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- [Narrator] Ancient Egypt.
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For over 3,000 years,
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the world's most vibrant
and puzzling civilization
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flourished through war and peace.
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The Egyptians built great cities,
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enduring monuments.
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They advanced mathematics and technology.
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Their astonishing legacy
survives to this day.
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As the country grows richer,
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its neighbors grow bolder.
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Now, archeologists have revealed
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Egypt's brilliant strategy
to repel the foreign threat,
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a strategy devised by its
greatest warrior king,
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Thutmose III.
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By striking first, Thutmose
hopes to extend his empire
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and stabilize Egypt's borders.
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His plan is untested,
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his generals are skeptical,
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and he risks losing everything.
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But his enemies have left him no choice.
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In 1457 BC, Egypt finds
itself in great danger.
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The country's former
allies in the Near East
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have joined forces,
threatening Egypt's borders.
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But Pharaoh Thutmose III and his soldiers
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won't wait for the enemy to strike.
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They head towards Megiddo,
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a fortress city near the Carmel Mountains
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in modern Israel.
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Beyond these hills,
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the enemies of Pharaoh
wait, ready to attack.
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Going out to meet them
is a high-risk strategy.
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The future of the
pharaoh and of his empire
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depend on its success.
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In the face of this barrier,
Pharaoh's armies halt.
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As they gather in the camp,
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there is a critical disagreement
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about the best route to take.
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No one knows where the enemy
has positioned his forces.
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His generals advise Thutmose
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to send his men around the mountains.
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Pharaoh must decide.
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The fate of the empire is at stake.
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The Egyptians are in Canaan,
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four weeks' march from
their own territory.
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This region, now roughly
Palestine and Lebanon,
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is Egypt's security zone.
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The city-states here were
neutral or under Egyptian control
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until the Mitanni, Egypt's greatest rival,
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stole their loyalty.
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Meanwhile, in Egypt's capital Thebes,
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the pharaoh's subjects eagerly
await news of the campaign.
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Like all of Egypt, Thebes'
wealth depends on trade
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and the tributes of subdued territories.
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Now, all that is at risk.
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Bustling with more than 50,000 people,
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this is one of the biggest
cities in the world.
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Time hasn't diminished its magnificence.
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Even some of the bright paint
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miraculously clings to the columns.
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Triumphant reliefs tell of
Thutmose's glorious reign.
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Yet with foreign powers
threatening the country,
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the proud Egyptians were
forced to acknowledge
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they weren't alone in the world.
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- This required an interesting
change in attitude,
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because in early periods
of Egyptian history,
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the Egyptian word for Egyptian
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was the same as the Egyptian
word for human being.
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In the New Kingdom,
they began to recognize
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the greater equality of foreigners.
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Syrians, Sudanese, Cretans, whatever.
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- [Narrator] Egypt's
neighbors enviously gazed
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on the country's enormous prosperity.
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While adjacent peoples
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suffered from frequent droughts,
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the Egyptians were blessed by geography
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and enjoyed regular, plentiful harvests.
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Though Egypt is 90% desert,
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the Nile watered wide, fertile fields
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that grew ample grain to
feed some 3 million people.
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This easy abundance made the empire
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one of the most stable societies
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of the ancient world.
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And through trade,
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the people of the Nile
magnified their wealth,
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funding the world's largest monuments,
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the pyramids.
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Clearly, the gods must
have loved the Egyptians.
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- Egyptians were probably
a very arrogant people
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because they were convinced
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that no one had it better
than the Egyptians.
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The gods had given Egypt
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the most wonderful country in the world.
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And most foreigners who came here
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said the same thing.
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You've got this wonderful river
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that always provides water.
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You've got these wonderful fields
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that always provide crops.
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You don't have to work very
hard to grow these things.
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This is heaven on earth.
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- [Narrator] Thutmose grows up in a world
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that knows neither famine nor war.
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He comes to the throne as a child
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after his father's early death.
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But the little king is
far too young to rule.
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So his aunt and stepmother, Hatshepsut,
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takes over as regent.
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Tradition dictates that pharaohs be men
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but Hatshepsut aspires to divine authority
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to rule for life.
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She gathers power and
finally claims the throne
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through classical political networking.
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- I've tried to put together myself
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a list of all those governmental officials
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and high nobility who stood behind her.
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And that may be the secret.
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There may have been a kind of,
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I was going to say cabal,
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but that may be too strong a word,
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a coterie of supporters
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who were quite influential,
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more so than we think today.
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- [Narrator] To affirm
her legitimacy as regent,
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Hatshepsut alters her
appearance on temple reliefs
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and official statues.
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At first, she's portrayed as a woman,
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with breasts and feminine features.
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But soon she dons the ceremonial beard
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worn by pharaohs before her.
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Hatshepsut has officially transformed
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into a male pharaoh.
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Although Thutmose will
be her future rival,
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Hatshepsut employs the country's
best teachers for the boy.
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He learns astronomy, mathematics,
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religion, and medicine.
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They teach him about Egypt's victories,
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but they also warn him about
the great threat Egypt faces.
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Foreign domination.
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(speaking foreign language)
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Only two centuries earlier,
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a foreign tribe wrested
control of northern Egypt,
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much to the shock of the people.
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They had always believed
their country was invincible.
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Yet, in 1648 BC,
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the Hyksos, a nomadic
people from the north-east,
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had moved in.
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They split the empire
into two rival factions.
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For millennia, the
country had been protected
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by its natural boundaries.
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Inhospitable deserts flanked the empire
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to the east and to the west,
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making invasion almost impossible.
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An army would die of thirst
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before it came in sight of an enemy.
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To the north, Lower Egypt was protected
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by the marshes of the Nile Delta.
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No enemy could cross them.
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Or so it seemed.
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And far to the south,
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the rocks and rapids of the Nile cataracts
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made the river unnavigable
along great stretches.
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The Egyptians were fully aware
of their great good fortune.
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- Egypt is naturally protected,
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and if the government of the day
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simply keeps up a few border forts
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with a handful of garrison troops,
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that's all that's needed.
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You can easily keep anybody out.
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And they did, for the first
15 centuries of their history,
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they were remarkably successful
in keeping all foreigners
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that were unwanted out of the country.
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- [Narrator] But the
Hyksos were different.
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With just one technological advancement,
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they infiltrated the delta
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and then went on the attack
from inside the country.
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To speed their invasion,
the Hyksos used a new
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and terrifying weapon,
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the chariot.
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With this superior technology,
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they drove the Egyptian
militias far to the south.
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On and on they rolled.
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It seemed nothing could stop them.
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There was one attempt to fight them off.
