How did the Pharaohs of the Saite Period deploy and use Greek mercenaries? What evidence is available?

Essay , 2003 , 15 Pages , Grade: 66 %

World History - Early and Ancient History

Early Saite Pharaohs possibly employed Greek mercenaries, but there is no validated
confirmation1 of this. Moreover, in the 26th dynasty, Egypt entered a period of unquestionable
artistic brilliance and prosperity and became a powerful state. The primary resource for this
period is Herodotus, Book Two. There is no evidence that a link between Egypt and Greece
existed, but it is a possibility which might go back to the “Mycenaean period”2or even the
“third millennium BC”3. If there was a link it broke down and became non-existent or even
became hostile4 in the “Dark Ages”5. Apart from those early contacts, the first time we hear of
Greeks, especially as mercenaries in Egypt, is under Psammetichos I, when “Greeks had
access to the country”6. Traders followed the mercenaries and commerce between the Greek
and Egyptian worlds which prospered once again. Before the Peloponnesian War, the Greek
cities had no significant skill in extended7 campaigns or distant expeditions. Their fighting
consisted of mainly small struggles on a medium to small scale. In any battle citizens might
be called in to fight according to their standing in their city as cavalry, infantry or skirmishers.
So, nearly everybody was familiar with warfare but only some of those who chose to develop
into experts became mercenaries. Generally, these mercenary activities were accepted as
sources “of profits and were practised for that reason”8. These soldiers barely existed aside
from in foreign armies. In the Greek tradition, the Carians were seen as the first9 mercenaries,
“who originated wearing crests on their helmets and devices on their shields, and who first
made grips for their shields”10. [...]

1 Sullivan, p. 177.
2 Chamoux, p. 87, Sullivan, p. 185 and MacGillivray, p. 81 ff.
3 Cartledge, p. 48.
4 Sullivan, p. 185.
5 Chamoux, p. 87.
6 Chamoux, p. 87.
7 Sage, p. 19 f.
8 Sage, p. xi.
9 Griffith, p. 236.
10 Hdt., I.171.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Early Saite Pharaohs possibly employed Greek mercenaries
• The first time we hear of Greeks as mercenaries in Egypt is under Psammetichos I
• The Greek word for tool or weapon is hoplon
• From the evidence of Greek art it is clear that this style of fighting was adopted early in the seventh century BC
• The basic difference is that a Hoplite was armed in such a way that he could only fight effectively in formation
• All this required adequate training, less focus on individual prowess and large numbers of men
• But now let me come back to the situation in Egypt
• According to Herodotus, the oracle of Buto stated the Pharaoh would receive help from men of bronze appearing from the seas
• The Egyptians knew bronze armour, but “it was scale armour sewn on to leather, and the Greeks with their plate bronze armour made a striking impression”
• It is clear that these men were “pirates, forced to land on the Egyptian coast by bad weather”
• According to Herodotus, it is said; they accidentally landed on Egyptian shores, but is possible that they “were sent by Lydian King Gyges”
• An Assyrian inscription notes, that he sent help to Psammetichos
• The Saite pharaohs, also had to be allied with certain maritime “polises” whose ships were needed for the transportation of the mercenaries
• Later, they and their successors became the core of the elite corps of Greek mercenaries
• Psammetichos I granted his Ionian and Carian mercenaries land lying near the sea below the city of Bubastis on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile
• The camps, “two stratopeda on either side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile” may have been divided into several groups
• This Pelusiac mouth of the Nile had for centuries, functioned as a key point of defence for Egypt against its usual foes
• Later, these soldiers were even granted the right to intermarry with Egyptian women
• As one can see, the Egyptian Pharaoh did not fully trust the Greeks as he all placed them all as frontier guards in special locations
• Although several soldiers returned home after their contract expired, many settled down and became settlers “partially integrated into the Egyptian system”
• They were all rewarded with “precious materials, particularly coins; the emergence of coinage ... (is) to be connected with the payments of the mercenaries”
• Other mercenaries, who had come there, were poor, so the Egyptians had to fit them out
• During the sixth century B.C. the Persians expanded throughout the Near East, eventually threatening Egypt
• The mercenaries were,,well treated and respected by the King “ as there was “no standing army”, the soldiers had to be called to arms
• There were garrisons at Daphne, Elephantine and Memphis
• The hundreds of Greek vases found there showed that this was a large settlement and it continued until Amasis
• In Naukratis there was a second fort and the “similarity (shows us) the same scheme of defence”
• There was also a fort in Sinai “Migdol”, excavated by the Israelis
• The area between the Suez Canal and the Gaza Strip was “the most important link between Egypt and Canaan”
• Necho's victory however, is not mentioned in any historic document
• The best-known camps were at Daphne on the Pelusiac arm of the Nile
• This location was chosen to guard the Eastern frontier of the Egyptian sphere of influence and there they trained for the campaigns against Syria and Ethiopia
• There is evidence that in the time of Psammetichos I, there was also a garrison at Elephantine, “against Ethiopians and at the Pelusian branch Daphne against the Arabians and Syrians and at Marea against Lybia”

