tributes from vassals based in the Levant and from defeated enemies in battles. By the time of the New Kingdom, they also carried larger shields that were beginning to take a rectangular form (corresponding to the 18th dynasty period), which alludes to rudimentary shield-wall formations on the battlefield, possibly used in conjunction with cover fire from the archers (though there are no extant pieces of evidence of such tactics). The Military of Ancient Egypt. As can be surmised from historical sources, these standards bore prestigious titles that were rather used to maintain the morale (and cohesion) of many renowned companies, with examples like ‘Splendor of Aten’ and the Nubian ‘Bull in Nubia’. The war vessels in question here were probably manned by trained marines armed with bows, slings and even grappling hooks that were used boarding the enemy ships (and sometimes even topple the ships themselves). But unlike his modern-day counterpart, the Pharaoh also boasted absolute control over his kingdom’s resources and the administrative sector. The head of the Egyptian army was the Pharaoh. Beyond such special units, the New Kingdom additionally employed auxiliary troops from their vassal states in Syria, Canaan, Nubia and even Libya. In any case, these infantrymen were grouped into units of around 200-250 men, each furnished with their dedicated battle standards. Our popular historical reverie about the khopesh (sickle sword) wielding Egyptian soldier is probably inspired by their real historical counterparts – the nakhtu-aa (or ‘strong-arm boys’). For example, the wall details of the Medinet Habu (Ramesses III’s mortuary temple) depict how the ‘native’ Egyptians under the pharaoh were victorious in a naval encounter over the ‘Sea People’. 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Interestingly enough, the Egyptians even went on to create state-funded stud farms and grazing grounds for horses that were needed for chariots. Furthermore, by the era of the New Kingdom, the pharaohs created a separate military caste which was basically hereditary in its nature, and thus provided a steady supply of manpower for a standing army (much like the Kshatriyas of India). Consequently, a weak ruler usually mirrored the ‘bad times’ faced by the empire; though luckily in the case of Egypt, many New Kingdom pharaohs exhibited their strong-willed leadership. Egypt Military Strength (2020) For 2020, Egypt is ranked 9 of 138 out of the countries considered for the annual GFP review. The Armed Forces' inventory includes equipment from different countries around the world. This training for warfare, often imparted by state-appointed veterans, not only included physical regimens and weapons handing but also entailed lessons in tactical and strategic planning (with the latter being far more important for military campaigns). These rulers, in turn, proceeded on to conquer regions and retained vassals beyond the traditional boundaries of the kingdom, including ancient Nubia, Levant, and Syria. Such an incredible scope of wielding unmitigated power was complemented by the Pharaoh’s association with divine entities, and as such various Ancient Egyptian inscriptions and iconography (especially from the 18th and 19th dynasties period) depict Pharaohs in the style of the sun-god. These foreign contingents were bolstered by a motley of warriors (with presumably effective martial skills) who had been prisoners-of-war before their re-induction into the army. These industries often entailed an interconnected network of gathering and distribution centers for raw materials, arsenals for weapons manufacturing, dedicated workshops for producing defensive equipment like shields and chariots, and dockyards for crafting of ships and boats. Under the Pharaoh were two generals, one who led the army in Upper Egypt and one who led the army in Lower Egypt. Much like the modern office of the American president, the Pharaoh of the Ancient Egyptian realm was considered as the head of the state as well as the supreme commander of the armed forces. So without further ado, let us take a gander at ten incredible things you should know about the Ancient Egyptian armies of the New Kingdom. The high-ranking officers were aided by military scribes (controlled by dedicated state-appointed officials) who were responsible for maintaining a plethora of records, including the number of new recruits and more importantly army rations and supplies.