Egyptian Warfare > Battle of Pelusium (525 BCE)

Battle of Pelusium (525 BCE)

Background

The Battle of Pelusium in 525 BCE was a significant military engagement between the Persian Empire, under the command of Cambyses II, and the forces of the Egyptian Pharaoh Psamtik III. It marked the culmination of the Persian conquest of Egypt and the end of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty. Here's an overview of the battle:

1. Background: By the early 6th century BCE, the Persian Empire, under the rule of Cyrus the Great and later his son Cambyses II, had expanded its control over much of the Near East, including Babylon and parts of Anatolia. Egypt, ruled by the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty, was the next target for Persian conquest. Cambyses II sought to add Egypt to the Persian Empire's vast territories.

2. Persian Invasion: Cambyses II launched a military campaign to conquer Egypt in 525 BCE. His army, consisting of Persian and allied troops, marched into Egypt from the east, crossing the Sinai Peninsula and advancing toward the Nile Delta. The Persian forces encountered little resistance as they moved through the desert, and many Egyptian cities and towns surrendered without a fight.

3. Siege of Pelusium: Pelusium, located in the northeastern Nile Delta, was a strategic city guarding the eastern entrance to Egypt. It was heavily fortified and considered the gateway to Egypt from the east. Psamtik III, the Egyptian pharaoh, gathered his forces and prepared to defend Pelusium against the Persian invasion. The city was surrounded by walls and protected by a garrison of Egyptian soldiers.

4. Tactics and Siege: The Persians besieged Pelusium, attempting to breach its defenses and capture the city. Cambyses II employed various siege tactics, including catapults, siege towers, and battering rams, to weaken the city's walls and defenses. The Egyptian defenders fought bravely to repel the Persian assault, but they were eventually overwhelmed by the superior numbers and military technology of the Persian army.

5. Fall of Pelusium: Despite the valiant defense of Pelusium by the Egyptian forces, the city ultimately fell to the Persians after a prolonged siege. The Persians breached the walls and stormed the city, leading to a bloody and brutal battle within the streets. Many of the defenders were killed or captured, and the city was plundered by the victorious Persian troops.

6. Consequences: The fall of Pelusium marked the end of Egyptian resistance to the Persian invasion. Psamtik III was captured and taken prisoner by the Persians, and Egypt was subsequently incorporated into the Persian Empire as a satrapy (province). Cambyses II proclaimed himself the new ruler of Egypt, effectively ending the rule of the Twenty-Sixth Dynasty and beginning the period of Persian domination over Egypt, known as the Twenty-Seventh Dynasty.

In summary, the Battle of Pelusium in 525 BCE was a decisive engagement in the Persian conquest of Egypt. The fall of Pelusium led to the capture of the Egyptian pharaoh Psamtik III and the incorporation of Egypt into the Persian Empire, marking the end of native Egyptian rule and the beginning of Persian domination over the region.

Sources

Herodotus. The History of Herodotus Volume I,Book II. pp. 246–250.

Sir John Gardner Wilkinson (1837). Manners and customs of the ancient Egyptians: including their private life, government, laws, art, manufactures, religions, and early history; derived from a comparison of the paintings, sculptures, and monuments still existing, with the accounts of ancient authors. Illustrated by drawings of those subjects, Volume 1. J. Murray. p. 195.

Herodotus. The Histories. Suffolk, England: Penguin Books, 1975.

Dupuy, R. Ernest, and Trevor N. Dupuy. The Encyclopedia of Military History from 3500 BC. to the present. New York: Harper and Row, 1977.

Fuller, J.F.C. A Military History of the Western World, Volume One. N.P.: Minerva Press, 1954.

Harbottle, Thomas. Dictionary of Battles. New York: Stein and Day, 1971.

Egypt Warfare