Medinet Wadi See NARMOUTHIS.
Medir(fl. 27th century B.C.E.)Governor of the Third
Dynasty
He served in the reign of DJOSER(2630–2611 B.C.E.).
Medir was governor of certain territories in Upper Egypt.
When the Nile failed to rise and inundate the land over a
span of years, Djoser consulted with Medir, and with his
vizier of Memphis, IMHOTEP, seeking remedies from them
both. The two counselors advised that Djoser should visit
ELEPHANTINEIsland, because he had seen the god KHNUM
in one of his dreams. Khnum’s cult center was on the Ele-
phantine. Djoser visited the shrine and made certain
repairs and additions, and the Nile flooded the land soon
after. This event was commemorated on the FAMINE STELA
at SEHEL ISLANDin a later era.
Medjay This was the name given to units of the
Nubian (modern Sudanese) forces long in service in
Egypt, particularly under KAMOSE of the Seventeenth
Dynasty (c. 1550 B.C.E.) when he began his campaigns to
oust the HYKSOSfrom the northwestern territories of the
land. Kamose’s father, Sekenenré TA’OII, had started the
war against the Hyksos ruler, APOPHIS. The Medjay, famed
as warriors of cunning and stamina, served as scouts for
the Egyptians on the marches or at the oases of the LIBYAN
DESERT. In actual battle they formed light infantry units
and rushed to the front lines, delighting in hand-to-hand
combat and the slaughter of the enemy.
When ’AHMOSE(r. 1550–1525 B.C.E.), the brother of
Kamose and the founder of the Eighteenth Dynasty and
the New Kingdom (1550–1070 B.C.E.), assaulted the Hyk-
sos capital of Avaris, the Medjay were again at his side.
When the war ended successfully, the Medjay became the
backbone of the newly formed state police in times of
peace. Some of the members, men such as DEDU, distin-
guished themselves and were given high political and
government posts. TUTHMOSIS III (r. 1479–1425 B.C.E.)
built a temple to Dedun, the Nubian god who was proba-
bly patron of the Nubian troops. The Medjay are associ-
ated with the PAN-GRAVEpeople in southern Egypt and
Lower Nubia. Indications are that these troops served as
guardians of the viceroy of Kush and various FORTRESSES.
The original Medjay forces are recorded as early as the
Sixth Dynasty (2323–2150 B.C.E.) when they were used
as mercenary troops.
See also BLEMMYES; MAHU.
Megabyzus(fl. fifth century B.C.E.) Renowned general of
Persia
He served ARTAXERXES I(r. 465–424 B.C.E.) in Egypt as
the head of the forces occupying the Nile Valley.
Megabyzus had started his career under XERXES I (r.
486–466 B.C.E.), becoming his brother-in-law. He aided
the cabal that assassinated Xerxes I, however. Under
Artaxerxes I, Megabyzus was sent to Egypt to put down
the revolt of INAROS, a native Egyptian who had slain
General ACHAEMENES, Xerxes I’s brother, in battle. After a
series of skirmishes, Megabyzus forced Inaros to retreat to
an island in the Nile. A traitor surrendered the rebel to
the Persians, and Megabyzus promised Inaros’s personal
safety. The rebel was crucified, however, because the Per-
sian queen mother, Amastris, would not allow the slayer
of Achaemenes to live.
Megabyzus rebelled at the execution, which he
believed broke his pledge and stained his honor. He went
to Artaxerxes I’s court and stated his views openly. For
this and other openly critical remarks, Megabyzus was
exiled to a small city on the Persian Gulf. There he pre-
tended to have contracted leprosy and was soon returned
to the court. The anger Megabyzus felt at having his
sworn oath reviled kept him from marching against a sec-
ond Egyptian rebel, ARMYRTAEUS, who declared the region
of the far western Delta independent from Persian con-
trol.Megiddo, Ar- A fortress on the northern slopes of
Mount Carmel, in modern Israel, it commanded the trade
routes to Anatolia (modern Turkey), Syria, and the valley
of the Euphrates River. The fortress was erected on a
ridge and served as a barrier to any military force advanc-
ing from the south. In the reign of TUTHMOSIS III
(1479–1425 B.C.E.), the ruler of the city-state of KADESH
and Canaanite allies took up a position in front of Ar-
Megiddo as the 30,000-man Egyptian army approached.
Tuthmosis III had marched from the Egyptian Delta on
April 19, 1468 B.C.E. By May 10, he had reached Mount
Carmel and saw the assembled enemy units. Despite
warnings from his commanders, Tuthmosis III took his
army over the slopes of Mount Carmel, moving single file
for 40 miles. It took three days to bring the entire force
through the mountain passes, but Kadesh and his allies
discovered the Egyptian cavalry behind them.
The enemy raced to Ar-Megiddo fortress, and they
rushed inside, closing the gates. Late arrivals at the fort
had to climb ropes made of clothes and linens to
gain entrance. Tuthmosis III’s men looted the area until
he called a halt. They then built a wall around the
fortress and installed a garrison and siege units. Ar-
Megiddo lasted seven months before disease, hunger,
and thirst forced the trapped inhabitants to open the city
gates and surrender. Tuthmosis III, meanwhile, ravaged
the lands of the besieged rulers and their troops and
returned to accept their surrender personally. Because
the Egyptians had stopped their pursuit to loot the area,
Kadesh’s ruler escaped. Ar-Megiddo, however, became
the famed “end of the world” throughout the region, the
modern Armageddon. Kadesh would also provide
RAMESSES II(r. 1290–1224 B.C.E.) with a military crisis
during his reign.Megiddo, Ar- 233