The Egyptian military was deadly back in the day. Warriors fought riding in chariots, wearing bronze armor as protection. They would usually fight using composite bows, khopeshes (sickle swords), and battle axes, but sometimes they would also use their own version of their enemy's weapons. Besides having chariots and very deadly weapons, the Egyptians were defended naturally by their own land's geography; deserts protected the flanks, the northern border of Egypt was protected by the Mediterranean Sea, and five cataracts (waterfalls) defended the southern border. Being unified as a people was also an advantage. Having been united under the pharaoh, the land of Egypt was so well protected there weren't even any walls surrounding its cities! If it weren't for military force, there wouldn't have been a unified Egypt in the first place! Narmer, the ruler of Upper Egypt ( this was before the country was unified) conquered Lower Egypt and became the first king of a unified Egypt. Later pharaohs such as Ramses the Great (aka. Ramses II) led many military campaigns. Rulers like him led Egypt to conquer many other nations and bring the country into a state of prosperity. However, after Cleopatra's death, the Romans conquered Egypt, and the once-great nation, now part of the Roman Empire, was never an independent nation again...