Chariotry in ancient Egypt

In ancient Egyptian society, chariotry stands as an independent unit in the King’s military force. Chariots were first introduced as a weapon in Egypt by the Hyksos.^[1] The Egyptians developed their own design of the chariot.

Design

Chariots were originally invented in Mesopotamia and were initially drawn not by horse, but rather donkeys, mules, oxen and even goats.^[2] The early usage of chariots was mainly for transportation purposes. With technological improvements to their structure (such as a “cross-bar” form of wheel construction to reduce the vehicle's weight), the use of chariots for military purposes began. Chariots were effective in that their high speed, mobility and strength could not be matched by infantry at the time. They quickly became a powerful new weapon across the ancient Near East, used in a role similar to that of tanks in modern day warfare.

Chariot in Warfare

Chariots were expensive, heavy and prone to breakdowns, yet in contrast with early cavalry, chariots offered a more stable platform for archers. Chariots were also effective for archery because of the relatively long bows used, and even after the invention of the composite bow the length of the bow was not significantly reduced. Such a bow was difficult to handle while on horseback. A chariot could also carry more ammunition than a single rider.

However, the chariot also had several disadvantages, notably its size and its dependence on the right terrain. Chariots were not able to launch sudden strikes, because they made too much noise. It has been argued that early Egyptians may had no experience of breeding and training horses for military purposes, which may be a reason why so few cavalry served in ancient Egyptian military. In a field action, chariots usually delivered the first strike and were closely followed by infantry advancing to exploit the resulting breakthrough, somewhat similar to how an infantry operates behind a group of armed vehicles in modern warfare. This tactic was effective against tight units of spearmen as it allowed holes to be punched in a line which would otherwise be difficult to attack due to its compact nature. In another role, chariots were deployed to pursue and disperse enemies after the victory had been achieved. Egyptian light chariots contained one driver and one warrior, usually wielding a bow or, after depleting all his arrows, a short spear of which he had few.

In ancient Egypt, members of the chariotry units formed their own aristocratic class known as the maryannu (young heroes). The heroic symbolism can be seen on contemporary paintings on which the King is shown riding with the elites, shooting arrows at the enemies. This image became a typical royal iconography of power in the New Kingdom.

The best known and preserved textual evidence about Egyptian chariots in action was from Battle of Kadesh during the reign of Ramses II, probably the largest single chariot battle of all time.

References

1. ^ Hyskos introduced chariots to ancient Egypt
2. ^ Invented in Mesopotamia