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Tutankhamun's Armies: Battle and Conquest during Ancient Egypt's Late 18th Dynasty
The force that forged an empire.
The furious thunder of thousands of hooves, the clatter and sheenof bronze armor sparkling in the desert sun, the crunch of woodenwheels racing across a rock-strewn battlefield-and leading thisterrifying chariot charge, the gallant Pharaoh, the ribbons of hisblue war crown streaming behind him as he launches yet anotherarrow into the panicking mass of his soon-to-be-routedenemies.
While scenes like the one depicted above did occur in ancientEgypt, they represent only one small aspect of the vast, complex, and sophisticated military machine that secured, defended, andexpanded the borders of the empire during the late EighteenthDynasty.
In Tutankhamun's Armies, you'll discover the harsh reality behindthe imperial splendor of the New Kingdom and gain a newappreciation for the formidable Egyptian army-from pharaoh to footsoldier. You'll follow "the heretic king" Akhenaten, his sonTutankhamun, and their three Amana-Period successors as they employdouble-edge diplomacy and military might to defeat competingpowers, quell internal insurrections, and keep reluctant subjectstates in line. This vivid and absorbing chronicle will foreverchange the way you think about the glories and riches of ancientEgypt.
The furious thunder of thousands of hooves, the clatter and sheenof bronze armor sparkling in the desert sun, the crunch of woodenwheels racing across a rock-strewn battlefield-and leading thisterrifying chariot charge, the gallant Pharaoh, the ribbons of hisblue war crown streaming behind him as he launches yet anotherarrow into the panicking mass of his soon-to-be-routedenemies.
While scenes like the one depicted above did occur in ancientEgypt, they represent only one small aspect of the vast, complex, and sophisticated military machine that secured, defended, andexpanded the borders of the empire during the late EighteenthDynasty.
In Tutankhamun's Armies, you'll discover the harsh reality behindthe imperial splendor of the New Kingdom and gain a newappreciation for the formidable Egyptian army-from pharaoh to footsoldier. You'll follow "the heretic king" Akhenaten, his sonTutankhamun, and their three Amana-Period successors as they employdouble-edge diplomacy and military might to defeat competingpowers, quell internal insurrections, and keep reluctant subjectstates in line. This vivid and absorbing chronicle will foreverchange the way you think about the glories and riches of ancientEgypt.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 3, 2007
2 people are currently reading
307 people want to read
About the author
John Coleman Darnell
9 books49 followersAlso credited as: John Darnell, John C. Darnell, John and Colleen Darnell
John and Colleen Darnell are a husband-and-wife Egyptologist team. They have presented on the Discovery Channel, History Channel, National Geographic, the Science Channel, and Smithsonian, as well as appeared in National Geographic’s “Lost Treasures of Egypt.”
John is Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Yale University. His archaeological expeditions in Egypt have been covered by the New York Times. In 2017, his Eastern Desert expedition discovered the earliest monumental hieroglyphic inscription and was named one of the top ten discoveries of the year by Archaeology.
Colleen teaches art history at the University of Hartford and Naugatuck Valley Community College; she has curated a major museum exhibit on Egyptian revival art and design at the Yale Peabody Museum.
John and Colleen Darnell are a husband-and-wife Egyptologist team. They have presented on the Discovery Channel, History Channel, National Geographic, the Science Channel, and Smithsonian, as well as appeared in National Geographic’s “Lost Treasures of Egypt.”
John is Professor of Egyptology in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at Yale University. His archaeological expeditions in Egypt have been covered by the New York Times. In 2017, his Eastern Desert expedition discovered the earliest monumental hieroglyphic inscription and was named one of the top ten discoveries of the year by Archaeology.
Colleen teaches art history at the University of Hartford and Naugatuck Valley Community College; she has curated a major museum exhibit on Egyptian revival art and design at the Yale Peabody Museum.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
September 9, 2012
Tutankhamun's Armies: Battle and Conquest during Ancient Egypt's Late 18th Dynasty is a remarkably valuable resource for anyone interested in Ancient Egypt, especially the Amarna period. Though specifically focused on military activity occurring during the Amarna period (and it refutes the idea of Akhenaten as a pacifist), it is also an incredibly valuable resource on the Amarna period and the Ancient Egyptian military in general.
The first three chapters of the book are contextual, providing an overview on Ancient Egypt, the Amarna period and the Egyptian military. I was fascinated by the section on the Amarna interlude, where far from being the usual summary of events, Darnell and Manassa provide an analysis of the Aten faith, suggesting that it may have been introduced by Akhenaten as the image of the pharaoh developed from the semi-divine to the fully divine. Therefore, Akhenaten may have developed this new religion as a way to recreate for himself, or match, the heights of divinity that his immediate predecessor and father, Amenhotep III, had reached in his reign.
Furthermore, Darnell and Manassa argue that the Aten faith involved Akhenaten and Nefertiti as the "children" of the Aten (who may have been Amenhotep III, deified as the "Dazzling Aten" in his own lifetime), re-creating the moment of creation each day. Thus, Akhenaten may not denied the existence of other gods, but denied that they had been created yet.
