Today In History logo TIH
Thutmose III chose the narrow Aruna pass over safer routes, ignoring every advis
1457 BC Event

May 9

Battle of Megiddo: Thutmose III Defeats Canaanite Coalition, First Recorded Battle

Thutmose III chose the narrow Aruna pass over safer routes, ignoring every advisor who told him it was suicide. His gamble worked. The Canaanite coalition waited at the wrong exits while Egyptian chariots emerged single-file, reformed, and caught them completely exposed on the plain. The siege of Megiddo itself dragged seven months—long enough that we know this detail because Thutmose's scribe Tjaneni actually bothered writing it down. First battle account in history that reads like someone was actually there. Everything before this is myth and poetry. After: military records.

May 9, 1457 BC

Key Figures & Places

What Else Happened on May 9

Talk to History

Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.

Start Talking