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An ancestor of Thutmose,
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King Seqenenre Tao, made a stand.
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A pharaoh facing the impossible,
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a full-scale invasion of his country.
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But he had no chance
against this well-armed,
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superior fighting force
from distant lands.
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Seqenenre Tao paid with his life.
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His mummy clearly shows
the terrible wounds
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that led to an agonizing death.
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- That really had shaken the
ego of the Egyptians, you know,
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to be invaded by these
people that they despised.
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And successfully invaded, for 108 years.
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That was a blow to their pride
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and a blow to their whole world vision.
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- [Narrator] After King Seqenenre Tao,
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King Ahmose, the ruler of Thebes,
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finally put an end to
the foreign domination.
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Archeologists pieced together this relief,
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the only account of Ahmose's
victory over the Hyksos.
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Ahmose had learned from his enemies
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and beat them at their own game.
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He built war chariots
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to expel the invaders from his country.
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Ahmose reunited Egypt's north and south,
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heralding what's known as the New Kingdom,
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whose pharaohs swore to
restore Egypt's glory
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and face down all foreign threats, always.
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But in the Near East, a new power
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is already gathering strength.
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The Mitanni, a warrior tribe
more formidable than the Hyksos
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and bent on expansion.
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The Mitanni are trying to weaken
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Egypt's influence in the north-east.
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They forge alliances with the
rulers of the Canaan region,
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promising to free them from
the taxes imposed by Egypt.
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As the Mitanni close
in on Egypt's borders,
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their ranks swell with their
enemy's former vassals.
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In the Egyptian capital of
Thebes, time is running out.
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But Thutmose, now grown,
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and Hatshepsut disagree on what to do.
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He wants to mobilize his army immediately
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to intercept the enemy
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before it reaches the borders of Egypt.
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Hatshepsut prefers to wait.
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She wants to avoid war at all costs,
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especially a war beyond the
boundaries of the empire.
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And even though Thutmose
is the rightful heir,
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Hatshepsut has yet to
surrender the throne.
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Thutmose insists that his strategy
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is the only way to save Egypt.
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But Hatshepsut calls the shots
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and he must obey.
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- I think that that distinction
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between Hatshepsut as a conservative,
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looking backward, in a sense,
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with her roots in the past,
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as opposed to Thutmose III
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who adopts this new outlook
of expansion and involvement
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and a dynamic approach to life.
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- [Narrator] Thutmose, denied
his war against the Mitanni,
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directs his attention elsewhere,
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to the region between Egypt and Nubia,
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a scene of constant conflict to the south.
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His ancestors had already built
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a chain of fortresses along the Nile.
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But the young king
wants to reinforce them,
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flexing his military muscle
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and proving that Egypt is still strong.
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The Nubians, fearsome warriors.
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constantly raided Egypt from the south.
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Today, most of Egypt's border
fortresses have disappeared.
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Their remains were
swallowed up in the 1960s
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when the Aswan Dam created Lake Nasser.
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But thanks to old archeological records,
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we have a sense of what
these forts looked like.
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Around 500 soldiers lived
in each fort complex,
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which operated like a small, walled tower.
261
00:15:52,975 --> 00:15:55,303
They contained barracks for the soldiers,
262
00:15:55,303 --> 00:15:59,436
storehouses for food,
workshops and temples.
263
00:15:59,436 --> 00:16:01,287
Watchtowers on the walls
264
00:16:01,287 --> 00:16:05,321
provided an unobstructed
view for kilometers.
265
00:16:05,321 --> 00:16:09,109
But these forts weren't just
for defense against invasion.
266
00:16:09,109 --> 00:16:12,453
They also protected the trade routes.
267
00:16:12,453 --> 00:16:15,273
Every pharaoh, including Thutmose,
268
00:16:15,273 --> 00:16:19,082
wanted access to the valuable
raw materials of Nubia,
269
00:16:19,082 --> 00:16:21,832
including gold, and human beings.
270
00:16:23,712 --> 00:16:27,601
- Egypt basically and
historically looks south,
271
00:16:27,601 --> 00:16:29,242
not only for its conquest
272
00:16:29,242 --> 00:16:31,576
but also for where it got its products.
273
00:16:31,576 --> 00:16:32,787
And one of those products
274
00:16:32,787 --> 00:16:36,243
that we tend forget today was manpower.
275
00:16:36,243 --> 00:16:39,101
They would send caravans down,
that we would perhaps today
276
00:16:39,101 --> 00:16:41,434
call slave-raiding caravans,
277
00:16:42,468 --> 00:16:46,537
and they would come back
with thousands of Nubians.
278
00:16:46,537 --> 00:16:49,393
- [Narrator] Thutmose's
southern campaign is successful.
279
00:16:49,393 --> 00:16:53,737
He returns from Nubia with
large numbers of slaves.
280
00:16:53,737 --> 00:16:57,961
His officers turn them into
paid, privileged soldiers
281
00:16:57,961 --> 00:17:02,128
because Nubian warriors are
considered superb archers.
282
00:17:04,824 --> 00:17:07,123
Equipped with newly designed bows,
283
00:17:07,123 --> 00:17:09,472
they can inflict terrible injuries,
284
00:17:09,472 --> 00:17:12,523
even from a great distance.
285
00:17:12,523 --> 00:17:15,940
Quietly, Thutmose builds a powerful army.
286
00:17:17,670 --> 00:17:19,681
The pharaoh is convinced.
287
00:17:19,681 --> 00:17:22,681
He can't avoid war with the Mitanni.
288
00:17:27,112 --> 00:17:31,272
And for that, he'll need
not just good soldiers,
289
00:17:31,272 --> 00:17:32,689
but more weapons.
290
00:17:37,533 --> 00:17:40,181
He fires up the foundries.
291
00:17:40,181 --> 00:17:44,377
His military workshops in
Memphis forge axes and hatchets,
292
00:17:44,377 --> 00:17:46,831
spears and arrowheads of bronze,
293
00:17:46,831 --> 00:17:50,664
the weapons the Egyptians
have long relied on.
294
00:17:51,701 --> 00:17:55,001
But Thutmose plays it a
little differently this time.
295
00:17:55,001 --> 00:17:59,380
Taking a page from Egypt's
old enemy, the Hyksos,
296
00:17:59,380 --> 00:18:03,517
he's equipping his army with war chariots.
297
00:18:03,517 --> 00:18:06,464
The Egyptians have taken
the old Hyksos chariot
298
00:18:06,464 --> 00:18:08,631
and radically improved it.
299
00:18:13,429 --> 00:18:15,590
We know what these chariots looked like
300
00:18:15,590 --> 00:18:19,257
from illustrations on
Egyptian temple walls.
