Battle of Megiddo (1469 BCE)
The Battle of Megiddo, fought in 1469 BCE, marks a significant event in ancient military history, taking place near the city of Megiddo in present-day Israel. This battle was pivotal in the context of a Syrian confederation's rebellion against Egypt, with Megiddo serving as a crucial defensive point. The Egyptian Pharaoh Thutmose III opted to lead his forces through the narrow Aruna Pass, a risky maneuver that took the Syrian defenders by surprise. His strategy effectively divided the opposing forces, allowing the Egyptians to regroup and launch a powerful assault. The ensuing battle resulted in a decisive victory for Thutmose III, followed by a prolonged seven-month siege that ultimately forced the city to surrender. This victory not only secured a vital naval base for Egypt but also established Thutmose's reputation as a military strategist, with detailed records of the battle inscribed at the Karnak Temple. The site of Megiddo is historically significant, believed to have witnessed more battles than any other location in the world, making this event a focal point in the study of ancient warfare.
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Battle of Megiddo (1469 BCE)
Type of action: Ground battle in Thutmose III’s first Asiatic campaign
Date: April-October, 1469 b.c.e.
Location: Megiddo, ancient Canaanite city in northern Palestine by the Kishon River on the southern edge of the Plain of Esdraelon (fifteen miles south of Haifa, Israel)
Combatants: Egyptian expeditionary army vs. Syrian forces
Principal commander: Egyptian, Thutmose III (d. 1450 b.c.e.)
Result: The Egyptians took Megiddo, setting the stage for Egypt’s consolidation of the Syrian port cities
Tel Megiddo, the Old Testament’s field of Armageddon (Har-Megiddo: The Mountain of Megiddo), was a critical defensive point for a confederation of Syrian nations that were trying to rebel against Egypt. The city of Megiddo was located at the end of the Aruna Pass between Mount Carmel and Har-Megiddo. The Aruna Pass was so narrow that the Egyptian forces would have to move through in single file before regrouping outside the city’s gates. Any invasion of Syria would have to pass through either the Aruna Pass, a heavily guarded road that wound southward around Mount Carmel, or a wider northward pass that was also well guarded. Despite his lieutenants’ fear of being easily trapped, Thutmose III chose to brave the Aruna Pass. This move caught the Syrians by surprise, dividing the defenders and allowing the Egyptians to re-form their lines around Megiddo. When the battle began the next morning, Thutmose quickly broke the Syrian lines and began a seven-month siege that starved Megiddo into surrender. From Megiddo, Thutmose’s forces marched to the Lebanon Mountains, where the remaining Syrian resistors submitted to Egypt.
Significance
This was the first recorded battle at the site historians believe has seen more battles than anywhere else on earth. Thutmose’s records of the battle were inscribed on the walls of the Temple of Karnak, providing the first record of a military leader’s role as a strategist. The victory over the Syrians also provided the Egyptians with a secure naval base for years.
Bibliography
Breasted, James Henry. Ancient Records of Egypt: Historical Documents from the Earliest Times to the Persian Conquest Collected, Edited, and Translated with Commentary. London: Histories & Mysteries of Man, 1988.
Gabriel, Richard A. Egypt, Megiddo: 1479 b.c. Carlisle Barracks, Pa.: Department of National Security and Strategy, U.S. Army War College, 1992.