As you can probably guess by the fact this is the third paragraph on a 40 page chapter, I was absolutely fascinated by this take on Akhenaten and the Aten faith. I would happily read a whole book on this interpretation. I also enjoyed that Darnell and Manassa argue against the "sexless colossi" representing Nefertiti as it has never sat well with me that a piece carved so early in Akhenaten's reign would represent Nefertiti in full pharaonic regalia, beard and all.
The third chapter provides an overview of the Ancient Egyptian military, discussing the branches of the military, ranks of military officers, weapons, clothing and more. While there could be more detail, it is still an valuable overview for anyone (and I count myself in this) wishing to know or write about the finer details of military life in Ancient Egypt.
The second half of the book focuses on Egypt's northern and southern empires (i.e. Syria-Palestine and Nubia) as well as the domestic policies. The chapters on Nubia and Syria-Palestine provide a history for Egyptian activity in the area before delving in to the specific people and events that are attested during the Amarna period. In these chapters, Darnell and Manassa firmly reject the notion of Akhenaten as a pacifist
Darnell and Manassa present evidence of a "small war" in Nubia in Akhenaten's reign, though he apparently delegated command to the viceroy of Nubia. Additionally, evidence is outlined for an Nubian campaign in Tutankhamun's reign, but it is concluded that this campaign was led by Horemheb in Tutankhamun's place.
Probably the meatiest chapter of the book is that on the "wretched Asiatics" of Syria-Palestine. After setting up the context, the writers give an overview on the Amarna Letters, discussion of Akhenaten's foreign policy in specific regards to Amurru before Darnell and Manassa turn to the Asiatic wars/campaigns of Akhenaten and Tutankhamun, and then, deal with the "Dakhamunzu" affair. There could probably be more said about the Amarna Letters, but I found the section perfect – informative without being too dry or risking overloading readers with information. However, I felt there could be certainly more said about the "Dakhamunzu" affair, as the writers seemed to skim over some facets (such as the identification of the Egyptian queen, the fate of Zannanza) too quickly for my liking.
I enjoyed reading about Akhenaten's attack on Kadesh, particularly as the writers place it in the perspective of post-Amarna campaigns at Kadesh, including a re-evaluation of Ramesses II's battle, which Darnell and Manassa view as a "tactical victory", not defeat, for Ramesses. Tutankhamun's war in Syria-Palestine is also discussed, and like the Nubian war mentioned above, it was probably carried out by Horemheb in Tutankhamun's place.
What of Akhenaten's foreign policy, then? Darnell and Manassa's interpretation of Akhenaten's foreign policy leaves little room for pacifism. Instead, they believe that Akhenaten surpassed his predecessors in "cold-blooded Realpolitik", with a policy that saw Akhenaten as a grand puppeteer, manipulating the situation in the north to achieve the best result for Egypt while expending minimal military force.
Finally, we come to the last chapter, which deals with domestic security. The view here is that Akhenaten was – and possibly rightfully so – deeply concerned with his own personal safety, as evidenced by the boundary stele and the tomb of Mahu, the chief of police at Akhetaten. What role the army may have played outside actual military campaigns is also detailed, such as religious functions.
The writing style can verge into "dry" territory at times, but I only found one section particularly slow-going. On the whole, I found that even if the writing was a little dry, the freshness of the ideas and information carried me through.
Probably the worst thing I can say about the book is that the title does not do it justice. While it does cover Tutankhamun and his two known military campaigns, Tutankhamun's Armies is really about the military history of the Amarna period, with the most focus on Akhenaten's foreign and domestic policies. Furthermore, as the authors state, we may never know if Tutankhamun personally led or even accompanied the military campaigns of his reign – but from the evidence presented here, Tutankhamun's armies were really Horemheb's to command and lead.
Darnell and Manassa have produced an excellent resource in Tutankhamun's Armies. The ideas contained are fresh and interesting – and extensively referenced. The overview of the Amarna period is one of the best I have read, and the analysis of the military activity and foreign policy during the Amarna interlude is fascinating and well-worth the read.
Quite simply, Tutankhamun's Armies is one of the best books I have read on the Amarna period.
The first three chapters of the book are contextual, providing an overview on Ancient Egypt, the Amarna period and the Egyptian military. I was fascinated by the section on the Amarna interlude, where far from being the usual summary of events, Darnell and Manassa provide an analysis of the Aten faith, suggesting that it may have been introduced by Akhenaten as the image of the pharaoh developed from the semi-divine to the fully divine. Therefore, Akhenaten may have developed this new religion as a way to recreate for himself, or match, the heights of divinity that his immediate predecessor and father, Amenhotep III, had reached in his reign.
Furthermore, Darnell and Manassa argue that the Aten faith involved Akhenaten and Nefertiti as the "children" of the Aten (who may have been Amenhotep III, deified as the "Dazzling Aten" in his own lifetime), re-creating the moment of creation each day. Thus, Akhenaten may not denied the existence of other gods, but denied that they had been created yet.