301
00:18:23,336 --> 00:18:27,689
And a perfectly preserved,
gilded ceremonial chariot
302
00:18:27,689 --> 00:18:30,772
was found in the tomb of Tutankhamun.
303
00:18:31,851 --> 00:18:34,457
It demonstrates in every detail
304
00:18:34,457 --> 00:18:38,540
how the Egyptians constructed
their war machines.
305
00:18:44,318 --> 00:18:47,485
They built the chassis from bent wood.
306
00:18:48,871 --> 00:18:51,954
Extra spokes strengthened the wheels.
307
00:18:55,311 --> 00:18:59,478
The wide axle kept the chariot
stable even in sharp turns.
308
00:19:00,719 --> 00:19:04,656
The leather fighting
platform could absorb blows.
309
00:19:04,656 --> 00:19:06,939
And the chariot was held together by pins,
310
00:19:06,939 --> 00:19:09,627
sockets and leather straps.
311
00:19:09,627 --> 00:19:11,993
Damaged parts could be exchanged.
312
00:19:11,993 --> 00:19:13,893
Soldiers could dismantle the chariot
313
00:19:13,893 --> 00:19:16,752
and carry it over long distances.
314
00:19:16,752 --> 00:19:19,085
Something never done before.
315
00:19:23,635 --> 00:19:26,096
Maneuvering this hi-tech apparatus
316
00:19:26,096 --> 00:19:28,846
takes skill and lots of practice.
317
00:19:30,706 --> 00:19:34,286
Two men have to work
together in a confined space,
318
00:19:34,286 --> 00:19:36,263
the driver and the archer.
319
00:19:36,263 --> 00:19:40,444
Chariot, horses and soldiers
have to form a single unit
320
00:19:40,444 --> 00:19:43,611
to be able to react quickly in battle.
321
00:19:46,278 --> 00:19:50,620
Years of training were needed
before they could go to war,
322
00:19:50,620 --> 00:19:52,817
so they could be sure of
hitting their targets,
323
00:19:52,817 --> 00:19:56,150
moving at high speed over uneven ground.
324
00:20:00,570 --> 00:20:03,798
The young pharaoh enjoyed
his time among his soldiers,
325
00:20:03,798 --> 00:20:06,131
far from life in the palace.
326
00:20:07,843 --> 00:20:12,164
- Those two things, the
chariotry corps and the archers,
327
00:20:12,164 --> 00:20:15,526
owed a debt to the
Hyksos, very definitely,
328
00:20:15,526 --> 00:20:18,384
but the Egyptians now
developed these two arms
329
00:20:18,384 --> 00:20:22,384
into very, very important
aspects of their army.
330
00:20:27,100 --> 00:20:30,027
- [Narrator] Thutmose has
gathered more than 12,000
331
00:20:30,027 --> 00:20:34,194
men under his command, the
biggest army of its time.
332
00:20:42,577 --> 00:20:44,960
He now can put them to use
333
00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,960
because the pharaoh has
received important news.
334
00:20:51,831 --> 00:20:54,164
His aunt Hatshepsut is dead.
335
00:20:55,841 --> 00:20:57,841
It is the end of an era.
336
00:21:01,709 --> 00:21:05,736
Her memorial is a huge temple at Thebes.
337
00:21:05,736 --> 00:21:10,043
Built in her own lifetime, it
celebrates the peaceful era
338
00:21:10,043 --> 00:21:14,517
of the most powerful
woman in Egypt's history.
339
00:21:14,517 --> 00:21:17,434
Her ships set out to distant lands,
340
00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:24,190
and returned home,
loaded with exotic woods,
341
00:21:24,190 --> 00:21:25,607
gold, and slaves.
342
00:21:32,770 --> 00:21:37,747
Hatshepsut is laid to rest
in the Valley of the Kings.
343
00:21:37,747 --> 00:21:39,076
According to custom,
344
00:21:39,076 --> 00:21:43,609
the country mourns the
regent's death for 70 days.
345
00:21:43,609 --> 00:21:46,589
And that gives Egypt's
enemies to the north-east
346
00:21:46,589 --> 00:21:50,006
the opportunity they've been waiting for.
347
00:21:51,326 --> 00:21:53,576
It was time to join forces.
348
00:21:55,311 --> 00:21:58,024
- With Hatshepsut's sickening,
349
00:21:58,024 --> 00:21:59,573
the whole world began to know it.
350
00:21:59,573 --> 00:22:01,658
I mean, there was communication.
351
00:22:01,658 --> 00:22:04,825
And so it would appear to those forces
352
00:22:05,792 --> 00:22:07,656
that wanted to get back into Egypt
353
00:22:07,656 --> 00:22:10,271
that now was the time.
354
00:22:10,271 --> 00:22:12,525
- [Narrator] A powerful
coalition of enemy princes
355
00:22:12,525 --> 00:22:16,442
gathers close to Megiddo,
ready to strike west.
356
00:22:17,639 --> 00:22:20,710
For years, Thutmose has
failed to take action
357
00:22:20,710 --> 00:22:23,441
against the Asian threat.
358
00:22:23,441 --> 00:22:27,384
Now, he has to act swiftly
to forestall the enemy,
359
00:22:27,384 --> 00:22:28,967
by attacking first.
360
00:22:31,246 --> 00:22:33,926
The pharaoh leads his army
north-east from Memphis
361
00:22:33,926 --> 00:22:37,462
through 400 kilometers of
barren, hostile landscape
362
00:22:37,462 --> 00:22:39,045
to Gaza, in Canaan.
363
00:22:41,585 --> 00:22:43,770
The desert has protected the Egyptians
364
00:22:43,770 --> 00:22:45,834
for thousands of years.
365
00:22:45,834 --> 00:22:48,001
Now they have to cross it.
366
00:22:51,577 --> 00:22:54,647
They form a gigantic column,
367
00:22:54,647 --> 00:22:59,064
12,000 men and 2,400 animals.
368
00:22:59,837 --> 00:23:02,808
An army this size needs regular supplies,
369
00:23:02,808 --> 00:23:06,891
including 50,000 liters
of fresh water every day.
370
00:23:08,570 --> 00:23:12,608
Until recently, no one
knew how they managed it.
371
00:23:12,608 --> 00:23:16,035
But new discoveries reveal
the level of foresight
372
00:23:16,035 --> 00:23:18,483
and planning the Egyptians invested
373
00:23:18,483 --> 00:23:21,163
in these desert campaigns.
374
00:23:21,163 --> 00:23:24,218
Ancient stone route-markers
375
00:23:24,218 --> 00:23:26,287
and millions of pottery fragments
376
00:23:26,287 --> 00:23:28,890
strewn in remote parts of the Sahara
377
00:23:28,890 --> 00:23:31,390
reveal forgotten trade routes.
