The Great Wall of Egypt

[Hierophant]

I have always wondered why there never was a wall built roughly along where the Suez Canal now lies. I don't think it would have been that hard to build, there are other walls of that size built in the Roman era and I would think that it would have been possible before.

Now the question is would it work at keeping out invading hordes from the east, and the effects if it did.

 

[ninebucks]

I'm making notes at the moment for a pretty large scale TL about a Great Moat of Egypt. The early effects are pretty similar to how a Great Wall would turn out, but as each new pharaoh sponsors a deepening and widening of the moat... eventually it gets to the point where the northern and southern tips can be extended and voila, an artificial Suez strait.

 

[Northstar]

I have always wondered why there never was a wall built roughly along where the Suez Canal now lies. quote]

Not just me then!

 

[Keenir]

I have always wondered why there never was a wall built roughly along where the Suez Canal now lies. I don't think it would have been that hard to build, there are other walls of that size built in the Roman era and I would think that it would have been possible before.

well, for one, it would have to be started before Egypt started laying claim to the land where Israel and western Syria is now. if it's after Egypt's claim to those areas, why would Egypt build a wall in Suez?

(it's a good question you've raised)

Now the question is would it work at keeping out invading hordes from the east, and the effects if it did.

about the only people who came westwards into Egypt were the Hebrews.

most of the invasions of Egypt came from the north.

 

[Hierophant]

well, for one, it would have to be started before Egypt started laying claim to the land where Israel and western Syria is now. if it's after Egypt's claim to those areas, why would Egypt build a wall in Suez?

(it's a good question you've raised)



about the only people who came westwards into Egypt were the Hebrews.

most of the invasions of Egypt came from the north.

Wait what? Asia is to the east and north of Eygpt. There have been countless invasions of Egypt through the Sinai, from the Hittites to the Persians, Alexander and the Arabs.

The strip of land that the Suez lies on is the narrowest part of the connection between Africa and Asia. It would seem like a valuable back up plan for when you loose battles in Syria and Israel to fall behind your little Big Wall and wait them out.


As to the Moat I had the same thought but together. A great wall on the Egyptian side with one fortified bridge to Asia.

 

[Keenir]

Wait what? Asia is to the east and north of Eygpt. There have been countless invasions of Egypt through the Sinai, from the Hittites

they advanced further south than Kadesh?

to the Persians, Alexander and the Arabs.

ah. I had been thinking of Ancient Egypt, not Classical. in the Classical era, true, those did invade.

The strip of land that the Suez lies on is the narrowest part of the connection between Africa and Asia. It would seem like a valuable back up plan for when you loose battles in Syria and Israel to fall behind your little Big Wall and wait them out.

as China has taught us: if your armies can pass through your Great Wall, so too can your enemies.

 

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

There are many reasons. Egypt has just as often been invaded from the sea, which is actually easier than striking across the Sinai, which is a better barrier than any wall could be. It would be catastrophically expensive to build a wall like that across a desert and impossible to supply and man. And successful invasions of Egypt occurred when Egypt was in internal turmoil and too weak to resist - a situation that would not be helped any by a wall.

It was well within the capabilities of ancient Egypt to undergo such a project, and the fact that in several thousand years of history they did not should be a good indicator that it wasn't considered worth doing.

 

[Epimethius]

Plus to add to what Abdul has just said, there were also several massively fortified cities right near where the Suez Canal now runs, (or near) that served as both garrison cities for that frontier and a sort of addition to the barrier that nature had already built. During Egypts early years (Middle and Old Kingdoms) they had more trouble from desert tribesmen out of Libya rather then invasions from the more civilized lands to the east and north. No real need for a massive wall, if the main endemic threats from the west and north (sea people).

 

[Ran Exilis]

Indeed - and to add to what Abdul and Epimethius said; in Pharonic and Ptolemaic times, there was, in addition to the garrison cities and the Sinai Desert itself, also a canal between the easternmost branch of the Nile Delta and the Red Sea.

With all these barriers, building a wall would simply be redundant and ridiculously expensive.