Ancient Egyptian Soldier
The Ancient Egyptian Soldier
The Ancient Egyptians had a standing army.
The Ancient Egyptian soldier had either decided that this was a good
career choice and could lead to security and advancement or the other
type of soldier was the conscript who joined the armed forces of Egypt
against his will.
The Ancient Egyptian Military
consisted of both an army and a navy. Some potential conscripts would
cause themselves damage, such as breaking their thumbs to exclude them
from conscription into the army.
Ancient Egyptian Soldier
- The Enemies
The enemies of Egypt changed over the years and different periods in
Egyptian history. The rich land of Egypt was susceptible to invasion on
all fronts.
-
The West Delta
of the Nile was threatened by desert raiders
-
The East Delta
of the Nile was threatened by invaders from Asia - first the Hittites
from Palestine and Syria and then the Hyksos. The Mitanni also mounted
invasions from northern Mesopotamia.
-
The North and
the Mediterranean Sea was at risk from the armies of the
Greeks under Alexander the Great and the Romans under Julius
Caesar
-
The south
brought Kushite raiders from Nubia and the Sudan
This
vulnerability of Egypt provides an insight as to why the
Ancient Egyptian soldier was so important to the
country. The standing army was also required not only
for defence but also to make pre-emptive strikes against
their enemies.
Ancient Egyptian Soldier
- Training
The Ancient Egyptian soldier who was a raw recruit to the armed forces
was put through rigorous training at the Ancient training barracks. A
soldier first received a regimented hair cut and in later Egyptian
periods was issued with a coat of wadded leather and a leather or bronze
helmet. The Ancient Egyptian soldier was expected to achieve a high
level of fitness and was under the authority of the drill master.
Soldiers were trained in wrestling, tactics and the use of weapons. An
Ancient Egyptian soldier was expected to be able to cover 20 miles (32
kilometres) in one day. Discipline was strict and punishments, by
beatings, were severe.
The Defensive Role
of the Ancient Egyptian Soldier
The role of the Ancient Egyptian soldier was to either defend the
country or be prepared to make
pre-emptive strikes against their enemies. A series of fortresses were
built on strategic locations on each of the borders of Egypt. Many of
the soldiers were sent to these forts, a boring, monotonous but
relatively safe role which brought little reward.
The Attacking Role
of the Ancient Egyptian Soldier - The Rewards
The military campaigns against enemies provided the Ancient Egyptian
soldier with excitement and danger. But there were rewards. The rewards
to a brave soldier included not only promotion and medals but also
goods, grants of lands, pensions on retirement and even slaves.
The Wages of the Ancient Egyptian Soldier
The economy of Ancient Egypt was not
based on the exchange of money. The state claimed produce from the
farmers in the form of taxes and this was used as a form of payment and
wages. This was supplemented by exchange and bartering. Prices were set
in units of value that referred directly to commodities. The
basic wage of a low ranking Egyptian soldier consisted of ten loaves of
bread and one-third to two full jugs of beer per day. The higher the
rank of the soldier the more he would receive.
The Weapons
used by the Ancient Egyptian Soldier
The soldier was equipped with a variety of different weapons
which, by the period of the New Kingdom included the
Sling, Mace, Spear, Battle Axes, Bow and Arrow, Swords, Scimitars, Daggers
and the Chariot.
The Structure of
the
Army and the division of Soldiers
The size of the standing army by the
period of the New Kingdom and the reign of Ramses II aka Ramses the Great
(1279
BC – 1213 BC) numbered 20,000 soldiers. These soldiers
were divided into 4
divisions of 5000 who were named after the gods Seth, Amun, Ptah and Re. Each
of these divisions were
divided into 20 companies which in turn
consisted of 250 soldiers. These were finally divided into 5 platoons of fifty men.
Ancient Egyptian Soldier
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