Wilkinson, John Gardner: Topographie of Thebes, and general view of Egypt: being a short account of the principal objects worthy of notice in the valley of the Nile, to the second cataracte and Wadi Samneh, with the Fyoom, Oases and eastern desert, from Sooez to Bertenice (London, 1835)

234 REGIMENTS AND STANDARDS. [Chap.V.

their authority over the provinces they had subdued.
Besides the native troops, mercenaries were also
kept in pay,* who, as well as the rest of the forces,
were divided into regiments, and disciplined ac-
cording to the rules of regular tactics. Each bat-
talion had a certain standard peculiarly belonging
to it, and the nature of their arms distinguished,
and portioned out the different brigades of which
their army was composed.f On the former was
represented some sacred animal, J a boat, shrine,
the name of the king, or some other Egyptian
device, and was intended as a rallying point in the
confusion of battle; § and being raised, says Dio-
dorus, on a lofty pike, and borne by an officer,
pointed out to each soldier the regiment to which
he belonged, and greatly contributed to the success
of their engagements.

Their arms consisted of the bow, sword, shield,
battleaxe, knife or atagdn, spear, club, sling, and
a curved stick still used by the Ababdeh and
Ethiopians.

Their engines employed in sieges consisted of
the battering-ram (or a long pike || armed with a
metal head, used in a similar manner and for the

* Strabo, lib. xvii., and the sculptures.

t This was the ease with the Greeks also. The spearmen,
bowmen, light and heavy armed infantry, &c. were distinct corps,
and employed according to circumstances.

| Conf. Plutarch, de Is. et Osir. s. lxxii.; and the sculptures.

§ Diod. i. 86. They are frequently seen in the sculptures.

II The terebra of the Romans, the rpviravov of the Greeks.