378
00:23:32,477 --> 00:23:35,103
Surprisingly, the ancient Egyptians
379
00:23:35,103 --> 00:23:37,309
had no camels to make the journey.
380
00:23:37,309 --> 00:23:40,392
They had to rely on oxen and donkeys.
381
00:23:44,044 --> 00:23:48,211
And so they developed a
sophisticated water-supply system.
382
00:23:51,497 --> 00:23:54,944
Huge caravans headed out
in front of the army,
383
00:23:54,944 --> 00:23:57,526
loaded with thousands of liters of water,
384
00:23:57,526 --> 00:24:01,276
creating artificial rest
stops in the desert.
385
00:24:06,017 --> 00:24:09,897
Every 70 kilometers, these advance units
386
00:24:09,897 --> 00:24:11,885
would set up stores of water,
387
00:24:11,885 --> 00:24:14,030
providing vitally needed refreshments
388
00:24:14,030 --> 00:24:16,113
for the following troops.
389
00:24:21,749 --> 00:24:24,804
Today, the millions of pottery fragments
390
00:24:24,804 --> 00:24:27,288
clearly indicate the ancient trade routes
391
00:24:27,288 --> 00:24:28,871
through the Sahara.
392
00:24:37,898 --> 00:24:40,664
They demonstrate the
unquestioned coordination
393
00:24:40,664 --> 00:24:44,331
and cooperation so
typical of ancient Egypt.
394
00:24:48,075 --> 00:24:52,507
After ten days, Thutmose and
his army reach Palestine.
395
00:24:52,507 --> 00:24:55,757
They have defeated the desert of Sinai.
396
00:24:57,028 --> 00:24:58,871
But 11 days' strenuous marching
397
00:24:58,871 --> 00:25:02,789
still separate them from their target,
398
00:25:02,789 --> 00:25:04,210
Megiddo.
399
00:25:04,210 --> 00:25:08,214
A fortified town perched
strategically on a hilltop
400
00:25:08,214 --> 00:25:09,964
in modern-day Israel.
401
00:25:12,789 --> 00:25:15,555
Its lofty position makes
sneak attacks against it
402
00:25:15,555 --> 00:25:17,305
virtually impossible.
403
00:25:19,388 --> 00:25:21,888
Today, fields carpet the area.
404
00:25:22,861 --> 00:25:26,414
Then, it was a vital
part of the trade route.
405
00:25:26,414 --> 00:25:30,164
It was here that Thutmose's
enemies gathered.
406
00:25:33,984 --> 00:25:35,967
- If you're just here at Megiddo,
407
00:25:35,967 --> 00:25:38,248
you can command the Jezreel Valley.
408
00:25:38,248 --> 00:25:39,718
And if you command the valley,
409
00:25:39,718 --> 00:25:41,321
you command this whole region.
410
00:25:41,321 --> 00:25:44,114
So Megiddo is an
extremely strategic place.
411
00:25:44,114 --> 00:25:47,620
Thutmose III knew it, so
did the Canaanite rebels.
412
00:25:47,620 --> 00:25:49,274
That's why they meet here.
413
00:25:49,274 --> 00:25:51,298
It's not only a great place to fight
414
00:25:51,298 --> 00:25:54,798
but whoever wins controls the entire area.
415
00:25:56,137 --> 00:25:57,372
- [Narrator] Thutmose's army
416
00:25:57,372 --> 00:26:00,450
is just 30 kilometers from Megiddo.
417
00:26:00,450 --> 00:26:04,450
But now the Carmel Mountains
stand in their way.
418
00:26:05,628 --> 00:26:08,188
The pharaoh faces three choices.
419
00:26:08,188 --> 00:26:10,390
He can bypass the rugged hills,
420
00:26:10,390 --> 00:26:13,741
taking the northern or the southern route.
421
00:26:13,741 --> 00:26:17,241
Or, he can attempt to cross them, head on.
422
00:26:20,564 --> 00:26:22,301
While the soldiers rest,
423
00:26:22,301 --> 00:26:26,218
Thutmose summons his
generals to a war council.
424
00:26:28,328 --> 00:26:31,141
The mountains are treacherous, he is told.
425
00:26:31,141 --> 00:26:33,891
Crossing them is a fool's errand.
426
00:26:35,655 --> 00:26:38,822
His generals are quite clear about it.
427
00:26:39,868 --> 00:26:43,108
The soldiers have already
endured a four-week march.
428
00:26:43,108 --> 00:26:44,947
Traversing the mountain would only
429
00:26:44,947 --> 00:26:48,755
exhaust them before the coming battle.
430
00:26:48,755 --> 00:26:52,922
But Thutmose sees it
differently, more strategically.
431
00:26:54,290 --> 00:26:57,643
The pharaoh's plan of action
at this crucial moment
432
00:26:57,643 --> 00:27:01,571
is immortalized on the
temple walls of Karnak.
433
00:27:01,571 --> 00:27:04,175
So important was his decision
434
00:27:04,175 --> 00:27:07,451
that the fate of Egypt depended on it.
435
00:27:07,451 --> 00:27:10,618
At moments like this, history is made.
436
00:27:12,886 --> 00:27:15,594
- As we see in this
hieroglyphic record here,
437
00:27:15,594 --> 00:27:20,385
which actually are excerpts
from the king's own diary.
438
00:27:20,385 --> 00:27:24,442
Pharaoh said "No, I am going
to go through the narrow pass.
439
00:27:24,442 --> 00:27:26,992
"so as not to give any
impression to the enemy
440
00:27:26,992 --> 00:27:30,227
"that I am weak or cowardly."
441
00:27:30,227 --> 00:27:32,536
- [Narrator] Thutmose orders the advance,
442
00:27:32,536 --> 00:27:34,869
straight over the mountains.
443
00:27:35,946 --> 00:27:38,823
A narrow and extended column of troops
444
00:27:38,823 --> 00:27:40,656
snakes its way uphill.
445
00:27:42,222 --> 00:27:45,555
Dismantled chariots slow their progress.
446
00:27:47,879 --> 00:27:50,263
As they crawl over the rocks,
447
00:27:50,263 --> 00:27:53,263
the troops are vulnerable to attack.
448
00:27:59,643 --> 00:28:03,788
But Thutmose knows it's
too late to turn back.
449
00:28:03,788 --> 00:28:06,788
There's no time for second-guessing.
450
00:28:11,077 --> 00:28:14,860
His men follow without question,
but surely some believe
451
00:28:14,860 --> 00:28:17,693
they are marching to their deaths.
