Thutmose III was very young when his father, Thutmose II, died and was the co-regent of his stepmother, Hatshepsut. Thutmose was given an education befitting his royal station. He would have learned about everything from culture and art to military and leadership techniques. He would have been taught all military skills, including archery and horsemanship, which he displayed to the public on many occasions. Thutmose played an active part in the government of Egypt. In Year 2 of the co regency, Thutmose issued orders to the Viceroy of Kush and in Year 5 he appointed a new vizier. He was active in Sinai, where several graffiti show Thutmose alone or with Hatshepsut. Thutmose may have been entrusted with command of the army on campaign in Nubia twice. There was also at least one campaign in Retennu. Thutmose appeared in Hatshepsuts coronation

Military standards enabled units to be readily located on the field of battle and instructions were signalled by means of a trumpet. Strategy and tactics became the concern of the pharaohs and their war councils, especially for Thutmose III. He was also probably the first person in history utilise sea-power to support his campaigns.

Thutmose took an unexpected, difficult route through to Megiddo. “I will take the Aruna road … Shall we permit these enemies, whom Re detests, to think that I am afraid of them … follow me on the road which becomes so narrow” – The Annals of Karnak”.

During Thutmose III’s reign, the Egyptian army was by far superior to all of its enemies. The Aamu, Libyans and Nubians were of no threat at all to the Egyptians. They were nomadic and poorly organised with feeble weapons and body armour. The Canaanites, Syrians, Mitanni and Hittites posed a greater threat to the Egyptians, but still, were inferior. These armies were well organised with effective weapons and a greater degree of body armour than the Egyptians. The Mitanni even had a warrior class of professional soldiers. All of these armies were unable to defeat the Egyptian army during Thutmose’s reign.

Naharin revolted during his Tenth campaign, where a second, victorious battle was fought. A list of booty was taken form here.

As a New Kingdom pharaoh, Thutmose III, had supreme power and was supported by a large bureaucracy of nobles who held official positions. Djehuty and Amenemheb were his generals, his private secretary was Tjaneni and his vizier was Rekhmire.

The army of Thutmose was comprised of three main elements; archers, hand-to-hand fighters and chariotry. With the chariot came new arms and armour and new methods of warfare. Conscription was no longer used when organising army’s. The army was expanded into a large professional organisation with squadrons of chariots, each manned by a driver and fighter. The men were armed with much better weapons including; the composite bow, the heavy bronze falchion, the battle axe and the light javelin.

Some topics in this essay:
Thutmose III, Middle Kingdoms, Rekhmire Thutmose, Hatshepsut Thutmose, Karnak Megiddo, Amun Thebes, Annals Karnak”, Mesopotamians Syria, Euphrates River, Barkal Stele, thutmose iii, reign thutmose, barkal stele, reign thutmose iii, egyptian army, gebel barkal stele, pharaoh thutmose, tribute thutmose, gebel barkal, crossed euphrates, body armour, pharaoh thutmose iii, hatshepsut thutmose,