named Nitocris. Of these, nothing particular is recorded, with
the exception of Moeris, who dug the lake that bears his name,
and Sesostris. This last sovereign conducted a fleet from the
Arabian Gulf, and, having conquered the nations bordering on
the Erythrean Sea, he returned to Egypt; and proceeding
again at the head of a mighty army, he traversed the continent
of Asia, and subjugated every nation that opposed him.1
His exploits, as well as those of Thummosis, are indicated on
and conquests, the walls of the ruined palace at Thebes which bears his name,
and where he is represented as a great conqueror bringing
home in triumph numerous captives taken from various nations.
The invasions and conquests of this monarch are known
traditionally in many countries, with this peculiarity, that the
enterprises were not merely the hasty inroads of African
hordes. The main body, acting on the direct line, was sups
S r i f s u Ported by tw0 vast fieets: one ° f these appears to have sailed
ported by two round Arabia, in order to support the right flank on the side
of Asia, whilst the other moved from the Mediterranean to the
Black Sea, to support the operations in that quarter; and both
of them carried the supplies which are indispensable to insure
success in such gigantic operations. Two great fleets, proceeding
from the opposite shores of Egypt, and thus provided,
must have lessened the difficulties attending the movements of
such a prodigious force, and also have afforded great advantages
to Sesostris, compared with those possessed at a later period by
Darius, Xerxes, and other eastern warriors, in their invasions.
Manetho says that the conquest of Asia, and Europe as far as
it advances Thrace, occupied nine years, and that Sesostris everywhere
mo race. ereC£e(j monuments of his victories.8 Diodorus Siculus, who
goes more into detail, says that by the help of his fleet of 400
ships, Sesostris gained the islands of the Bed Sea, and subdued
the bordering nations as far as India. He himself marched
forward with his land army, and conquered all Asia. He
passed the Ganges, and traversed India to the shores of the
main ocean, and laid the foundation of commercial relations
1 Herod., lib. I I ., cap. cii. Anc. Fragments, by I. P . Cory, Esq., p. 154.
! Manetho, book I I ., compared with Anc. Fragments, by I. P. Cory,
Esq., p. 110.
with that part of the world. Having subdued the Scythians as
far as the Tana'is, which river divides Europe from Asia, he
retraced his steps towards the banks of the Phasis, where some
of his Egyptian followers remained, either to cultivate the
country, or because they were weary of the expedition.1
Previously to the determination to retreat, Sesostris had Supposed
been in danger of losing his whole army, owing to the diffi- memorated.°m
culties of the passes and want of provisions. His expedition
having terminated, he erected pillars to commemorate his
conquests, and then returned to Egypt.2 In this invasion he
led, according to the historian,3 600,000 foot, 24,000 horse, Vast army of
and 27,000 armed chariots; and he had, as already mentioned, Sesostns-
fleets in the Arabian and Mediterranean Seas. It is, however,
evident that the vast force met some kind of check in Scythia,
from whence Sesostris retired, either for this reason, or on
account of the intelligence which is said to have reached him
at this period, that his brother Armais had assumed the
sovereignty of Egypt. He returned immediately, laden with
the rich spoils of Asia, and bringing a multitude of captives; captives and
some harnessed to his car, others destined to be employed in foroed Iabour-
the public works. These works, as the inscriptions upon them
state, were raised without the labour of any of his native '
subjects.4
From the time that Sesostris left some of his followers on
the shores of the Black Sea, may be dated that intercommunication
between Egypt and Colchis, which induced Ammianus
Marcellinus to say that the Colchians were an ancient colony
of Egyptians.8 This is likewise the statement of Herodotus,6
who observes, that the knowledge possessed by the Colchians
was derived from Egypt; and Sesostris appears to have Armenia a
established some of his followers also in the valleys of the Egypt™^ of
Caucasus. Armenia itself, as we learn,7 was, at least for a
1 Herodotus, lib. I I ., cap. ciii. “ But, be this as it may,” adds the historian,
“ it appears that the Colchians are of Egyptian origin.”—Ibid.,
cap. civ.
s Diod. Sic., lib. I., sec. I I ., cap. iv. 8 Ibid., cap. iv.
4 Ibid., cap. iv. ‘ Amm., X X I I ., cap. viii.
6 Lib. I I ., cap. civ.
7 Hist, of Armen., by J . Avdall, Esq., vol. I., p. 260.