452
00:28:21,116 --> 00:28:23,993
The pharaoh suspects the enemy's leader,
453
00:28:23,993 --> 00:28:26,092
Canaanite King of Kadesh,
454
00:28:26,092 --> 00:28:28,267
positioned his troops along the northern
455
00:28:28,267 --> 00:28:31,184
and southern approaches to Megiddo.
456
00:28:32,259 --> 00:28:33,917
He can only hope the king
457
00:28:33,917 --> 00:28:36,834
left the mountain route undefended.
458
00:28:41,885 --> 00:28:43,718
The Egyptian troops struggle
459
00:28:43,718 --> 00:28:47,343
as the mountain pass squeezes
tighter at every corner.
460
00:28:47,343 --> 00:28:51,510
Any moment now, the coalition
forces could attack.
461
00:28:56,359 --> 00:28:58,942
The route is almost impassable.
462
00:29:00,535 --> 00:29:03,964
The soldiers barely make any progress.
463
00:29:03,964 --> 00:29:06,634
As tempers fray, Pharaoh
is forced to acknowledge
464
00:29:06,634 --> 00:29:09,217
this may be a terrible mistake.
465
00:29:10,659 --> 00:29:14,826
But, miraculously, the Egyptians
reach the end of the pass.
466
00:29:16,192 --> 00:29:19,672
Ahead of them spreads
the Plain of Megiddo.
467
00:29:19,672 --> 00:29:22,453
They made it past this obstacle
468
00:29:22,453 --> 00:29:25,760
but the hardest work still lies ahead.
469
00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,843
The crucial battle is about to begin.
470
00:29:39,241 --> 00:29:42,491
At daybreak, the Egyptians
launch a surprise attack
471
00:29:42,491 --> 00:29:43,991
on the enemy camp.
472
00:29:50,469 --> 00:29:53,655
Too late, the King of Kadesh realizes
473
00:29:53,655 --> 00:29:55,738
that he's been outwitted.
474
00:29:59,716 --> 00:30:02,626
He has allowed Thutmose
and his 12,000 troops
475
00:30:02,626 --> 00:30:05,391
to cross the mountains unimpeded.
476
00:30:05,391 --> 00:30:07,675
He has seriously underestimated
477
00:30:07,675 --> 00:30:10,842
the pharaoh's ability as a war leader.
478
00:30:12,390 --> 00:30:15,367
It spells disaster as the Egyptians
479
00:30:15,367 --> 00:30:20,014
hopelessly outnumber the
Canaanite units on the plain.
480
00:30:20,014 --> 00:30:22,436
With no time to call for reinforcements,
481
00:30:22,436 --> 00:30:25,519
the Canaanite coalition must retreat.
482
00:30:30,201 --> 00:30:32,386
The victorious Egyptians
483
00:30:32,386 --> 00:30:35,886
seem to be entering a deserted enemy camp.
484
00:30:40,929 --> 00:30:44,623
In fact, the King of Kadesh
is waiting for the chance
485
00:30:44,623 --> 00:30:47,873
to follow his fleeing troops to safety.
486
00:30:57,361 --> 00:31:00,944
Suddenly, the moment
for the escape arrives
487
00:31:03,134 --> 00:31:06,801
as greed gets the better
of Thutmose's army.
488
00:31:12,307 --> 00:31:13,927
Instead of pursuing the enemy,
489
00:31:13,927 --> 00:31:18,094
the Egyptian troops stay
behind to plunder the camp,
490
00:31:20,559 --> 00:31:23,976
to the fury of their general and emperor.
491
00:31:25,431 --> 00:31:28,659
In Pharaoh's own words,
Thutmose III's own words,
492
00:31:28,659 --> 00:31:30,443
taken from his daybook,
493
00:31:30,443 --> 00:31:33,182
which we see here in
this hieroglyphic text,
494
00:31:33,182 --> 00:31:37,553
he said "If only my army
had not given its attention
495
00:31:37,553 --> 00:31:39,741
"to the plundering of the enemy camp.
496
00:31:39,741 --> 00:31:43,741
"Megiddo would have been
taken in a single day."
497
00:31:45,259 --> 00:31:49,287
Thutmose has won his first great battle.
498
00:31:49,287 --> 00:31:52,888
But his inexperience and his
troops' lack of discipline
499
00:31:52,888 --> 00:31:55,561
have let the enemy escape.
500
00:31:55,561 --> 00:31:57,968
As the Egyptians gather their loot,
501
00:31:57,968 --> 00:32:01,968
the Canaanite coalition
holes up inside Megiddo.
502
00:32:04,512 --> 00:32:05,886
Throughout its long history,
503
00:32:05,886 --> 00:32:09,136
Megiddo has been a formidable fortress.
504
00:32:10,405 --> 00:32:13,816
Today, a team of students
excavates the city,
505
00:32:13,816 --> 00:32:15,066
level by level.
506
00:32:17,774 --> 00:32:19,772
They dig through the sand
507
00:32:19,772 --> 00:32:22,939
of thousands of years of civilization,
508
00:32:24,835 --> 00:32:27,203
before reaching the city foundations
509
00:32:27,203 --> 00:32:29,703
from the time of Thutmose III.
510
00:32:33,246 --> 00:32:35,149
The fragments of pottery they collect
511
00:32:35,149 --> 00:32:38,982
are the best way to date
the different layers.
512
00:32:40,337 --> 00:32:42,081
When they find foundations
513
00:32:42,081 --> 00:32:44,858
from more than 3,000 years ago,
514
00:32:44,858 --> 00:32:47,612
they reconstruct the shape of the fortress
515
00:32:47,612 --> 00:32:50,368
and of the buildings inside.
516
00:32:50,368 --> 00:32:53,875
It turns out that Megiddo
was not a fortress
517
00:32:53,875 --> 00:32:55,909
with great defensive walls.
518
00:32:55,909 --> 00:32:57,826
They weren't necessary.
519
00:32:58,854 --> 00:33:02,127
- There was a palace in a
certain part of the city.
520
00:33:02,127 --> 00:33:04,377
We know where the gate was.
521
00:33:05,294 --> 00:33:08,487
We know where the temple was.
522
00:33:08,487 --> 00:33:11,233
So the two most important components
523
00:33:11,233 --> 00:33:12,756
of a city like this,
524
00:33:12,756 --> 00:33:14,850
their location is well known.
525
00:33:14,850 --> 00:33:18,326
And then we know that there
was no major fortification
526
00:33:18,326 --> 00:33:20,014
surrounding this site,
527
00:33:20,014 --> 00:33:22,996
but houses built connected to each other,
528
00:33:22,996 --> 00:33:25,771
and forming some sort of a belt of houses
529
00:33:25,771 --> 00:33:30,164
which gave protection
to the people inside.
