In 1550BC, the capital of Egypt moved south to Thebes. This marked the beginning of the New Kingdom. The ancient Egyptians no longer built pyramids as they were obvious targets for tomb robbers. The people still raised great temples to honour their dead rulers, but now the pharaohs were buried in secret [...]

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When they were on campaign, Egyptian soldiers made camp every night. Workers piled up a mound of earth and planted shields on top to form a defensive wall. This protected the troops within from all but the most determined attack. Behind the wall, troops erected tents in neat rows with the king’s [...]

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New Kingdom infantry contained three kinds of soldiers. The elite troops were the “Braves” - the commandos of the day. Few in number, they undertook the most dangerous assignments. The bulk of the army were the “Veterans”, seasoned troops who formed the front ranks in battle. Then there were the “Recruits”, [...]

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The catastrophic invasions and civil wars of the First Intermediate Period (2100-2040BC) made the Egyptians realise that they needed to guard their frontiers and trade routes effectively.
Around 2000BC the king ordered the building of two lines of fortresses: one along the eastern frontier and the other around the Second Cataract. During the New Kingdom [...]

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Here are some quick facts on Egypt’s first armies:
During the Old Kingdom (2700-2100BC), the kings of Egypt possessed a troop of bodyguards and a small regular army. These forces were usually enough to protect trade and deal with border raids by neighbouring states. All Egyptians owed the king a labour tax, so if [...]

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Egyptian palaces were vast complexes. They included splendid public buildings where the pharaoh would meet foreign rulers and carry out important ceremonies. Members of the royal family lived in luxury in beautiful townhouses with painted walls and tiled floors near the palace.
The governors of Egypt’s regions also lived like princes, and pharaohs had [...]

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Domesday stayed with the Royal Treasury at Winchester from the late 11th century onwards, although it also moved about with the royal household from time to time. In the 13th century it went to Westminster in London and there, from King John’s reign to Queen Victoria’s, was [...]

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A quarter of all land was used as pasture for grazing livestock. Riverside meadows also produced hay. Sheep were plentiful, as were cows, oxen and horses. Goats and pigs were also kept, and fish was sought after on a Friday (for religious reasons).
Crops of wheat, barley, oats [...]

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Domesday is written in Latin. It is easy to read, but not so easy to understand as there are many abbreviations. The documents mention ranks in society, jobs that no longer exist, place names and measurements that are no longer used. However, despite all this, Domesday gives us an insight into life [...]

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Document Number One in the Public Record Office of Britain’s National Archives is the Domesday Book. In 1085, William the Conqueror ordered a survey of his new realm. Over the years, the county-by-county record has been studied by administrators and historians. By Victorian times, Domesday had become a national treasure. Imbued with [...]

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