The Ancient Libyans near completion

My Libyans in Warbases stands

The first “army” of my Bronze Age project is nearing completion.  I`m hoping that the light in Cyprus will improve my painting!  I`m slowly painting the animal skin cloaks, but by and large they are looking good. 

I`ve also been reading up on the Libyans to try to make sure that my forces are as historically representative as they can be.  The problem I have hit recently is that I`m not sure that they are.

The bulk of my Infantry are archer skirmishers.  It seems clear from the evidence that the Libyans did not adopt close order bow formations as the Egyptians seem to have done, and possibly even the Nubians to a certain extent.  Perhaps it is the terrain.  The Sahara was becoming more desiccated during the Bronze Age, and whilst it was not totally the bare desert we see today, the Egyptian frontiers would offer sufficient rough terrain for raiding and skirmishing. 

The Libyans - tackle out!

Although raiding occurred along the western frontier, the Libyans lands ran as far south as Nubia, the bulk of the incursions occurred in the North.  It seems that the fertile Nile Delta was particularly attractive for the Libyans who moved in as whole tribes looking for lands to settle.  The Egyptians had fortifications, but these could be bypassed by large forces.  Spalinger points out that a warrior society such as the Libyans would have a very high percentage of combatants, much higher than the Egyptians.   It seems clear however that the professionalism of the Egyptians generally overmatched the Libyans.

Libyan Archers - fear the prick of their arrows!

O’Connor  points out that Rameses III faced a Libyan army composed of 5–10 percent chariots; 25–35 percent swordsmen; and over 50 percent foot archers.  I added in some Javelin skirmishers, since these are clearly seen on the Egyptian reliefs, although as a minority.  Clearly however my single unit of 12 swordsmen should be two units of 12.  After a battle against an estimated 16000 Libyans the Pharaoh Meremptah captured over 9000 swords.  Libyans archers are rarely shown with swords on Egyptian reliefs so it can probably be surmised that there were 9000 swordsmen (and only a handful of chariots) in that battle.  Still I should perhaps add a single light chariot group.   My original plan had been to give the Libyans a group of three chariots by using Sea People allies, with Larry as my single Libyan High Chief, and that still looks reasonable.

O’Connor also notes that Libyans at this time served as mercenaries in the Egyptian army, so our view of them as simplistic “barbarians” is probably incorrect.  I cannot however agree that this means that such trained warriors would have gone home to serve in a Libyan tribal force.  It seems doubtful that any Libyans were Maryannu, even if they had served in the Egyptian Army.  I had also planned to use a single group of Sea Peoples swordsmen, but on reflection I think the Libyans would be a far more dangerous force with the chariots and more swordsmen.

The Chiefs discuss penis sheath colours

I need no suggestions for names from the MPGC.  I have gone for anacronistic yet Heroic names.  My High Chief is Larry, the sub-chiefs Lester and Lola.  Other first names beginning with L are available.  They will all have epithets beginning with L, Larry being “the Lame,” due to the terrible things I did to his feet to get him to fit into the chariot.  Lester is “the Lanky,” just because he looks taller than his mates, and Lola “the Leopard-skin,” because of the shoes I`ve painted on him.  His handbag however does not match his penis sheath.

We all have some doubts about Lola.

As well as Stillman and Tallis I`ve just finished these two:
Anthony J. Spalinger, “War in Ancient Egypt. The New Kingdom”
O’Connor, “The Nature of the Tjemhu (Libyan) Society in the Later New Kingdom”