530
00:33:30,164 --> 00:33:32,218
- [Narrator] Megiddo's fortified houses
531
00:33:32,218 --> 00:33:34,101
perched atop a steep hill
532
00:33:34,101 --> 00:33:37,313
protect the King of Kadesh and his men.
533
00:33:37,313 --> 00:33:39,111
According to ancient sources,
534
00:33:39,111 --> 00:33:41,861
the siege lasts for seven months.
535
00:33:43,191 --> 00:33:45,591
How they could hold out for so long
536
00:33:45,591 --> 00:33:47,754
has always been a mystery.
537
00:33:47,754 --> 00:33:51,001
Until archeologists discovered remnants
538
00:33:51,001 --> 00:33:53,751
of a sophisticated supply system.
539
00:33:54,776 --> 00:33:58,039
A huge tunnel, dug deep into the mountain,
540
00:33:58,039 --> 00:34:00,456
supplied the city with water.
541
00:34:03,872 --> 00:34:06,963
Thutmose III says they
held out for seven months,
542
00:34:06,963 --> 00:34:10,476
so they obviously had enough
water and enough food.
543
00:34:10,476 --> 00:34:12,134
Now, what he doesn't say
544
00:34:12,134 --> 00:34:14,621
is how they finally captured the city.
545
00:34:14,621 --> 00:34:16,109
They must have breached the walls,
546
00:34:16,109 --> 00:34:18,443
they must have knocked down the city gates
547
00:34:18,443 --> 00:34:20,721
or they paid somebody
to open up the gates.
548
00:34:20,721 --> 00:34:22,762
Something very common in antiquity,
549
00:34:22,762 --> 00:34:24,429
they must have done.
550
00:34:30,374 --> 00:34:34,193
- [Narrator] Whatever
happened, Megiddo finally fell.
551
00:34:34,193 --> 00:34:37,776
The Egyptians at last
defeat their enemies.
552
00:34:40,063 --> 00:34:43,026
The King of Kadesh and his allies
553
00:34:43,026 --> 00:34:45,609
are brought before the pharaoh.
554
00:34:49,267 --> 00:34:53,870
It's time for Thutmose to
show his skills as statesman,
555
00:34:53,870 --> 00:34:56,851
to find a way to rule
this conquered territory
556
00:34:56,851 --> 00:35:00,101
so far away from his capital in Thebes.
557
00:35:01,029 --> 00:35:03,850
Challenging the pharaoh is like blasphemy.
558
00:35:03,850 --> 00:35:06,350
Violators can expect no mercy.
559
00:35:11,665 --> 00:35:15,832
The generals demand their
enemies be put to death.
560
00:35:20,346 --> 00:35:25,298
But the King of Kadesh begs
for the lives of his family.
561
00:35:25,298 --> 00:35:29,097
Once more, Thutmose ignores his generals
562
00:35:29,097 --> 00:35:33,264
and follows his own instincts
dealing with his enemies.
563
00:35:34,830 --> 00:35:36,801
- At that point, what happened
564
00:35:36,801 --> 00:35:40,820
became standard imperial
practice for four centuries.
565
00:35:40,820 --> 00:35:43,570
They were forced to take
an oath immediately,
566
00:35:43,570 --> 00:35:48,042
never again to rebel
against Pharaoh and Egypt.
567
00:35:48,042 --> 00:35:49,766
At the same time they were,
568
00:35:49,766 --> 00:35:52,918
it was made plain to them that
they had to hand in taxes,
569
00:35:52,918 --> 00:35:54,211
the same kind of taxes
570
00:35:54,211 --> 00:35:56,605
that the Egyptian peasants had to hand in,
571
00:35:56,605 --> 00:35:59,971
whenever Pharaoh or his
ministers asked for them.
572
00:35:59,971 --> 00:36:01,887
And finally, they were obliged
573
00:36:01,887 --> 00:36:04,554
to give up their young children.
574
00:36:05,605 --> 00:36:09,133
- [Narrator] Thutmose spares
the lives of the rebel leaders.
575
00:36:09,133 --> 00:36:13,931
But he sends their children
to Egypt as hostages.
576
00:36:13,931 --> 00:36:16,380
They will guarantee that their fathers
577
00:36:16,380 --> 00:36:19,963
never again disobey
the pharaoh's commands.
578
00:36:25,270 --> 00:36:29,103
On the Nile, they will
be raised as Egyptians.
579
00:36:30,109 --> 00:36:32,523
The girls will stay in Egypt.
580
00:36:32,523 --> 00:36:36,710
The boys will one day
return to their homeland
581
00:36:36,710 --> 00:36:40,543
as vassal kings in the
service of the pharaoh.
582
00:36:43,008 --> 00:36:45,916
- As an Egyptian, if you're
trying to conquer this region,
583
00:36:45,916 --> 00:36:48,591
it makes much more sense
to capture the cities
584
00:36:48,591 --> 00:36:51,345
and then turn them into
an Egyptian capital city,
585
00:36:51,345 --> 00:36:53,883
an Egyptian stronghold, and then rule it,
586
00:36:53,883 --> 00:36:54,961
which is what they do.
587
00:36:54,961 --> 00:36:56,528
They rule this area, they rule Canaan
588
00:36:56,528 --> 00:37:00,969
for the next 300 or 400 years
from cities like Jerusalem,
589
00:37:00,969 --> 00:37:03,173
like Megiddo, like others.
590
00:37:03,173 --> 00:37:04,590
It makes perfect sense.
591
00:37:04,590 --> 00:37:05,989
Why would you destroy it
592
00:37:05,989 --> 00:37:10,374
when it makes much more
sense to occupy it?
593
00:37:10,374 --> 00:37:14,205
- [Narrator] Thutmose
returns home in triumph,
594
00:37:14,205 --> 00:37:16,727
proving himself a worthy pharaoh
595
00:37:16,727 --> 00:37:18,644
and a powerful general.
596
00:37:22,376 --> 00:37:25,233
Throughout the land,
Egyptians hail the victory
597
00:37:25,233 --> 00:37:29,400
over the King of Kadesh and
the conquest of Megiddo.
598
00:37:32,959 --> 00:37:35,302
Priests throw open the doors
599
00:37:35,302 --> 00:37:38,635
to the sanctuaries of the imperial gods.
600
00:37:40,091 --> 00:37:43,355
The spoils of war, the enemy's gold,
601
00:37:43,355 --> 00:37:44,834
are offered to the god
602
00:37:44,834 --> 00:37:47,640
who made this victory possible.
