Conflict
In 1479 B.C., at the Battle of Megiddo, Pharaoh Tuthmosis III had over 20,000 men under his command to do battle against Syria’s 15,000 man army. The Egyptians won the battle, capturing over two hundred chariots and two thousand horses from the defeated Syrians. Another famous Egyptian battle took place in 1288 B. C. in the city of Kadesh in Syria. Kadesh was under Hittite control and taking the city was key to controlling Syria. The Egyptians were led by Ramesses II, who commanded an army of 20,000 men divided into four divisions. Each division was named after a major Egyptian deity: Amun, Ptah, Ra, and Sutekh.
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The Egyptians were masters of trade in the ancient world. Encouraged by Hatshepsut’s expedition to Punt and Thutmose III’s trades for rich loot in Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean Region, Egypt was a center of trade. Egyptians and their trading partners sailed along the Nile River to trade their goods, but sometimes also traveled to and from the Eastern or Western Deserts. Egyptians bartered with their precious resources, including gold, papyrus, linen, and grain. Sometimes, they even traded decorative artifacts , and some people stole them out of the Pharaohs’ tombs! For these goods, they received items not commonly found in Egypt in return. These included cedar wood from Lebanon; ebony and ivory from Africa; incense, myrrh and oils from Punt; lapis lazuli from Afghanistan; gold from Nubia, and even the important metals copper and iron from their best allies. Occasionally, they bought mud pottery or horses from other civilizations . They were only allowed to trade in marketplaces. Trade was also used in promoting friendship between civilizations. Gifts were given to show that one country wanted peace and/or alliance with another. Strangely princesses were commonly given from one country to another! This may explain why Ramses II has over 100 wives! Sometimes, Egypt determined how much of an item was being offered for trade by comparison to pieces of metal of known weight . In 400 B.C.E., gold, silver, and bronze coins became the currency of Egypt, but even then, bartering was still popular . Trade affects all of the social classes of Egypt because so many different kinds of resources were traded. For example, peasants needed cheap food to survive on, while Artisans used ebony, linen, iron, and copper for their crafts. Scribes traded for better food, such as meat, beer, and fish. They also used the leather traded from other places to be made into their carrying bags by artisans. Priests bought linen to have it made into the clothes. Government officials and the Pharaoh will use luxury resources such as copper or other metals, and incense. In summary, trade in ancient Egypt was important because it gave civilians the resources required to live and prosper .
In 1479 B.C., at the Battle of Megiddo, Pharaoh Tuthmosis III had over 20,000 men under his command to do battle against Syria’s 15,000 man army. The Egyptians won the battle, capturing over two hundred chariots and two thousand horses from the defeated Syrians. Another famous Egyptian battle took place in 1288 B. C. in the city of Kadesh in Syria. Kadesh was under Hittite control and taking the city was key to controlling Syria. The Egyptians were led by Ramesses II, who commanded an army of 20,000 men divided into four divisions. Each division was named after a major Egyptian deity: Amun, Ptah, Ra, and Sutekh.
Contact
The Egyptians were masters of trade in the ancient world. Encouraged by Hatshepsut’s expedition to Punt and Thutmose III’s trades for rich loot in Southwest Asia and the Mediterranean Region, Egypt was a center of trade. Egyptians and their trading partners sailed along the Nile River to trade their goods, but sometimes also traveled to and from the Eastern or Western Deserts. Egyptians bartered with their precious resources, including gold, papyrus, linen, and grain. Sometimes, they even traded decorative artifacts , and some people stole them out of the Pharaohs’ tombs! For these goods, they received items not commonly found in Egypt in return. These included cedar wood from Lebanon; ebony and ivory from Africa; incense, myrrh and oils from Punt; lapis lazuli from Afghanistan; gold from Nubia, and even the important metals copper and iron from their best allies. Occasionally, they bought mud pottery or horses from other civilizations . They were only allowed to trade in marketplaces. Trade was also used in promoting friendship between civilizations. Gifts were given to show that one country wanted peace and/or alliance with another. Strangely princesses were commonly given from one country to another! This may explain why Ramses II has over 100 wives! Sometimes, Egypt determined how much of an item was being offered for trade by comparison to pieces of metal of known weight . In 400 B.C.E., gold, silver, and bronze coins became the currency of Egypt, but even then, bartering was still popular . Trade affects all of the social classes of Egypt because so many different kinds of resources were traded. For example, peasants needed cheap food to survive on, while Artisans used ebony, linen, iron, and copper for their crafts. Scribes traded for better food, such as meat, beer, and fish. They also used the leather traded from other places to be made into their carrying bags by artisans. Priests bought linen to have it made into the clothes. Government officials and the Pharaoh will use luxury resources such as copper or other metals, and incense. In summary, trade in ancient Egypt was important because it gave civilians the resources required to live and prosper .