Contributions as Warrior Pharaoh
It is for Seti I’s extensive and successful military campaigns that he is best known. Through propaganda reliefs exhibiting his victories, Seti I emphasised his renewal of the role of military pharaoh after the lack of military conquests during Akhenaten’s reign.
Striving to emulate the military style and empire of the great 18th dynasty Pharaoh: Thutmose III, Seti I embarked on yearly campaigns throughout his reign, focusing on restoring Egypt’s empire and re-establishing order. His eagerness to lead such campaigns can be seen as a way to justify his claim to the throne.
Striving to emulate the military style and empire of the great 18th dynasty Pharaoh: Thutmose III, Seti I embarked on yearly campaigns throughout his reign, focusing on restoring Egypt’s empire and re-establishing order. His eagerness to lead such campaigns can be seen as a way to justify his claim to the throne.
The war scenes sculptured on the exterior walls of the Karnak Hypostyle Hall at the temple of Amun are our greatest primary source for Seti I’s military campaigns. They depict the battles, the triumphant victories, the proud returns to Egypt and presentations of bounty and prisoners to the gods. We must take into account however that these sources would have been used for propaganda purposes, and as is the case with many of the Pharaohs, Seti I may not have had as great involvement in these battles as is depicted. In addition, most of the top row of the reliefs are missing and the only date provided for all of Seti’s military campaigns is Year 1, which is quite problematic for a historian studying this source.
Seti I's First Military Campaign
Seti's first military campaign focused on regaining the Syria-Palestine region. From the evidence avaliable it appears that Seti carefully resembled the military strategy of Thutmose III.
An inscription on the north wall of the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak describes a battle in this campaign:
An inscription on the north wall of the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak describes a battle in this campaign:
“Year 1, the ‘Renaissance’, of King Men-ma-re (Seti I), endowed with life. His Majesty was informed as follows: ‘The Shosu beduin- foe are plotting rebellion…they ignore the laws of the palace. His Majesty was pleased at it. Now, as for this goodly god (the King), he exults at beginning the battle, he delights to enter into it; his heart is gratified at the sight of blood…His Majesty slays them at one stroke-he leaves them no heirs, and who(ever) escapes his hand is brought prisoner to Egypt.”
His victory over the Shosu Bedouin at Gaza in southern Palestine was just the beginning of Seti’s first campaign. From here, Seti led his army north, asserting his hold on Canaan and addressing any signs of local resistance.
The only other battle depicted on the Great Hypostyle Hall as being part of Seti's first campaign was an attack on Yenoam, a town in Palestine. This event is recorded in great detail on two stelae found in Beth Shan. The stele reveals that the towns of Beth Shan and Rehob which had previously belonged to the Egyptian empire were under attack by the armies of both Hamath and Pella. Seti’s army was divided into 3 divisions, each named after a god of the empire, Amun, Re and Seth. A division was sent to Hamath, Beth-Shan and to Yenoam. According to the stela, all 3 towns were captured in a single day. This action was quite a significant part of Seti’s first campaign and would have been vital in strengthening Egypt’s hold over Canaan.
Seti’s army moved north along the coast of Lebanon, where he received a tribute of cedar to aid in the construction of the Amen temple before leading an attack on Pella in Jordan as a consequence of attacking Beth Shan. Upon his return to Egypt, Seti is shown engaging in battle with the Bedouins and being victorious again. Seti’s triumphant return to Egypt accompanied by a number of captives is depicted in scenes 6 and 7 on the Hypostyle Hall. This campaign was of great importance as it restabilised Egyptian control in the north and pacified Canaan. In his returns to Canaan later in his reign, Seti directed his attention to the north and succeeded in capturing the southern half of the Phoenician coastline.
The following inscription was recorded on the stele in the Temple of Ptah at Karnak and describes the presenting of booty from the first campaign to Amen:
Seti’s army moved north along the coast of Lebanon, where he received a tribute of cedar to aid in the construction of the Amen temple before leading an attack on Pella in Jordan as a consequence of attacking Beth Shan. Upon his return to Egypt, Seti is shown engaging in battle with the Bedouins and being victorious again. Seti’s triumphant return to Egypt accompanied by a number of captives is depicted in scenes 6 and 7 on the Hypostyle Hall. This campaign was of great importance as it restabilised Egyptian control in the north and pacified Canaan. In his returns to Canaan later in his reign, Seti directed his attention to the north and succeeded in capturing the southern half of the Phoenician coastline.
The following inscription was recorded on the stele in the Temple of Ptah at Karnak and describes the presenting of booty from the first campaign to Amen:
Year 1 under the majesty of Seti I... His Majesty returned with glad heart from his first victorious campaigns... there is none that thrusts aside his hand, carrying away their chiefs as living captives, with their tribute upon their backs, presenting them to his august father, Amen and his associate gods, in order to fill their storehouse with male and female slaves.
Seti I's Second Military Campaign
A significant battle depicted in scenes 12, 13, 14 and 15 at Karnak is that between the Egyptians and the Libyans from the west. Whilst the sequence and details of Seti’s campaigns are not clear, renowned historian, James Henry Breasted placed this event in the 2nd military campaign.
