The Battle of Pelusium was a battle waged between Ancient Egypt under Pharaoh Psametik III and Cambyses II, King of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. The most recognisable feature is the Persian victory due to Cambyses’ use of animals (especially cats), and the image of the goddess Bastet to win the war. The battle resulted in the first Persian conquest of Egypt, and Persia was victorious because of Cambyses’ knowledge of Egyptian culture, although it is thought that he probably would have won anyway with his greater experience in war compared to Psametik.
Because Cambyses II knew of the Egyptian culture, he knew of their veneration of the goddess Bastet, so he had the image of the goddess painted onto the shield of his soldiers, and before the front line herded a number of animals that the Egyptians held dear to them, including dogs and cats. Upon seeing their beloved goddess on the shields of their enemies, and worrying that they would injure the animals in front of the Persian forces, the Egyptian army surrendered.
Have you ever heard of a battle won by cats? Well, it happened at Pelusium in Egypt in 525 BCE.
Stick around to learn more. Hello and welcome to World History Encyclopedia. My name is Kelly
and today we're going to discuss the Battle of Pelusium, a battle fought between the Persians
and the Egyptians with the victory decided by cats. Don't forget the easiest way to support us
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In May of 525 BCE, a battle was waged between the pharaoh Sarmathek III of Egypt and Cambyses
Naturally, this battle is now known as the Battle of Pelusium and its most recognizable feature
is Cambyses' use of animals and the image of the goddess Bastet to win the war. The battle resulted
in the first Persian conquest of Egypt and Persia was victorious because of Cambyses'
knowledge of Egyptian culture. Although it is thought that he probably would have won anyway
with his greater experience in war compared to Sarmathek. Cats were sacred in ancient Egypt and
they were closely associated with the goddess Bastet. Bastet was initially depicted as a woman
with a lioness head but was eventually depicted as either a sitting cat or as a woman with a cat
head. She was the goddess of the home, domesticity, women's secrets, cats, fertility and childbirth.
She protected a household from evil spirits and disease and she also played a role in one's
afterlife and was popular with both males and females. She had a dual personality as was
depicted as both a nurturing mother and a terrifying avenger. One sure way to experience
the avenging side was by offending the goddess in harming a cat and the punishment in Egypt
for killing a cat was death. At the time of the battle of Pelusium, Egypt was at the end of its
third intermediate period, a time of decline when the region had a lack of strong central government,
social instability and civil war following its prosperous new kingdom, also known as the time
of the Egyptian empire. During the third intermediate period, the Nubians invaded and ruled
and then the Assyrians ruled until they were driven out by the Egyptians.
However, Egypt was unable to withstand the force of the Persians. Samitech was only a young man
when he succeeded his father Armases as pharaoh and by the time he was fortifying Pelusium and
his capital at Memphis in preparation for the oncoming invasion, he had only been ruling for
six months. Not only was he inexperienced but his military council Phaenice of Halicarnassus
had moved to the Persian side so Samitech was on his own. Because Cambiases knew of the Egyptian
culture, he knew of their veneration of the goddess Bastet, so he had the image of the goddess
painted onto the shield of his soldiers and before the front line herded a number of animals that the
held dear to them, including dogs and cats. Upon seeing their beloved goddess on the shields of
their enemies and worrying that they would injure the animals in front of the Persian forces,
the Egyptian army surrendered. The Egyptians were massacred and Herodotus notes that there were
bones in the sand for years afterwards and he could differentiate between the skulls of the
The Egyptians who survived Pelusium fled to Memphis which was taken by the Persians and
Samitech was taken prisoner by Cambiases and eventually he was executed for trying to raise a
revolt and so the Persians ruled in Egypt for the 27th and the 31st dynasties and continued to pose
a great threat during the 28th, 29th and 30th dynasties. Can you think of any other battle won
through strategy and cunning over military might or strength? Let us know down in the comments
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the Persians, ancient Egyptians and the battle of Pelusium. This video was brought to you by
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