As you can probably guess by the fact this is the third paragraph on a 40 page chapter, I was absolutely fascinated by this take on Akhenaten and the Aten faith. I would happily read a whole book on this interpretation. I also enjoyed that Darnell and Manassa argue against the "sexless colossi" representing Nefertiti as it has never sat well with me that a piece carved so early in Akhenaten's reign would represent Nefertiti in full pharaonic regalia, beard and all.
The third chapter provides an overview of the Ancient Egyptian military, discussing the branches of the military, ranks of military officers, weapons, clothing and more. While there could be more detail, it is still an valuable overview for anyone (and I count myself in this) wishing to know or write about the finer details of military life in Ancient Egypt.
The second half of the book focuses on Egypt's northern and southern empires (i.e. Syria-Palestine and Nubia) as well as the domestic policies. The chapters on Nubia and Syria-Palestine provide a history for Egyptian activity in the area before delving in to the specific people and events that are attested during the Amarna period. In these chapters, Darnell and Manassa firmly reject the notion of Akhenaten as a pacifist
Darnell and Manassa present evidence of a "small war" in Nubia in Akhenaten's reign, though he apparently delegated command to the viceroy of Nubia. Additionally, evidence is outlined for an Nubian campaign in Tutankhamun's reign, but it is concluded that this campaign was led by Horemheb in Tutankhamun's place.
Probably the meatiest chapter of the book is that on the "wretched Asiatics" of Syria-Palestine. After setting up the context, the writers give an overview on the Amarna Letters, discussion of Akhenaten's foreign policy in specific regards to Amurru before Darnell and Manassa turn to the Asiatic wars/campaigns of Akhenaten and Tutankhamun, and then, deal with the "Dakhamunzu" affair. There could probably be more said about the Amarna Letters, but I found the section perfect – informative without being too dry or risking overloading readers with information. However, I felt there could be certainly more said about the "Dakhamunzu" affair, as the writers seemed to skim over some facets (such as the identification of the Egyptian queen, the fate of Zannanza) too quickly for my liking.
I enjoyed reading about Akhenaten's attack on Kadesh, particularly as the writers place it in the perspective of post-Amarna campaigns at Kadesh, including a re-evaluation of Ramesses II's battle, which Darnell and Manassa view as a "tactical victory", not defeat, for Ramesses. Tutankhamun's war in Syria-Palestine is also discussed, and like the Nubian war mentioned above, it was probably carried out by Horemheb in Tutankhamun's place.
What of Akhenaten's foreign policy, then? Darnell and Manassa's interpretation of Akhenaten's foreign policy leaves little room for pacifism. Instead, they believe that Akhenaten surpassed his predecessors in "cold-blooded Realpolitik", with a policy that saw Akhenaten as a grand puppeteer, manipulating the situation in the north to achieve the best result for Egypt while expending minimal military force.
Finally, we come to the last chapter, which deals with domestic security. The view here is that Akhenaten was – and possibly rightfully so – deeply concerned with his own personal safety, as evidenced by the boundary stele and the tomb of Mahu, the chief of police at Akhetaten. What role the army may have played outside actual military campaigns is also detailed, such as religious functions.
The writing style can verge into "dry" territory at times, but I only found one section particularly slow-going. On the whole, I found that even if the writing was a little dry, the freshness of the ideas and information carried me through.
Probably the worst thing I can say about the book is that the title does not do it justice. While it does cover Tutankhamun and his two known military campaigns, Tutankhamun's Armies is really about the military history of the Amarna period, with the most focus on Akhenaten's foreign and domestic policies. Furthermore, as the authors state, we may never know if Tutankhamun personally led or even accompanied the military campaigns of his reign – but from the evidence presented here, Tutankhamun's armies were really Horemheb's to command and lead.
Darnell and Manassa have produced an excellent resource in Tutankhamun's Armies. The ideas contained are fresh and interesting – and extensively referenced. The overview of the Amarna period is one of the best I have read, and the analysis of the military activity and foreign policy during the Amarna interlude is fascinating and well-worth the read.
Quite simply, Tutankhamun's Armies is one of the best books I have read on the Amarna period.
September 17, 2012
Wonderful insightful read. I am using this for research in my current two novels based during the New Kingdom of ancient Kemet/Egypt.
February 3, 2019
In depth with some interesting, no, fascinating information. Particularly in the comparisons between Egyptian battle tech and tactics to England's 2,500 years later. However, as little is known about Tutankhamun or his armies, the thesis sort of wraps around the topic, instead covering the Amarna letters and Ramesses instead. In a sense, that's merely the nature of archaeology, but why not call it Amarna's armies, or something better representative of the subject matter?
June 18, 2023
Nice, understandable insight into the military’s uses, functions and capabilities during the time of Tut’s life
November 27, 2007
[to be reviewed for HNS Feb. 2008:]
January 17, 2008
But of course! They are my professors, after all. :-)
April 27, 2012
Well written and very imformative
July 3, 2014
One interesting read. A bit dry.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews