MEGIDDO 15 May 1479 b.c.

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MEGIDDO15 May 1479 b.c.

• Part 1- Historical Setting

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Forces Engaged

• Egyptian Unknown (probably approximately 10,000
  men).
• Commander Pharaoh Thutmose III.
• Kadesh Alliance Unknown.
• Commander King of Kadesh

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Importance

• By reestablishing Egyptian dominance in
  Palestine, Thutmose began a reign in which Egypt
  reached its greatest expanse as an empire.

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Historical Setting

• In the early years of the eighteenth century
  b.c., the power of Egypts Middle Kingdom was
  waning.

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• That coincided with the immigration of the
  Hyksos, a Semitic population probably from the
  region of Palestine, that used superior weaponry
  to topple the faltering Thirteenth dynasty.

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• The Hyksos introduced the horse and chariot, the
  compound bow, improved battle axes, and advanced
  fortification techniques into Egypt.

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• The Hyksos dynasty began ruling Egypt in 1786
  b.c. and lasted until 1575 b.c. By then the
  Hyksos had become sufficiently complacent and
  content to lose their edge, and the Egyptian
  population reasserted control over their own
  nation.

8

• The new pharaoh, who began the New Kingdom era,
  was Ahmose (ruled 15751550 b.c.).

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• Ahmose was not content with merely regaining his
  country, but wanted to extend Egypts
  northeastern frontier to establish a strong
  buffer zone.

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• He also wanted to extend Egypts power because
  exposure to foreign peoples had given the
  Egyptians a taste for things that could come only
  from outside their country.

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• So, conquest and trade as well as security
  motivated Ahmoses war making.

Ceremonial axe head dating to the New Kingdom
(Belonging to Amhose)
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• Following in Ahmoses footsteps, later pharaohs
  extended Egyptian authority into the region along
  the eastern Mediterranean as well as southward
  into Nubia, modern Sudan.

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• Under the direction of Thutmose I, Ahmoses
  grandson, Egypt established hegemony in Palestine
  and Syria.

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• Upon his death in 1510, however, Egyptian
  expansion was temporarily halted because of the
  attitude of the new pharaoh, Hatshepsut.

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• Hatshepsut was daughter of Thutmose I and
  stepsister and wife to Thutmose II.

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• When Thutmose II died in 1490, Hatshepsut at
  first ruled as regent for their young son
  Thutmose III, but soon threw off all pretense at
  regency and ruled openly as pharaoh, the only
  woman ever to do so.

Actual Mummified head of Thutmose III
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• Her rule (14901468 b.c.) was marked by more than
  20 years of peace, during which time Egypt
  embarked on a serious building program of
  constructing temples and monuments.

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• Hatshepsuts passive foreign policy, however,
  encouraged subject kings in the Middle East to
  ponder the idea of independence.

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• Under the direction of the King of Kadesh,
  supported by the powerful Mitanni population east
  of the Euphrates, the states of Palestine and
  Syria broke free of Egypts rule about the time
  of Hatshepsuts death.

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• Early rumblings of discontent had not been
  punished by Egyptian forces, so the King of
  Kadesh, who probably exercised suzerainty over
  most of Syria and Palestine, demanded and
  received affirmations of loyalty from his subject
  kings.

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• Some small kingdoms in southern Palestine
  hesitated, perhaps remembering the days of Ahmose
  and the penalty for disloyalty.

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• Kadesh sent troops to compel them to cooperate,
  and it seems that the kingdom of Mitanni gave
  Kadesh covert support.

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• They were an up-and-coming power themselves,
  currently competing with the nascent power of
  early Assyria.

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• If Kadesh could hurt Egypt, then the Mitanni
  certainly hoped to benefit.

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• The cause of Hatshepsuts death has never been
  positively determined it may have been
  assassination at Thutmose IIIs direction.

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• Whatever the reason, Thutmose III was eager to
  take the throne and restore Egyptian power.

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• After directing that Hatshepsuts name be
  obliterated from all public buildings, he set
  about rebuilding an army that had been idle for
  more than two decades.

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• His southern flank was secure because the
  Nubians had become increasingly Egyptianized.

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• He could therefore focus on the rebellious kings
  to the northeast without having to worry about
  threats to the rear of his army.

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• How many men Thutmose enrolled has never been
  determined.
• Most historians believe that no Egyptian
  expeditionary force ever numbered more than
  25,000 to 30,000 and the first army to take the
  field after such a long hiatus would almost
  certainly not be that large.

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• The Egyptian army was comprised primarily of
  infantry, carrying shields and side armseither
  axes or sickle like swords. The aristocracy
  fought from chariots and probably as archers.

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• Weapons at this time were bronze. The forces
  that Egypt faced were equipped in much the same
  fashion.

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• In his second year as pharaoh, Thutmose III took
  his army into action. He appears to have been
  skilled as an organizer because the rapid
  progress his army made implies a well-laid-out
  logistical system.

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• He was also the first pharaoh who, apparently,
  took his own chroniclers on campaign with him
  because the details of the march and the battle
  are contemporary with the campaign.

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• Megiddo was the first battle in history for
  which that can be said. Thutmose departed the
  Nile delta at Tharu on 19 April 1479 and just 9
  days later was at Gaza, some 160 miles up the
  coast.

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• He arrived there on the anniversary of his
  coronation, but spent no time in celebration his
  troops were on the march the next morning.