603
00:37:47,640 --> 00:37:50,307
Amun, supreme god of the kingdom
604
00:37:51,422 --> 00:37:53,755
and of the fledgling empire.
605
00:37:55,102 --> 00:38:00,069
In Thebes, the capital. life
feels safer, more secure.
606
00:38:00,069 --> 00:38:02,569
But that feeling is deceptive.
607
00:38:06,753 --> 00:38:09,276
The main enemy, the Mitanni,
608
00:38:09,276 --> 00:38:12,728
have by no means been vanquished.
609
00:38:12,728 --> 00:38:15,728
And they are plotting their revenge.
610
00:38:18,448 --> 00:38:21,443
Thutmose tightens his hold on Canaan.
611
00:38:21,443 --> 00:38:23,540
But his victory is fragile.
612
00:38:23,540 --> 00:38:27,707
He decides to crush the
Mitanni in their own country.
613
00:38:28,671 --> 00:38:33,456
- He did it only after the
first four or five campaigns
614
00:38:33,456 --> 00:38:37,291
that consolidated his hold on Palestine,
615
00:38:37,291 --> 00:38:40,158
what we would call today
Palestine, in the south.
616
00:38:40,158 --> 00:38:43,866
Then he directed his next campaigns
617
00:38:43,866 --> 00:38:45,922
against the Lebanese coast.
618
00:38:45,922 --> 00:38:50,235
And to do that, it would
be much more useful,
619
00:38:50,235 --> 00:38:54,203
and easier, perhaps, to load
his army into transports
620
00:38:54,203 --> 00:38:56,120
and send them by water.
621
00:38:57,326 --> 00:39:00,307
Ancient records show that Thutmose planned
622
00:39:00,307 --> 00:39:03,652
a land-sea campaign against the Mitanni.
623
00:39:03,652 --> 00:39:07,819
But archeologists weren't
convinced it was possible.
624
00:39:11,563 --> 00:39:15,525
Hundreds of model boats found in tombs
625
00:39:15,525 --> 00:39:17,912
and countless temple reliefs
626
00:39:17,912 --> 00:39:20,335
show how important ships were
627
00:39:20,335 --> 00:39:22,918
to the lives of every Egyptian.
628
00:39:24,411 --> 00:39:27,244
But could they sail the high seas?
629
00:39:30,301 --> 00:39:33,473
- We know, for example, that
Thutmose III and his men
630
00:39:33,473 --> 00:39:37,057
are in contact with Crete,
with mainland Greece.
631
00:39:37,057 --> 00:39:39,493
At this time, you can
only get there by ship.
632
00:39:39,493 --> 00:39:42,898
So we've got the
representations on the walls
633
00:39:42,898 --> 00:39:46,400
of Rekhmire and other
officials of Thutmose III
634
00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:50,317
showing the ships docked
at the Egyptian ports.
635
00:39:52,033 --> 00:39:54,758
- Despite images and inscriptions,
636
00:39:54,758 --> 00:39:57,088
there was no archeological proof
637
00:39:57,088 --> 00:40:00,588
that Egyptians could build seagoing ships.
638
00:40:01,910 --> 00:40:05,864
Then, a few years ago beside the Red Sea,
639
00:40:05,864 --> 00:40:07,915
researchers discovered remnants
640
00:40:07,915 --> 00:40:09,865
of an Egyptian sea port,
641
00:40:09,865 --> 00:40:12,115
one of only two ever found.
642
00:40:13,134 --> 00:40:15,429
A network of at least seven galleries
643
00:40:15,429 --> 00:40:18,012
dug deep into fossilized coral.
644
00:40:18,942 --> 00:40:21,308
Tangible evidence that Egyptians
645
00:40:21,308 --> 00:40:25,475
could not only sail on the
Nile but also on the open sea.
646
00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:29,873
International experts found pottery,
647
00:40:29,873 --> 00:40:31,832
the remains of ships' timbers,
648
00:40:31,832 --> 00:40:35,999
and texts recording
state-sponsored trading ventures.
649
00:40:39,709 --> 00:40:43,292
But the caves held an
even bigger surprise.
650
00:40:45,902 --> 00:40:48,678
Deep inside these storehouses,
651
00:40:48,678 --> 00:40:50,928
scientists found the proof.
652
00:40:51,843 --> 00:40:55,593
Cargo and equipment left
by Egyptian sailors.
653
00:40:56,667 --> 00:41:00,530
Hundreds of meters of
ancient ships' ropes,
654
00:41:00,530 --> 00:41:03,535
remains of a seagoing people.
655
00:41:03,535 --> 00:41:05,641
- The Egyptians built cargo ships
656
00:41:05,641 --> 00:41:07,607
that were capable of long journeys
657
00:41:07,607 --> 00:41:10,774
hundreds of years before Thutmose III.
658
00:41:11,728 --> 00:41:14,136
- [Narrator] Marine
archeologist Cheryl Ward
659
00:41:14,136 --> 00:41:18,100
has excavated sections of wooden planks.
660
00:41:18,100 --> 00:41:20,865
She needs just a few
fragments from the stern
661
00:41:20,865 --> 00:41:23,448
to reconstruct the entire ship.
662
00:41:31,512 --> 00:41:33,387
These vessels were much sturdier
663
00:41:33,387 --> 00:41:36,970
and bigger than the
boats used on the Nile.
664
00:41:38,936 --> 00:41:41,686
Each ship was made from 20 trees.
665
00:41:43,861 --> 00:41:47,861
It could carry 40 people
and 17 tons of freight.
666
00:41:50,390 --> 00:41:52,639
With 14-meter-wide sails,
667
00:41:52,639 --> 00:41:54,991
the ship could travel at 6 knots,
668
00:41:54,991 --> 00:41:58,324
three times faster than donkeys on land.
669
00:42:00,082 --> 00:42:02,750
- Another reason this piece
of wood is really special
670
00:42:02,750 --> 00:42:05,109
is that it's got great examples of the way
671
00:42:05,109 --> 00:42:06,987
the Egyptians held their ships together.
672
00:42:06,987 --> 00:42:09,374
They used big pieces
of wood we call tenons
673
00:42:09,374 --> 00:42:12,196
and they fit inside holes in each plank.
674
00:42:12,196 --> 00:42:14,389
We see the ends of each tenon here.
675
00:42:14,389 --> 00:42:16,586
They're in pairs, and you can imagine
676
00:42:16,586 --> 00:42:18,903
another plank jammed up here next to it
677
00:42:18,903 --> 00:42:23,512
with these great pieces of
wood holding it together.
678
00:42:23,512 --> 00:42:27,122
There's also here what we call a ligature.
