The Conquest of Egypt
Reasons for the Conquest
Cambyses was insulted when he asked to marry the daughter of Amasis (king of Egypt) and he instead sent a daughter of a previous king
Cambyses had ambitions to expand his empire
He now had an improved naval force due to an alliance with Polycrates of Samos
Battle of Pelusium
Arabians had aided Cambyses and his men across the desert to Egypt by establishing water pipelines
When they met on the battlefield, Cambyses used a clever military strategy: knowing that the Egyptians honoured and sometimes even worshipped cats, he ordered his men to carry cats into battle which prevented the Egyptians from firing
50,000 Egyptians dead and only 7,000 Persians dead
Aftermath
Cambyses offered to make an agreement with the Egyptian King (now Psammetichus after Amasis died) but his men killed the herald carrying this message
Because of this, the Persians besieged Memphis
The Egyptians then surrendered which encouraged the Libyans and Cyrene to do the same
Treatment of Psammetichus
Cambyses didn't kill the king at first, but then he plotted against him, so was killed
EPIC FAIL 💥
Cambyses then attempted disastrous campaigns into Ammonia and Ethiopia
Ammonia
A force of 50,000 men were sent into the desert to attack the ammonians but were apparently killed and buried in a sandstorm
Ethiopia
Cambyses led this campaign but did not plan adequate supplies. His army was first forced to eat pack animals, and then resorted to cannibalism. Cambyses gave up and returned to Memphis.