been as the taking of a thousand towns to have seized Megiddo.”  The Egyptians had made little progress in the art of besieging a stronghold since the times of the XIIth dynasty.  When scaling failed, they had no other resource than a blockade, and even the most stubborn of the Pharaohs would naturally shrink from the tedium of such an undertaking.  Thutmosis, however, was not inclined to lose the opportunity of closing the campaign by a decisive blow, and began the investment of the town according to the prescribed modes.

[Illustration:  378.jpg AN EGYPTIAN ENCAMPMENT BEFORE A BESIEGED TOWN]

     Drawn by Boudier, from a photograph by Beato.

His men were placed under canvas, and working under the protection of immense shields, supported on posts, they made a ditch around the walls, strengthening it with a palisade.  The king constructed also on the east side a fort which he called “Manakhpirri-holds-the-Asiatics.”  Famine soon told on the demoralised citizens, and their surrender brought about the submission of the entire country.  Most of the countries situated between the Jordan and the sea—­Shunem, Cana, Kinnereth, Hazor, Bedippa, Laish, Merom, and Acre—­besides the cities of the Hauran—­Hamath, Magato, Ashtaroth, Ono-repha, and even Damascus itself—­recognised the suzerainty of Egypt, and their lords came in to the camp to do homage.*

     * The names of these towns are inscribed on the lists of
     Karnak published by Mariette.

The Syrian losses did not amount to more than 83 killed and 400 prisoners, showing how easily they had been routed; but they had abandoned considerable supplies, all of which had fallen into the hands of the victors.  Some 724 chariots, 2041 mares, 200 suits of armour, 602 bows, the tent of the Prince of Qodshu with its poles of cypress inlaid with gold, besides oxen, cows, goats, and more than 20,000 sheep, were among the spoil.  Before quitting the plain of Bsdraelon, the king caused an official survey of it to be made, and had the harvest reaped.  It yielded 208,000 bushels of wheat, not taking into account what had been looted or damaged by the marauding soldiery.  The return homewards of the Egyptians must have resembled the exodus of some emigrating tribe rather than the progress of a regular army

Thutmosis caused a long list of the vanquished to be engraved on the walls of the temple which he was building at Karnak, thus affording the good people of Thebes an opportunity for the first time of reading on the monuments the titles of the king’s Syrian subjects written in hieroglyphics.  One hundred and nineteen names follow each other in unbroken succession, some of them representing mere villages, while others denoted powerful nations; the catalogue, however, was not to end even here.  Having once set out on a career of conquest, the Pharaoh had no inclination to lay aside his arms.  From the XXIIth year of his reign to that of his death, we have a record of twelve military expeditions, all of which he led in person.  Southern Syria was conquered at the outset—­the whole of Kharu as far as the Lake of Grennesareth, and the Amorite power was broken at one blow.