Ancient Egypt, a civilization that thrived along the Nile River for thousands of years, is renowned for its grand pyramids, powerful pharaohs, and elaborate temples. While these aspects capture much attention, the daily lives of ordinary Egyptians, including soldiers, were equally rich and complex.
Initially, the original Egyptians were farmers, not fighters. They didn't see the need for an organized army because they were well protected by the natural boundaries of the desert that surrounded the empire. However, the Hyksos people near northern Egypt became organized and conquered Lower Egypt using chariots and advanced weapons. This prompted the Egyptians to recognize the need for a standing army.
From that point, Egypt began to maintain a standing army. The soldiers of the Egyptian army were well respected, and sometimes young boys were signed up to be in the army as young as 5 years old.
Egyptian soldiers from the tomb of Horemheb.
Organization of the Egyptian Army
The head of the Egyptian army was the Pharaoh. Under the Pharaoh were two generals, one who led the army in Upper Egypt and one who led the army in Lower Egypt. Each army had three major branches: the Infantry, the Chariotry, and the Navy.
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The army was not just carefully ranked, it was highly organized. As the army expanded, a vast bureaucracy developed to make sure that it was fully supplied and as efficient as possible. Military scribes recorded recruitment and supplies, but also kept a record of events when the army was fighting abroad. This organizational efficiency was central to the army's success at war, a success that made it one of the most feared and formidable armies in the ancient world.
Weapons and Training
Probably the most important weapon in the Egyptian army was the bow and arrow. The Egyptians used the composite bow that they learned about from the Hyksos. They could shoot arrows over 600 feet killing many enemies from long distance. The foot soldiers, also called the infantry, were armed with a variety of weapons including spears, axes, and short swords. Chariots were an important part of the Egyptian army. They were wheeled carriages pulled by two fast warhorses. Two soldiers rode in a chariot. The Egyptian soldiers seldom wore armor. Their main form of defense was a shield.
Life as an Egyptian soldier was hard work. They trained to keep up their strength and endurance. They also trained on different types of weapons. An Ancient Egyptian soldier was expected to be able to cover 20 miles (32 kilometers) in one day.
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.
After they defeated the Hyksos, Egyptians learned about more advanced weapons, such as metal daggers, swords and spears. Egyptians also used light, fast, horse-drawn chariots. The chariot driver wore a leather or bronze helmet and armor, and was accompanied by another soldier armed with a bow, arrows and javelins. The most-feared soldiers were the archers. They used highly sophisticated bows, made from a variety of woods and animal horn to give them strength. These powerful weapons could fire arrows deep into the enemy ranks.
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Ancient Egyptian weapons
The Role of the Army in Society
The army was often used for tasks other than fighting. After all, if Pharaoh was going to feed all these men, he was going to get some use out of them during times of peace. The army worked the fields during planting and harvest time.
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 role of the Ancient Egyptian soldier was to either defend the country or be prepared to make pre-emptive strikes against their enemies.
Rewards and Compensation
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.
As the empire expanded and the need for soldiers increased, so did the rewards. Soldiers at camp enjoyed good food and wine, and professional soldiers were paid in gold and land. For the upper classes, becoming an army commander was a smart career move.
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In times of emergency, when there was no heir to the throne, it was often senior commanders who took power and ruled as pharaoh.
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 Ra. Each of these divisions were divided into 20 companies which in turn consisted of 250 soldiers.
The Conscripted Soldier
The pharaoh had the right to raise troops and would conscript one in 10 able-bodied men from each temple community to supplement the permanent army. These conscripts were in the lower ranks and didn't want to be there. Many would go into battle wearing little more than a tunic and a pair of sandals, armed only with a spear. And although peacetime food was good, in wartime a soldier only ate what he could carry.
Battle would often begin with a charge. If they were victorious, the Egyptians would find out how many enemy soldiers they had killed by cutting off their hands or penises and counting them. There was a reward for each enemy hand or penis a soldier produced.
Hierarchy and Organization
Like the rest of Egyptian society, the army was ordered into a strict hierarchy. There were as many as 50 different ranks and the highest were passed down from father to son. Foot soldiers were grouped into platoons of 10 men and companies of 200. These were commanded by captains, who carried a staff with the company insignia. Companies would then be grouped together into divisions of 5,000 men, led by a general under the banner of their local god.
Without an army, Egypt would never have gained an empire, and soldiering soon became a respectable career. Before the time of the New Kingdom, being a soldier brought little reward or prestige. But the need to remove foreigners from northern Egypt and then conquer other countries required a powerful, professional and well-trained standing army.
| Rank | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Pharaoh | Supreme commander of the army |
| Generals | Led the army in Upper and Lower Egypt |
| Captains | Commanded companies of 200 soldiers |
| Foot Soldiers | Formed platoons of 10 men |
The History Of Daily Life In Ancient Egypt | Our History
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