Unlike earlier times when Egypt's defense needs were more than adequately served by a series of local private armies and a national corvee system and her formidable geographic defenses, Egypt of the New Kingdom era demanded a far better organized and led military. The Egyptians had just pushed the Hyksos back to the East, and the neighbouring Nubians and Libyans had grown to be pesky, dangerous neighbours. A more professional, permanent army was needed, to defend Egypt and if need be, to expand her borders as well.
The process of development had begun well before the New Kingdom was reborn, in the days when the native Egyptians were only holding on to the South, centered on Thebes. Well-aware of Egypt's new military needs, the army now held the Pharaohs' approval and sanction. The soldier now rose in social standing and status, in Egyptian society. The army became a desired vehicle for career moves, by the upper classes; and a stepping stop to positions in the priesthood or bureaucracy.
Thus the conditions now existed for a formidable army to exist, in a traditionally non-militant society.
The Pharaoh remained as the head of the army. He was assisted by an experienced war cabinent, though he could overrule them. Below him was the commander-in-chief, often the heir to the throne.
The troops were divided between two corps - northern and southern. Each were further organized into divisions of 5000 men each, named after regional gods. The divisions were further broken down along battalion (500), company (250), platoon (50) and squad (10) lines. The army retained the traditional Egyptian fondness for bureaucratic payprus-work - with great attention spent on managerial aspects.
From the former Hyksos kings, the Egyptian New Kingdom army learned to fight with lighter, shorter shields than in former times, composite bows, metal daggers which eventually evolved into a type of short sword, and clad in body armor of small bronze leaves riveted onto jackets. This was in addition to traditional weopans like spears, cudgels and so on.
Furthermore, the Egyptians adopted the chariot for warfare, another new trick they learned from the Hyksos. The Egyptian chariots were two-wheeled and light and offered ill protection; their main purpose was to serve as agile mobile platforms for launching weopans and for chasing down and dispersing foot soldiers.
Each chariot was manned by a driver and a fighter equipped with a bow or a lance. While Tuthmosis III fought at Megiddo with mostly infantry, supported with some chariots, Ramesses II fought at Kadesh with an army more formally divided between an infantry and a chariotry arm. Thus the chariot gained a more important place in the Egyptian New Kingdom army with time.
The army also accepted mercenaries, or even whole defeated tribes. For example after Nubia was annexed effectively, whole contingents of Nubians signed up for service. Another example was the Medjay, hostile nomads in the Eastern Nubian desert; many mercenaries of whom served the Theban kings in their early push against the Hyksos of N Egypt.
Raw recruits, many still boys, started out in training camps where they were taught the basics of drilling and weopanry. Physical punishments were common. After being trained, and equipped with staff, sandals, clothing and weopans, the recruits would be posted to either an Egyptian garrison, or a foreign fort; of which there were many, in the Delta or in the Levantine coast.
The army supplied its fighting men as best as it could. Good food was considered important; within the fort, the soldier could expect to receive a decent ration of grain, augmented by other local produce, depending on the locale. On the campaign trail, the soldier would have to carry his own food, and hunting and foraging were encouraged too.
Life in the army was harsh, but no worse than in the quarries or mines, and there was a good chance for better rewards. As mentioned, the army was a good stepping stone for young nobles heading for better posts in the government and priesthood. Retired veterans could expect to receive a generous pension, for long service, or better. The general, Tuthmosis I, even eventually became Pharaoh.
Thus Egypt came to have the great military machine which would serve it well, for centuries,culminating in the great battles at Megiddo and Kadesh.
The process of development had begun well before the New Kingdom was reborn, in the days when the native Egyptians were only holding on to the South, centered on Thebes. Well-aware of Egypt's new military needs, the army now held the Pharaohs' approval and sanction. The soldier now rose in social standing and status, in Egyptian society. The army became a desired vehicle for career moves, by the upper classes; and a stepping stop to positions in the priesthood or bureaucracy.
Thus the conditions now existed for a formidable army to exist, in a traditionally non-militant society.
The Pharaoh remained as the head of the army. He was assisted by an experienced war cabinent, though he could overrule them. Below him was the commander-in-chief, often the heir to the throne.
The troops were divided between two corps - northern and southern. Each were further organized into divisions of 5000 men each, named after regional gods. The divisions were further broken down along battalion (500), company (250), platoon (50) and squad (10) lines. The army retained the traditional Egyptian fondness for bureaucratic payprus-work - with great attention spent on managerial aspects.
From the former Hyksos kings, the Egyptian New Kingdom army learned to fight with lighter, shorter shields than in former times, composite bows, metal daggers which eventually evolved into a type of short sword, and clad in body armor of small bronze leaves riveted onto jackets. This was in addition to traditional weopans like spears, cudgels and so on.
Furthermore, the Egyptians adopted the chariot for warfare, another new trick they learned from the Hyksos. The Egyptian chariots were two-wheeled and light and offered ill protection; their main purpose was to serve as agile mobile platforms for launching weopans and for chasing down and dispersing foot soldiers.
Each chariot was manned by a driver and a fighter equipped with a bow or a lance. While Tuthmosis III fought at Megiddo with mostly infantry, supported with some chariots, Ramesses II fought at Kadesh with an army more formally divided between an infantry and a chariotry arm. Thus the chariot gained a more important place in the Egyptian New Kingdom army with time.
The army also accepted mercenaries, or even whole defeated tribes. For example after Nubia was annexed effectively, whole contingents of Nubians signed up for service. Another example was the Medjay, hostile nomads in the Eastern Nubian desert; many mercenaries of whom served the Theban kings in their early push against the Hyksos of N Egypt.
Raw recruits, many still boys, started out in training camps where they were taught the basics of drilling and weopanry. Physical punishments were common. After being trained, and equipped with staff, sandals, clothing and weopans, the recruits would be posted to either an Egyptian garrison, or a foreign fort; of which there were many, in the Delta or in the Levantine coast.
The army supplied its fighting men as best as it could. Good food was considered important; within the fort, the soldier could expect to receive a decent ration of grain, augmented by other local produce, depending on the locale. On the campaign trail, the soldier would have to carry his own food, and hunting and foraging were encouraged too.
Life in the army was harsh, but no worse than in the quarries or mines, and there was a good chance for better rewards. As mentioned, the army was a good stepping stone for young nobles heading for better posts in the government and priesthood. Retired veterans could expect to receive a generous pension, for long service, or better. The general, Tuthmosis I, even eventually became Pharaoh.
Thus Egypt came to have the great military machine which would serve it well, for centuries,culminating in the great battles at Megiddo and Kadesh.