679
00:42:27,122 --> 00:42:29,989
They threaded strips of copper
through here like ribbon
680
00:42:29,989 --> 00:42:32,681
and tied the end of another plank to it,
681
00:42:32,681 --> 00:42:35,397
so that the seam between that plank
682
00:42:35,397 --> 00:42:38,564
and the keel was as tight as possible.
683
00:42:39,880 --> 00:42:42,703
- [Narrator] This construction-kit
approach made it possible
684
00:42:42,703 --> 00:42:45,095
to easily dismantle the ships,
685
00:42:45,095 --> 00:42:47,854
just like the Egyptian chariots.
686
00:42:47,854 --> 00:42:51,020
Sailors could transport
the pieces over land
687
00:42:51,020 --> 00:42:54,770
and reassemble the ship
at their destination.
688
00:42:57,285 --> 00:43:01,708
That destination was the
empire of the Mitanni,
689
00:43:01,708 --> 00:43:05,791
Thutmose's arch-enemy,
900 kilometers from Egypt.
690
00:43:09,085 --> 00:43:13,902
Thutmose sails north with
170 ships and a huge army.
691
00:43:13,902 --> 00:43:17,705
They disembark, carrying a few
disassembled ships with them,
692
00:43:17,705 --> 00:43:20,122
to cross the River Euphrates.
693
00:43:25,660 --> 00:43:27,435
Gathering on the far side of the river,
694
00:43:27,435 --> 00:43:30,602
the Egyptian soldiers prepare for war.
695
00:43:42,258 --> 00:43:46,441
But the great battle the
Egyptians geared up for
696
00:43:46,441 --> 00:43:47,608
never happens.
697
00:43:48,579 --> 00:43:52,662
The Mitanni have retreated
into the Asian plains.
698
00:43:55,081 --> 00:43:57,827
Thutmose destroys their cities,
699
00:43:57,827 --> 00:44:01,494
staking his territory
and declaring victory.
700
00:44:07,122 --> 00:44:11,289
His war diaries end soon
after his Euphrates campaign.
701
00:44:15,624 --> 00:44:18,403
A royal stele on the Euphrates shore
702
00:44:18,403 --> 00:44:21,903
marks the furthest boundary of his empire.
703
00:44:23,574 --> 00:44:26,455
Thutmose has reached
the geographical limits
704
00:44:26,455 --> 00:44:28,213
of his military power.
705
00:44:28,213 --> 00:44:31,130
Egypt too will never reach further.
706
00:44:32,556 --> 00:44:36,938
At last, Thutmose and his
soldiers can return home.
707
00:44:36,938 --> 00:44:40,893
No Egyptian wants to live
here, so far from Egypt.
708
00:44:40,893 --> 00:44:43,879
The Nile is the center of their world.
709
00:44:43,879 --> 00:44:45,379
Paradise on earth.
710
00:44:46,890 --> 00:44:51,412
And so this ancient superpower
kept mainly to itself,
711
00:44:51,412 --> 00:44:55,579
expanding only when it was
reasonable and necessary.
712
00:44:57,731 --> 00:45:01,898
- Thutmose III seems to exemplify
that old Egyptian interest
713
00:45:02,963 --> 00:45:07,503
in surrounding territories as
a sphere of influence only.
714
00:45:07,503 --> 00:45:09,867
Not a formal empire but
just a sphere of influence
715
00:45:09,867 --> 00:45:12,831
in which the Egyptian messenger can go
716
00:45:12,831 --> 00:45:15,356
and tell the local
chief, I want so and so,
717
00:45:15,356 --> 00:45:17,586
you have to comply with Pharaoh's wishes.
718
00:45:17,586 --> 00:45:22,142
And the chief will say yes,
sir, yes, sir, and do so.
719
00:45:22,142 --> 00:45:23,496
- [Narrator] Once again,
720
00:45:23,496 --> 00:45:26,492
Thutmose returns to Thebes in triumph,
721
00:45:26,492 --> 00:45:30,819
expanding the Egyptian sphere
of influence as never before.
722
00:45:30,819 --> 00:45:34,236
No pharaoh's power had ever been greater.
723
00:45:35,126 --> 00:45:38,122
Thutmose has accomplished his life's work
724
00:45:38,122 --> 00:45:42,673
and banished the danger
of foreign domination.
725
00:45:42,673 --> 00:45:45,060
To thank the gods for his victories,
726
00:45:45,060 --> 00:45:47,727
he extends the Temple of Karnak.
727
00:45:53,304 --> 00:45:55,788
And he decorates the walls with images
728
00:45:55,788 --> 00:45:57,928
of the exotic animals and plants
729
00:45:57,928 --> 00:46:00,511
he discovered on his campaigns.
730
00:46:02,438 --> 00:46:04,474
Like all of his ancestors,
731
00:46:04,474 --> 00:46:07,404
Thutmose is portrayed
in the temple reliefs
732
00:46:07,404 --> 00:46:10,404
as the conqueror of Egypt's enemies.
733
00:46:13,826 --> 00:46:16,361
But he was more than that.
734
00:46:16,361 --> 00:46:20,712
He used his victories to link
Egypt with the outside world
735
00:46:20,712 --> 00:46:23,462
for the first time in 1500 years.
736
00:46:26,295 --> 00:46:27,951
- During the New Kingdom,
737
00:46:27,951 --> 00:46:31,209
when Egypt became a much
more international power
738
00:46:31,209 --> 00:46:34,788
and extended its authority
far into western Asia,
739
00:46:34,788 --> 00:46:38,038
into the Mediterranean, into the Sudan,
740
00:46:39,813 --> 00:46:41,753
this gradually changed.
741
00:46:41,753 --> 00:46:44,180
Egypt became much more aware of foreigners
742
00:46:44,180 --> 00:46:47,013
and became more accepting of them.
743
00:46:47,957 --> 00:46:49,662
- [Narrator] Thutmose is remembered
744
00:46:49,662 --> 00:46:52,492
as the greatest Egyptian general
745
00:46:52,492 --> 00:46:54,825
and as an astute politician.
746
00:46:57,724 --> 00:47:01,286
His 54-year reign over 3 million people
747
00:47:01,286 --> 00:47:03,953
was unprecedented and brilliant.
748
00:47:05,640 --> 00:47:08,648
By understanding the
limits to foreign conquest,
749
00:47:08,648 --> 00:47:12,815
Thutmose made Egypt more stable
and secure than ever before.
750
00:47:14,380 --> 00:47:17,463
Egypt could now enter its Golden Age.
751
00:47:23,299 --> 00:47:26,132
(dramatic music)
58761
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