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This essay aims to examine the deployment and use of Greek mercenaries by the Pharaohs of the Saite Period in ancient Egypt. It explores the evidence available to support the claims of Greek mercenary presence in Egypt, particularly during the reign of Psammetichos I. Key themes explored in the essay include: * **The role of Greek mercenaries in the Saite Period:** The essay investigates the significance of these mercenaries in the political and military landscape of ancient Egypt. * **The development of Greek warfare:** The essay explores the evolution of Greek military tactics and the emergence of the Hoplite phalanx as a dominant force. * **The impact of Greek mercenaries on Egyptian society:** The essay examines the social and cultural implications of the integration of Greek mercenaries into Egyptian society. * **The evidence for Greek mercenary presence in Egypt:** The essay analyzes various sources of evidence, including historical accounts, archaeological findings, and inscriptions, to confirm the use of Greek mercenaries. * **The strategic importance of Greek mercenaries in Egyptian defense:** The essay highlights the role of Greek mercenaries in securing Egypt's frontiers and protecting its interests.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The essay opens with a discussion of the potential employment of Greek mercenaries by early Saite Pharaohs, highlighting the lack of definitive confirmation. It then moves to the 26th dynasty, a period of prosperity and artistic brilliance for Egypt, focusing on the role of Herodotus as a primary source. The essay proceeds to examine the development of Greek warfare, tracing its origins to the “Mycenaean period” and the emergence of the Hoplite phalanx as a formidable force. The essay further explores the characteristics of Greek warfare, including the emphasis on close hand-to-hand combat and the importance of training and equipment. The essay then shifts to the specific context of Greek mercenaries in Egypt, focusing on the arrival of Ionians and Carians under Psammetichos I. It examines the role of these mercenaries in assisting Psammetichos I in securing his power, as well as their integration into Egyptian society. Finally, the essay explores the strategic placement of Greek mercenaries along Egypt's frontiers, particularly at Daphne, Elephantine, and Memphis. It examines the evidence for their presence in these locations, including archaeological finds, inscriptions, and historical accounts.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The essay explores the use of Greek mercenaries in Saite Period Egypt. Key focus areas include the development of Greek warfare, particularly the Hoplite phalanx; the role of Psammetichos I in utilizing these mercenaries for military and political gains; and the integration of Greek mercenaries into Egyptian society, including their impact on Egyptian culture and defense strategies. The essay also delves into the evidence for Greek mercenary presence, examining historical accounts, archaeological findings, and inscriptions.

• College: University of Wales, Aberystwyth (Department of Classics)
• Grade: 66 %
• Author: Michael Gärtner (Author)
• Publication Year: 2003
• Pages: 15
• Catalog Number: V13984
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638194983
• Language: English
• Tags: Pharaohs, Saite, Period, Greek, What