Battle of Megiddo in 609 BC

There are three most famous battles in the site of Megiddo throughout history. One of them Battle of Megiddo in 609 BC was fought between Egypt and the Kingdom of Judah, in which King Josiah fell.

In 609 BC, King Josiah attempted to block Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt as he marched north to assist Assyria in a fight against Babylon.

Possibly Necho’s northern campaign appeared a threat to Judah. King Josiah attempted to stop the Egyptians. Josiah suffered serious injuries and eventually died.

Before King Josiah untimely death he led the nation to a time do reform, removing the places of idolatrous worship and concentrating worship in Jerusalem, which apparently satisfied the teaching of the Book of Deuteronomy.

After the death of King Josiah, Pharaoh made Jehoahaz succeeded his father and became Judah’s new King. Then they overthrow Jehoahaz, deporting him to Egypt and replacing him with his brother Jehoikim. Jehoikim stayed loyal to Pharaoh for 4 years.
Battle of Megiddo in 609 BC

Egyptians Soldier: Careers for Boys (1300 BC)

Egyptians Soldier: Careers for Boys (1300 BC)
The high spirited young man of Ancient Egypt had an outlet for his energies that promised excitement and a path for advancement.

For the Egypt of New Kingdom times had a large and well-trained army, which protected the frontiers and patrolled the pharaoh’s outlying lands. The King was the army’s commander in chief and often took to the field in person, with a bodyguard of chosen men, and officials to advise him.

Each division of the Egyptian army consisted of about 5000men. Four thousand of them were infantry troops who were subdivided into companies of 200 men. Companies, with names such as ‘Bull in Nubia’ and ‘Manifest in Justice’, were divided into unit of 50 soldiers.

The division’s remaining 1000 men formed a chariot wing of two man teams. They were also foreign mercenaries, often lightly armed skirmishers, who were particularly useful on frontier and desert patrol. Because of the good prospects it offered, the army was not usually short of volunteers.

In emergency however men could be conscripted and then one in a hundred were usually called up. New recruits had their hair cropped, and were issued with leather body armour, helmets and shields. They learned it use all the army’s weapon, but tended to specialize in one in particular, so that there were companies of spearmen, companies of the bowmen and so on.
Egyptians Soldier: Careers for Boys (1300 BC)