Hyksos: The Role Of Warfare In Ancient Egypt

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The Hyksos were foreign rulers form Palestine that ruled over Egypt for 100 years and had a substantial effect on Egypt, causing it to advance its weaponry, obtain exotic goods, improve its diplomacy and secure it borders to prevent any foreign rule. The Hyksos possessed superior military weaponry, which the Egyptians adopted; it allowed them to improve their military, defeat the Hyksos and other forthcoming enemies, since it revolutionised their methods of warfare. Prior to the 18th dynasty the Egyptian military possessed particularly basic weaponry consisting of, stone masses, wooden shield, daggers and no armour. This led to defeat in many battles and caused them to lose their land to the Hyksos. The Egyptians adapted the composite bow, which became a part of Egypt’s military weapons, since it…show more content…
The composite bow is displayed in numerous sources. A secondary source exhibits Thutmose III firing the composite bow and a relief of Thutmose IV using it to conquer Megiddo. Egyptians also espoused the horse-drawn chariot, which helped revolutionise the Egyptian army. Chariots made a unit of chariotry in the Egyptian army; whose role was to break enemy lines before mounting a siege. This military weapon allowed pharaohs to conquer lands and exotic goods as Thutmose IV had done at the siege in Megiddo. The adoption of the Hyksos chariot is a very positive impact and is also evident in written sources such as; Ahmose son of Ebana inscription, “I followed the king on foot when he rode aboard his chariot”. The Egyptians also adopted the Khepresh: a small hand held knife and the battle-axe. The battle-axe was a significant adoption and the Egyptian were aware of this, since it was the very weapon used to kill King Sequenqure Tao I; this evidence is from his mummy which has a battle-axe wound in the skull. These weapons were adopted and used to reform the Egyptian army. This

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