The Battle of Meggido
The Battle of Megiddo is the first battle that was recorded in detail and for posterity.
Pharaoh Thutmose III's military scribe inscribed it in hieroglyphs at Thutmose's temple at Karnak,
Thebes (now Luxor). Not only is this the first extant, detailed battle description, but it is the first written reference to the religiously important Megiddo: Megiddo is also known as Armageddon.
Historically, Megiddo was an important city because it overlooked the route from Egypt through Syria to Mesopotamia. If an enemy of Egypt controlled Megiddo, it could block the pharaoh from reaching the rest of his empire.
In approximately 1479 B.C., Thutmose III, pharaoh of Egypt, led an expedition against the prince of
Kadesh who was in Megiddo.
The prince of Kadesh (which is on the River Orontes), backed by the king of Mitanni, made a coalition with the heads of Egypt's vassal cities of northern Palestine and Syria.
Kadesh was in charge. After forming the coalition, the cities openly rebelled against Egypt.
In retaliation, Thutmose III attacked.
In the 23rd year of his reign, Thutmose III went to the plains of Megiddo where the prince of
Kadesh and his Syrian allies were stationed. The Egyptians marched to the bank of
Lake Kaina [Kina], south of Megiddo. They made Megiddo their military base.
For the military encounter, the pharaoh led from the front, brave and impressive in his gilded chariot. He stood in the center between the two wings of his army.
The southern wing was on the banks of the Kaina and the northern wing to the northwest of the town of Megiddo. The Asian coalition blocked Thutmose's path. Thutmose charged. The enemy quickly gave way, fled from their chariots, and ran to the Megiddo fortress where their fellows pulled them up the walls to safety. (Remember, this is all from the perspective of the Egyptian scribe writing it to glorify his pharaoh.)
The prince of Kadesh escaped from the vicinity.
The Egyptians could have
Pharaoh Thutmose III's military scribe inscribed it in hieroglyphs at Thutmose's temple at Karnak,
Thebes (now Luxor). Not only is this the first extant, detailed battle description, but it is the first written reference to the religiously important Megiddo: Megiddo is also known as Armageddon.
Historically, Megiddo was an important city because it overlooked the route from Egypt through Syria to Mesopotamia. If an enemy of Egypt controlled Megiddo, it could block the pharaoh from reaching the rest of his empire.
In approximately 1479 B.C., Thutmose III, pharaoh of Egypt, led an expedition against the prince of
Kadesh who was in Megiddo.
The prince of Kadesh (which is on the River Orontes), backed by the king of Mitanni, made a coalition with the heads of Egypt's vassal cities of northern Palestine and Syria.
Kadesh was in charge. After forming the coalition, the cities openly rebelled against Egypt.
In retaliation, Thutmose III attacked.
In the 23rd year of his reign, Thutmose III went to the plains of Megiddo where the prince of
Kadesh and his Syrian allies were stationed. The Egyptians marched to the bank of
Lake Kaina [Kina], south of Megiddo. They made Megiddo their military base.
For the military encounter, the pharaoh led from the front, brave and impressive in his gilded chariot. He stood in the center between the two wings of his army.
The southern wing was on the banks of the Kaina and the northern wing to the northwest of the town of Megiddo. The Asian coalition blocked Thutmose's path. Thutmose charged. The enemy quickly gave way, fled from their chariots, and ran to the Megiddo fortress where their fellows pulled them up the walls to safety. (Remember, this is all from the perspective of the Egyptian scribe writing it to glorify his pharaoh.)
The prince of Kadesh escaped from the vicinity.
The Egyptians could have