mochi thinking: The Battle of Pelusium and Cats

Saturday, September 10, 2011

The Battle of Pelusium and Cats

http://tetsuwanco.exblog.jp/4728334/

maneki neko,welcome japanese cat

http://www.suite101.com/content/the-battle-of-pelusium-and-the-cat-a80965

The Battle of Pelusium in 525 B.C. was the decisive conflict between the Pharaoh Psametik III (also known as Psammenitus) and the Persian leader Cambyses II. Cambyses, upset that Psammenitus' father, Amasis, had sent him a `fake daughter' , decided to invade Egypt to avenge the insult. Cambyses had asked for Amasis' daughter for a concubine and Amasis, not wishing this life for his daughter, sent the daughter of the late king Apries. This woman, insulted, told Cambyses her true identity and Cambyses could not bear to be affronted by Amasis. By the time he mounted his campaign, however, Amasis had died and Psammenitus was Pharoah.

The Preparation for the Battle of Pelusium

Psammenitus fortified the position at Pelusium near the mouth of the Nile and awaited the Persian attack. The fortresses were strong and well provisioned and the young Pharoah, who had only ruled for six months at the time, must have felt confident he could repel any attack and easily withstand a siege. What Psammentius did not count on, however, was Cambyses cunning.

the Battle of Pelusium

Cambyses II, knowing the veneration the Egyptians held for cats, had the image of Bastet painted on his soliders' shields and, further, "ranged before his front line dogs, sheep, cats, ibeses and whatever other animals the Egyptians hold dear" (Polyaenus). The Egyptians under Psammenitus, seeing their own beloved goddess on the shields of enemies, and fearing to fight lest they injure the animals being driven before their foe, surrendered their position and took flight in a rout. Many were massacred on the field and Herodotus reports seeing their bones still in the sand many years later; he commented on the difference between the Persian and the Egyptian skulls. Psammenitus was taken prisoner and was treated fairly well by Cambyses until he tried to raise a revolt and was executed. Thus ended the sovereignty of Egypt as it was annexed by Persia and, henceforth, changed hands many times before finally ending up as a province of Rome. It is said that Cambyses, after the battle, hurled cats into the faces of the defeated Egyptians in scorn that they would surrender their country and their freedom fearing for the safety of common animals.

the unlimited cat shield

The Egyptians are said to have loved cats. their love was not far from the hubbub. Its amazing how they was falling to cats.The cat killer was executed accidentally to be struck by the stone to death sentence. Helped to prioritize cat than people in fire. the age when Egypt was occupied by Romans, the Roman soldier pulling a cat with tanks, Egyptians revolted. Lugubriously his cat's death, the pharaohs built the pyramids for cats. While being attacked the castle , be throw the cat came into the castle by sling, the chance when every Egyptian soldiers released cat,then attacked and lost by Persians. many cats legends remain today. The above picture, 525 years BC, Persian king Cambyses II took the the actual tactics.to Egyptian troop of Pharaoh Psametik III.
Egyptian army couldn't fight against the cats shields, they were annihilated.

猫バリヤー

by 百轟

古代エジプト人は猫が大好きだったと言われる。いや、スキどころの騒ぎではない。その可愛がりかたは凄まじい。・猫を殺した者は死ぬまで石打の刑だった・火事になったら人間より猫を優先して助けた・エジプトがローマ軍に占領されていた時代、ローマ兵が猫を戦車で轢き殺したため民衆の反乱が起こった・飼い猫が死んだのを嘆き悲しんで、猫用のピラミッドを建てたファラオがいる・城を攻められて篭城している最中、敵軍が投石器で城内に猫を投げ込んできたので、兵士たちが総出で猫を介抱していたらその隙に攻め破られたなどなど、幾多の猫伝説が今に残っている。図は、紀元前５２５年、ペルシャのカンビュセス大王の軍隊が実際に取った戦法。猫を盾にされたエジプト軍は誰も反撃する事が出来ず、壊滅させられたと言う。。

http://www.tanken.com/english/styled-5/