The Great Battles Scenario Archive

Megiddo,  1485 BCE by John Rodriguez

The New Kingdom of the Egyptian empire in the year 1485 BCE was at its military height. Under the Pharaoh, Tuthmosis III, the empire would realize some of its greatest conquests. The Battle of Megiddo was fascinating in many respects. First, it is the earliest recorded battle of which we have any detail. Second, the Egyptians were not challenged by a single great power, but by a confederation of forces(mostly Canaanite) gathered to thwart Egyptian expansion. Egyptian records boast that 100 Kings and their armies were assembled against them. Finally, though there are no details of the ensuing battle, we do know of one pre-battle tactic that decided the battle in favor of the Egyptians. The Egyptian Division commanders were in favor of attacking the enemy forces by entering through a certain mountain pass, however, Tuthmosis "talked" his troops into following him through a narrow pass where the enemy would not expect them. The plan worked, the next day the confederate forces hurried to reassemble their forces against the Egyptians who now appeared on the plain before them. The Egyptians routed the enemy, but did not pursue because they stopped to loot the battlefield. The Confederate forces must have quickly lost heart because they fled to Megiddo and were able to hoist 900 chariots over the city walls.