The first battles?

What are the first recorded battles on land and in sea? I believe that KAdesh isn't the first or is it?

I think he might mean that battle since it was Thutmose against the King of Kadesh and yes that is the first recorded battle in history. Actually a prophecy tells that the last battle on earth between heaven and hell would take place at Megiddo. So military history ends where it began.

The first explicit historical mention of a war that I know of dates from c. 2800, when Aha of Egypt is entitled with vitories over Nubians and Lybians and maybe over Northern Egyptians as well. His successors Djer and Uadjy also campigned out of Egypt. Udimu (Den) is shown fighting against Asians.

C. 2700, Snefru of Egypt left records of campaigns in Nubia, returning with 7,000 prisioners and 200,000 cows, against Lybia, capturing 11,000 men and 13,100 cows.
 
In Sumer, c. 2700 BCE, Enmebargesi or Mebaragesi of Kish, is the firsthistorical king mentioned at war: he fought "victoriously" against Elam. His son, Agga, fought against Gilgamesh of Uruk, without success. The Royal List states: "Kish was abated by the force of arms, royalty was transfered to Eanna", the temple of Uruk.

In an unclear but seemingly earlier moment, other registries, mention that Enmerkar of Uruk had to fight aganits the Martu (Semites), who even besieged Uruk once. Here we find a clear mention of a specific bellic episode or battle: the siege of Uruk by the Martu. This Enmerkar is antecessor of Gilgamesh, so the even had to happean earlier than the previously mentioned dates. The siege of Uruk could then be the first recorded battle, even if its description is vague.

Another king of Kish, Mesalim, launched a campaign into Syria, destroying Ebla, a major rival. This seems to have happened c. 2600, during the hegemony of Uruk. This one could be the first recorded major campaign.

C. 2550 Uruk "is defeated by arms, royalty passed to Ur"

There are other sumerian mentions of wars and related episodes: Lagash fought for its borders against Ur and, specialy Umma, capturing one king of this city (Pabilgaltuk), who was executed.

C. 2450, Elam launched a major campaig, campuring Kish, what caused all Sumerian cities to movilize against it. Eannatum of Lagash defeated the invaders and destroyed Susa, the Elamite capital. Then he defeated Mari, captured Umma, Ur, Uruk, Ki-utu and Kish.

Despite all these struggles and victories the more clearly recorded is the old dispute with Umma on strategical border issues. It seems that Eannatum benefitted from his power in the dispute of Lagash, what caused Ush (or Gish) of Umma to attack him. Eannatum soon defeated the Ummaites, killing 3600 enemies, who he ordered to bury in 20 large mounds. Umma then rebelled and killed Ush, what allowed for peace. The stele of ravens narates this Lagash*te victory.

Meanwhile, in Egypt, Sahure' and other monarchs of the 5th dynasty are recorded campigning in Nibia, Lybia and Sinai. Same did Pepi I, third pharaoh of the 6th dynasty, c. 2300, who sent expeditions to Nubia and Asia.

At this same time, Sargon or Sharrukin of Akkad is entitled not just with many campaigns, including the conquest of Uruk and dismantling its defenses but also with the stabilishment of the first historically recorded Empire after Egypt.

Yet, according to Wikipedia, Kadesh is the first documented battle as such.

Originally posted by tadamson Originally posted by Maju Yet, according to Wikipedia, Kadesh is the first documented battle as such. Wikipedia is unmoderated and full of highly dubious information.  Not a good source to use.

That's also an unmoderated, descontextualized and very dubious information. And off topic, btw.

With your criteria, Rider, I gess that the siege of Uruk is the first battle. Name: siege of Uruk, place: Uruk and surroundings, competitors Martu tribes and Uruk, outcome: victory of Uruk.

I think that Kadesh is considered the first oe recorded because it is described with much more detail, including a description of the contingents, etc. Something not done before, at least that we know about.

rider,

I would hardly think so.

Battle of Salamis was 480 BC, as such the Phoenicians must have existed before that and so there must be earlier Naval Battle. Logical, No?

The first recorded naval battle is between the egyptians and the Sea people in 1200 B.C.

Edited by The_Last_Byzantine