How Do You Lose 50,000 Soldiers in a Desert? The Story of the Lost Army of Cambyses (Episode #49)

Mysterious Pals

Following victory in conquering Egypt in 525 BCE, Cambyses II turned his attention to consolidating control over Egypt and expanding further into Africa. One of his most ambitious plans was an expedition to the Siwa Oasis, located in the Libyan Desert, where the Oracle of Amun was situated. According to famous ancient historian Herodotus, Cambyses sent a massive army of 50,000 men to capture the oasis and subdue the local population, but the army never reached its destination. Over the centuries, various historians and scholars have debated the veracity of his story. Some suggest that the army might have been defeated by hostile forces or that logistical failures led to their demise. Others believe that the desert environment itself—characterized by extreme heat, lack of water, and sudden sandstorms—could have easily overwhelmed the soldiers. However, no concrete evidence has ever been found to support the legend.

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EPISODE RESOURCES

• Herodotus (1920). Godley, A.D. (ed.). The Histories 3.26.1-3. Cambridge: Harvard University Press
• László Almásy, "The Unknown Sahara"
• Chafetz, Gary S. (November 9, 2009). "The Lost Army - Found at last?". Huffington Post. New York, NY
• Ikram, Salima (September 2000). "Cambyses' Lost Army". Archaeology. 53 (5). Archaeological Institute of America
• Olaf Kaper. Policies of Darius I in the Western Desert of Egypt. International Conference of the ERC project BABYLON. June 19, 2014

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The Mysterious Pals is a mysterious show about history and friendship.

#mystery, #history, #truecrime, #unsolved, #ancienthistory, #AncientEgypt, # SiwaOasis, #AchaemenidEmpire, #ancientwarfare, #LostArmyofCambyses