back" in his interview with the messenger of Apries; and Diodorus speaks of 24,000 horse in the army of Sesostris, besides 27,000 war chariots. Shishak, the Egyptian Sheshonk, had with him. 60,000 horsemen when he went to fight against Jerusalem; and mention is made of the Egyptian cavalry in other parts of sacred and profane history: nor are the hieroglyphics silent on the subject; and we learn from them that the "command of the cavalry" was a very honourable and important post, and generally held by the most distinguished of the king's sons.

The Egyptian infantry was divided into regiments, very similar, as Plutarch observes, to the λοχοι and ταξεις of the Greeks; and these were formed and distinguished according to the arms they bore. They consisted of bowmen, spearmen, swordsmen, clubmen, slingers, and other corps, disciplined according to the rules of regular tactics †; and the regiments being probably divided into battalions and companies, each officer had his peculiar rank and command, like the chiliarchs, hecatontarchs, decarchs, and others among the Greeks, or the captains over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, among the Jews.‡ Masses of heavy infantry, armed with spears and shields, and a falchion, or other weapon, moved sometimes in close array in the form of an impregnable phalanx §; sometimes they deployed, and formed into long columns or small distinct bodies; and the bowmen

* 2 Chron. xii. 3. Vide also Isaiah, xxxvi. 9. + See wood-cut preceding page.

See wood-cut next page.

Deut. i. 15.

4

as well as the light infantry were taught either to act in line, or to adopt more open movements, according to the nature of the ground, or the state of the enemy's battle.

Each battalion, and indeed each company, had its particular standard, which represented a sacred subject, a king's name, a sacred boat, an animal*,

Similar to these were some of the Greek banners. Those of Athens had an owl, of Thebes a sphinx, &c.

or some emblematic device; and the soldiers either followed or preceded it, according to the service on which they were employed, or as circumstances required. The objects chosen for their standards were such as were regarded by the troops with a superstitious feeling of respect; and it is natural to suppose they must have contributed greatly to the success of their arms*, since every soldier was ready to stand by and defend what prejudice as well as duty forbade him to abandon; and their wonderful effects in rallying desponding courage, and in urging men to court danger for their preservation, have not only been recorded in the history of Roman battles, where a general frequently ordered a standard to be thrown into the opposing ranks to stimulate his troops to victory, but are witnessed in every age.

And being raised, says Diodorust, on a spear (or staff), which an officer bore aloft‡, each standard served to point out to the men their respective regiments, enabled them more effectually to keep their ranks, encouraged them to the charge, and offered a conspicuous rallying point in the confusion of battle. And though we cannot agree with Plutarch §, that the worship of animals originated in the emblem chosen by Osiris to designate the different corps into which he divided his army, it is satisfactory to have his authority for concluding

*Solomon, in his Song, says, "Terrible as an army with banners." vi. 4. They were used by the Jews. Ps. xx. 5. Isaiah, xiii. 2. + Diodor. i. 86.

Vide wood-cut No. 13.

Plut. de Isid. s. 72. His argument is merely that the animal was adored by the band to which it belonged. This could not affect the worship paid them by the cities of Egypt.

that the custom of using these standards was of an early date in the history of Egypt.

The post of standard-bearer was at all times of the greatest importance. He was an officer, and a man of approved valour; and in the Egyptian army he was sometimes distinguished by a peculiar badge suspended from his neck, which consisted of two lions, the emblems of courage, and other two devices apparently representing flies, so poetically described by Homer as characteristic of an undaunted hero, who, though frequently repulsed, as eagerly returns to the attack.*

Besides the ordinary standards of regiments I ought to mention the royal banners, and those borne by the principal persons of the household