Introduction and Integration of Foreigners in New Kingdom Egypt: A Quantitative Approach to the Annals of Thutmose III

Abstract

In Ancient Egypt, as in all societies of mythic discourse, order and interpretation of the world was linked to the cosmic plane. The various creation myths were used as ideological substrate from state apparatus to support and legitimize their actions on the surrounding foreign peoples. But, this mythic discourse was directly correlated with historical reality? In this paper we propose to answer this question from a particular case, the Annals of Thutmose III. We will adopt for this purpose an essentially quantitative methodology, using the tools provided to us by descriptive statistics. Statistical analysis will then be a means to an end, which is given by the identification of certain significant numerical values of the Annals. From this, the underlying analytical categories to be analyzed them historically to describe the logics of inclusion/exclusion of foreigners brought to Egypt by the campaigns of the monarch.