near the king himself. The peculiar office of carrying these and the flabella was reserved for the royal princes or the sons of the nobility, who may be considered the staff corps. They had the rank of generals, and were either despatched to take command of a division, or remained in attendance upon the monarch; and their post during the royal triumph, the coronation, or other grand ceremonies, was close to his person. Some bore the fans of state behind the throne, or supported the seat on which he was carried to the temple; others held the sceptre, and waved flabella before him; and the privilege of serving on his right or left hand depended on the grade they enjoyed. But as the processions in which the flabella were carried appertain more properly to the ceremonies than to the military affairs of the Egyptians, I shall defer the description of them for the present.

The troops were summoned by sound of trumpet *; and this instrument, as well as the long drum, was used by the Egyptians at the earliest period into which the sculptures have given us an insight: trumpeters being frequently represented in the battle scenes of Thebes, sometimes standing still, and summoning the troops to form, and at others in the act of leading them to a rapid charge.†

ARMS.

The offensive weapons of the Egyptians were the bow, spear, two species of javelin, sling, a short

Vide suprà, wood-cut No. 13. + Vide infrà, on military music.

and straight sword, dagger, knife, falchion, or ensis falcatus, axe or hatchet, battle-axe, pole-axe, mace or club, and the lissán*, a curved stick similar to that still in use among the Ababdeh and modern Ethiopians. Their defensive arms consisted of a helmet of metal, or quilted a headpiece; a cuirass, or coat of armour, made of metal plates, or quilted with metal bands; and an ample shield. But they had no greaves; and the only coverings to the arms were a part of the cuirass, forming a short sleeve, and extending about half way to the elbow.

The soldier's chief defence was his shield, which, in length, was equal to about half his height, and generally double its own breadth. It was most commonly covered with bull's hide, having the

Lissún is the modern name of this weapon, and signifies, in Arabic, a tongue, which it is supposed in form to resemble.

hair outwards, like the anion of the Greeks, sometimes strengthened by one or more rims of metal *, and studded with nails or metal pins; the inner part being probably wicker-work †, or a t, wooden frame, like many of those used by the Greeks and Romans, which were also covered with hide. +

The form of the Egyptian shield was similar to the ordinary funereal tablets § found in the tombs, circular at the summit and squared at the base, frequently with a slight increase or swell towards the top; and near the upper part of the outer surface was a circular cavity in lieu of a boss.

And II. v, 161. 163. :

«Ασπίδα ταυρείην.”

And Il. π, 360.; and μ, 425.

+ Those of their enemies were in many instances wicker, and not covered with any hide. Conf. Virg. Æn. vii. 632.:

That of Ajax had seven folds, that of Achilles nine folds, of bull's hide.

§ They probably borrowed their form from the shield, owing, perhaps, to a military custom of making the shield a monument in honour of a deceased soldier.

ASHMOLEAN

OXFORD

MUSEUM

This cavity was deeper at the sides than at its centre, where it rose nearly to a level with the face of the shield; but there is great difficulty in ascertaining for what purpose it was intended, nor does its appearance indicate either an offensive or defensive use. To the inside of the shield was attached a thong*, by which they suspended it upon their shoulders; and an instance occurs of a shield so supported, which is concave within, and, what is singular, the artist has shown a knowledge

« Ιδρώσει μεν τευ τελαμων αμφι στήθεσσιν

Ασπιδος αμφιβροτης.” Hom. Il. ß, 388.

Τη ῥα δυω τελαμωνε περὶ στηθεσσι τετάσθην,

Ητοι ὁ μεν σάκεος, ό δε φασγανου αργυροηλου.” Π. 5, 404.

And Il. o, 479.; к, 149.; μ, 400.; y, 334., et alibi.

Thebes

of perspective in his mode of representing it.* Sometimes the handle was so situated that they

2

No. 20. Concave shield. Thebes.

No. 21. Grasping a spear while supporting the shield. Thebes.

might pass their arm through it and grasp a spear: but this may be another mode of representing the shield slung at their back, the handle being frequently fixed in a position which would prevent their holding the spear in that manner; and though instances occur of the horizontal as well as the perpendicular handlet, the latter appears to have been the more usual of the two.