Egypt was protected from other countries by the desert and the sea. However, its borders were attacked by enemies such as the Assyrians, the Hittites and the Sea People. On occasions the pharaoh led his men into battle.
Most Egyptian soldiers fought on foot. They carried long spears with metal tips, and slings, daggers or curved swords. Some were archers, armed with strong wooden and metal-tipped arrows. Few wore any armour, but many carried shields.
The pharaoh went to war in a wooden chariot pulled by two horses. Chariots had a crew of two, a driver and an archer, who could fire his bow as the chariot raced across the desert.
Sometimes prisoners of war were captured and bought back to Egypt as slaves. The Egyptians also attacked and conquered countries for their natural resources. For example, they invaded the neighbouring country of Nubia so they could take gold from the Nubian mines. [2]