Page 352 - Four Thousand Years Ago by Geoffrey Bibby

king of Egypt, until such time as he should choose to use them
Finally, in the spring of 1285, news indeed comes to Ascalon
that pharaoh himself is on his way north. It is a brave sight, wlien

the army of Egypt marches through Ascalon. It is not the wh(qe
of Egypt’s might—the greater part of the army of upper Egypt
has remained in the south, to guard the Sudan frontier. Only one
regiment of six thousand men, the Pharaoh’s Own regiment of

Amon, comes with him from Thebes. But there are three regi­
ments from lower Egypt, the regiments of Ra and Ptah and
Sutek. In serried ranks they march along the great coast road,

with standards borne aloft before them and with the squad­
rons of light two-man chariots in van and rear. And between the
regiments come the free companies and the contingents drawn

from the garrisons. The watchers by the road estimate the army
at no less than thirty thousand men, surely the largest army ever
to leave Egypt.

Rameses himself travels with the regiment of Amon, his
four-horse chariot gay with waving plumes, and the chariots of
his household troops driving two abreast before and behind. He
stands straight and proud, with mace in hand, the double crown

causing him to appear of more than mortal stature.
Behind the army come the long trains of pack asses and ox
wagons bearing the supplies and tents, the bundles of arrows and

spears, the fodder and the siege and bridging equipment. But
this is only a small part of the supplies needed by the army.
The greater part comes by sea; a large cargo fleet is on its way

north, guarded by the lean galleys of the navy, to make junction
with the army at the ports farther north, at Joppa and Tyre
and Beirut, and to resupply the depots of arms and equipment

which have long been assembled at the cities on the route.
The army passes on towards the north, and Ascalon seems
empty when they have gone. For only a skeleton garrison remains,
and the mercenaries and many of the young men of the town have

gone with the army.
Now, whenever a ship or a party of travelers comes in from
the north, they are eagerly questioned, and the news flies through

the town. The reports at first are conflicting; it is said that some
of the cities near the frontier, acting in concert with the Hittites,