The Jan./Feb. 1993 issue of "Archeology" contains an interesting tidbit for the Biblical wargamer. It reports that the British Museum has recently acquired an illustrated papyrus originally discovered in 1936. Upon closer examination it appears the papyrus may include the first portrayal of Mycenaean warriors in Egyptian art. Mycenaean war helmets in the illustration may indicate the possible presence of Mycenaean warriors in Egypt during the 14th century B.C.

I looked further into the subject to see if there was any other evidence of Greeks fighting in New Kingdom armies. The idea may have first appeared back in 1942 when antiquarians Persson and Schachenmeyer proposed that Greek soldiers of fortune travelled to Egypt early in the 16th century B.C. to assist the Egyptians in expelling the Hyksos; these same Greeks could have then returned and introduced chariot warfare to Greece. I have yet to find any other reference to Greek warriors in 14th century Egypt.

Maybe I will be spurred to further research, but what use is this Archeology information to the biblical wargamer? How about adding a Mycenaean' contingent to your New Kingdom Egyptian army. The evidence is sketchy (but then so is most evidence of biblical armies) and the Persson/Schachenmeyer hypothesis is not generally accepted, but I see no major objection to a gamer adding one or more elements of Mycenaeans to his New Kingdom army for color.

While I generally do not advocate changes to existing lists without a lot more evidence than this, here we are simply talking about replacing some troops with others who in most existing lists will fight with the same weapons and order and be identical except in nationality. No list revision is necessary.