Egypt under Cambyses II

16Nov/098

I will take you in a short visit to our past. When I was studying our history in school, I knew about the story of the Persian emperor Cambyses II who invaded Egypt after defeating Pharao Psamtik III, the last Egyptian ruler of the ‘26th Dynasty (664-525 BC)’ and thus he became the first ruler of the ‘27th Persian Dynasty’ in our history and Egypt became part of the ‘Achaemenid (Persian) Empire.’

This story has a mysterious part; Cambyses II wanted to legitimize his claims for ruling Egypt by sending an army of 50,000 soldiers to take-over “The Temple of the Oracle [a.k.a. Temple of Amun (Arabic: معبد آمون)]” located at “Siwa Oasis (Arabic: واحة سيوة)”, but they were overtaken by a sandstorm and buried in Egypt's Western Desert with their weapons and equipments. Since then, this story has been labelled as The Lost Army of Cambyses II and became one of the myths in the field of Archaeology.

Vanished Persian Army Found? Back to the future during the past 20^th century, many archaeological trials were set to find evidences for this story which was narrated by the Greek Historian Herodotus (484-425 BC), however either they found nothing or were just hoax. In the current 21^st century, trials also were set by geologists from Helwan University in Egypt but nothing was announced as founding this lost army.

Last but not least, who knows, an Italian archeologists team announced this month that they found evidences of this lost army according to an article from Discovery News. I am neither historian nor archeologist however I am wondering why this was announced by a presentation during ‘Archaeological Film Festival of Rovereto’ in Italy?!

In other words, my question is simply: why did not we hear about this in Egypt from corresponding officials? I am looking forward to hearing such announcement either to confirm or deny. Hence, only time shall reveal the truth about this discovery, however in case it is true, I think this shall be a great for seeking more information about this far period of Egyptian history.

Note: The mentioned article contains also video and images of these claims.

“To excavate is to open a book written in the language that the centuries have spoken into the earth.” ~ Spyridon Marinatos

Related Sites

Vanished Army [Discovery News]
Cambyses II [Tour Egypt]

[image source]

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Published by Hicham
on November 16, 2009 | 4:15 PM

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إبراهيم سمير
November 17th, 2009 @ 00:37

دراسة ماجستير تتناول المدونات المصرية
بعد التحية،اسف للخروج عن مضمون التدوينة فى التعليق أنا اسمى إبراهيم سمير أعمل صحفى بمجلة الإذاعة والتليفزيون وأقوم بعمل رسالة ماجستير تحت عنوان “استخدامات الشباب المصرى للمدونات ومنتديات النقاش الإلكترونى على الإنترنت.. دراسة مسحية” وكما يظهر من عنوان الدراسة أنها تتعلق بالمدونات المصرية والتى ينشئها مدونون مصريون ولقد اخترت المدونة الخاصة بكم لتكون من ضمن المدونات التى يتم تضمينها بالدراسة ليتم دراستها وهناك جزء بالدراسة يتعلق بالقائم بالاتصال وهم المدونون المصريون ولذلك قمت بتصميم استبيان للتعرف على أنماط ودوافع استخدام المدونون المصريون لمدوناتهم واتمنى ملئ استمارة الاستبيان المرفقة مع الرسالة وهى الجزء الأهم بالدراسة واتمنى المساعدة فى دقة الإجابة للأسئلة حرصاً على دقة النتائج. والاستبيان يتكون من مجموعة من الأسئلة المتعددة الاختيارات يقوم المدون باختيار الإجابة الصحيحة وهناك أسئلة يمكن اختيار أكثر من إجابة وهى الأسئلة التى يرفق بها عبارة (يمكن اختيار أكثر من بديل) وهناك أسئلة يمكن أن تضيف الإجابة التى تراها من وجهة نظرك. وبعد الإجابة على الاسئلة تضغط على ايكونة submit.
ولقد ارسلت لك على الايميل الخاص بك الاستبيان ولكن لم يصلى الرد ارجو أن تدخل على الرابط الخاص بالاستبيان وتجيب عليه وهذا هو الرابط
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dHFZMENoU194OGpza0RzRUpaeXRWV1E6MA
ولك منى وافر التحية
إبراهيم سمير
صحفى بمجلة الإذاعة والتليفزيون
تليفونى 0128460141
ibrahimsamir@hotmail.com

( REPLY )
- Hicham
  November 18th, 2009 @ 16:38
  
  إبراهيم: لا يوجد مشكلة في الخروج عن النص لهذا الغرض البحثي وقد قمت بإجابة الإستبيان.
  بالتوفيق إن شاء الله في رسالة الماجستير خاصتك ويا ريت أعرف عندما تنتهى منها
  
  ( REPLY )
claudie
November 18th, 2009 @ 20:37

This is a very interesting story! I always enjoy when some discover the past everywhere. Strange that they speak about the army in Italia in such circonstances and that nobody spoke about in Egypt. I remember the somptuous exhibition in 2007 in Paris at Le Grand Palais I went specially from South of France to admire The Sunken treasure of Canope, Thônis-Héracléion and Alexandrie.
Friday, i will visit with my class the museum, La Vieille Charité in Marseille, and specially the room about Egypt, the second in France after Le Louvre. I’ll do a report of course.
claudie´s last blog ..A new year at the theater club in Ollioules

( REPLY )
- Hicham
  November 18th, 2009 @ 21:35
  
  claudie: This shall be very interesting. I wish to hear a clarification for this as I mentioned!
  
  ( REPLY )
Sire
November 18th, 2009 @ 22:13

That’s an interesting story. I am surprised that a whole army was buried by a sandstorm. Just wondering, do the sands move over time and if so wouldn’t it be possible for the army to have been uncovered naturally over time? Also, and army being what it is I would have thought that modern technology would have aided in the search.
Sire´s last blog ..Keyword Abusers Force Comment Policy Change

( REPLY )
- Hicham
  November 19th, 2009 @ 04:20
  
  Sire: I am too surprised like you since they were 50K plus equipments. That’s why it’s one of the myths in the field however I know nothing.
  
  ( REPLY )
ze2red
November 23rd, 2009 @ 15:20

This is one interesting myth. 50000 soldiers buried in a sand storm with all their weapons and no one was able to discover that till now. Astonishing, weird and mysterious.

And what is said in Italy is even weirder, how come they announce something like that and we don’t, after all it was discovered here, unless they just want to make a propaganda out of nothing for some hidden reasons.

( REPLY )
- Hicham
  November 23rd, 2009 @ 20:55
  
  Ze2red: This is why I am looking forward for hearing the truth about this and I wonder whether this shall be in the near future!
  
  ( REPLY )

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