As military tactics developed, so too did the need for specialist troops to use them. This prompted the Pharaoh and his generals to look to captured lands for recruits with useful skills. Egyptian culture dominated Nubia after its re-conquest, and Egyptian gods, hieroglyphs and social structure were imposed. Even so, the skills of the locals were prized and exploited: Nubian archers were recruited in Pharaoh’s armies, and were said to be buried with their bows. Egypt also recruited troops among the Medjay, a nomadic people of lower Nubia. They provided warriors, scouts and the police to guard royal palaces. While distinct, these people were very much part of an Egyptian empire.
