NKE-11A2
John Jenkins Designs
The New Kingdom, is the period in ancient Egyptian history between the sixteenth century BC and the eleventh century BC. It was Egypt’s most prosperous time and marked the peak of its power. It is also known as the “Ramesside period”, named after the eleven pharaohs who took the name Ramesses, after Ramesses I, the founder of the nineteenth Dynasty.
The Egyptians were experts in the use of massed archery.
The infantry was usually divided into two. The archers by now were equipped with the newer composite bow, and would be deployed in linear formation. When faced with lightly protected troops such as the Libyans, massed volleys alone were frequently sufficient to effect the necessary level of destruction.
Archers were an important part of an Egyptian army. They were not generally expected to close with the enemy which is evident by their general lack of body armor. Against more heavily armed and protected infantry the archers would be employed to deliver heavy covering fire for the close combat infantry known as Nakhtu-aa or “the strong arm boys”.
These would advance rapidly, discharging their spears in the process before closing with an enemy already softened up by the supporting fire of the archers, and attacking with their bronze khopesh swords or long mace axes.