Meroitic War

• The Meroitic War (27-22 BCE) was a war fought by the Roman Empire against Queen Candace of Kush.

The Reason for the War

• A series of Meroitic attacks on southern Egypt forced the Roman Governor into a show of force.

The War

• Strabo describes the Meroitic War by Rome against Queen Candace Amanirenus of Kush, as lasting 5 years.
• 26 BCE
  • The Prefect of Egypt, Aelius Gallus, marched south and invaded the Kushan Kingdom but was obliged to fall back due to epidemics.
• 23 BCE
  • As a result of this weakness, Queen Candace, prepared to invade Egypt and approached the Frontier at Elephantine Island with an Army.
• 22 BCE
  • The new Prefect of Egypt, Gaius Petronius, reinforced the depleted Legions, marched up the Nile, invaded Kush, and sacked Napata, Capital of the Kushans.

The Outcome

• This ended any threat to Egypt from the south for almost three centuries.
• Later, between 250-280 CE, a renewed series of invasions from Kush took place by the Blemmyes.

Sources

• Strabo
  • The Geography.

Napata, Sudan