The Libyan army were advancing from the western Delta region and were met by Seti's Egyptian army, who led their campaign from the Delta, Memphis and Heliopolis. Seti I was again successful, and the battle is well documented in the reliefs at Karnak. In one particular image, Seti is shown slaying the Libyan chief using a javelin. Further military encounters with the Libyans faced Seti's son, Ramesses II and grandson, Merenptah.
The Libyan army were advancing from the western Delta region and were met by Seti's Egyptian army, who led their campaign from the Delta, Memphis and Heliopolis. Seti I was again successful, and the battle is well documented in the reliefs at Karnak. In one particular image, Seti is shown slaying the Libyan chief using a javelin. Further military encounters with the Libyans faced Seti's son, Ramesses II and grandson, Merenptah.
Seti I's Third Military Campaign
The evidence for Seti I's third military campaign is limited due to the
condition of the Karnak reliefs. However it can be inferred that Seti’s third
campaign succeeded in conquering the majority of the state of Amurru and Naharin in the north.
Egypt’s empire and the territory of their greatest threat, The Hittites were now positioned directly alongside one another. A battle between the two powers could be predicted for the near future.
condition of the Karnak reliefs. However it can be inferred that Seti’s third
campaign succeeded in conquering the majority of the state of Amurru and Naharin in the north.
Egypt’s empire and the territory of their greatest threat, The Hittites were now positioned directly alongside one another. A battle between the two powers could be predicted for the near future.
Seti I's Fourth Military Campaign
Seti’s fourth military campaign is regarded as one of the most important of his reign as this was when the Egyptians waged war on the powerful Hittite army. The battle probably took place near Kadesh, a major city in central Syria which was a location of great desire for the New Kingdom Pharaohs. It had belonged to Egypt at one stage, but was lost to the Hittites during the reign of Akhenaten.
There is evidence to suggest that Seti may have made earlier attempts to capture Kadesh and planned an attack on the city in his third regnal year, however these notions were interrupted by the attack from the Libyans during his second campaign.
A victory stela discovered in Kadesh by French archaeologists suggests that Seti did succeed in capturing the town. If the was the case, Egypt only owned Kadesh for a short time before it returned to Hittite control by the beginning of Ramesses II's reign.
A formal treaty between Seti and the Hittite king, Muwatallish, may have been made during this campaign, promising that the Hittites would not attempt to capture Canaan and Upi in return for ownership of Kadesh and Amurru. Perhaps this treaty paved the way for the peace agreement signed by the two powers in Ramses II’s reign.
There is evidence to suggest that Seti may have made earlier attempts to capture Kadesh and planned an attack on the city in his third regnal year, however these notions were interrupted by the attack from the Libyans during his second campaign.
A victory stela discovered in Kadesh by French archaeologists suggests that Seti did succeed in capturing the town. If the was the case, Egypt only owned Kadesh for a short time before it returned to Hittite control by the beginning of Ramesses II's reign.
A formal treaty between Seti and the Hittite king, Muwatallish, may have been made during this campaign, promising that the Hittites would not attempt to capture Canaan and Upi in return for ownership of Kadesh and Amurru. Perhaps this treaty paved the way for the peace agreement signed by the two powers in Ramses II’s reign.
Seti I's Fifth Military Campaign
Seti I's Fifth Campaign which occurred in approximately year 8 of his reign was a battle with Nubia in the south. As Nubia was the source of Egypt's gold and in affect, wealth, it was of great importance that influence in this region was maintained. The purpose of this campaign is recorded as being to calm a rebellion from the Irem people.
Reliefs at a desert temple referred to as 'Temple of the Wadi Abbad' show Seti I striking Nubian captives with a sword provided by the god Amen.
Seti I's record of this battle was found on an stele set up by Seti's viceroy, Amen-em-ope:
Reliefs at a desert temple referred to as 'Temple of the Wadi Abbad' show Seti I striking Nubian captives with a sword provided by the god Amen.
Seti I's record of this battle was found on an stele set up by Seti's viceroy, Amen-em-ope:
Now His Majesty was in the City of Thebes, doing what was pleasing to his father Amen-re. His Majesty was informed as follows:
'The enemies in the land of Irem are plotting rebellion!'
So His Majesty bided his time for them, to learn of their plans in detail. Then said His Majesty to the high officers, courtiers and retinue, 'What are the despicable Irem, that they should dare trangress in My Majesty's time? It is my father Amen-re who shall cause them to fall to My Majesty's sword. I can cause any land to retreat, and (this) land likewise before My Majesty!' So His Majesty drew up battle-plans against them and he decreed slaughter for them, that he might strike down their chiefs wherever they were. Then his Majesty dispatched the infantry and also much chariotry...The strong arm of Pharaoh was before them like a blast of fire, trampling the mountains. Came the dawn, 7 days (later), the strong arm of Men-ma-re brought the (foe) in, without missing even one of them, men and women alike.