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NEWS > EVERYONE ELSE > ANCIENT PERSIAN ARMY FINALLY SHOWS UP FOR WORK
ANCIENT PERSIAN ARMY FINALLY SHOWS UP FOR WORK
November 9 2009
Cairo, Egypt – Desertion is something militaries have been fighting since the beginning of armed conflict. Whether it’s young men and women suddenly losing their nerve or officers balking at the prospect of an unwinnable battle, soldiers suddenly 
leaving the field of battle and their commitment to the army has plagued commanders from the ancient fields of Mesopotamia to the modern day conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Frequently such incidents end poorly for the people who have decided to depart, facing at the very least discharges and at worst court martial. Still, defectors continue to appear through all military forces.
Even the greatest of military leaders have seen such events as a recent discovery in Egypt has illustrated all too clearly. Thought to be long lost to a massive sandstorm in525 B.C.E., 50,000 soldiers of the great Persian King Cambyses II appears to have finally been discovered. Long thought to be a myth, the lost army was to have destroyed Oracle at the Temple of Amun after their priests refused to acknowledge the King’s claim to Egypt. Now it appears that the tale was not simply that and that the soldiers, whether because of an objection to the King’s commands or out of fear of angering the guards, simply walked away from the potential conflict and settled in the deserts of the country. It’s not clear if they will now be held to account for their desertion.
“It all started in 1996, during an expedition aimed at investigating the presence of iron meteorites near Bahrin, one small oasis not far from Siwa. While working in the area our researchers noticed a half-buried pot and some human remains, and then we noticed what may have been a natural shelter,” said Alfredo Castiglioni, director of the Eastern Desert Research Center. “It was a rock about 35 metres long, the only one in the area. Its size and shape made it the perfect refuge in a sandstorm. That was our first clue as the destiny of this great army which until now had only existed in tales. Hopefully we will actually be able to find where they are living today.”
Because of the extreme age of the army, many experts predict that it is extremely unlikely that any living members of the army will be found and held to account for their desertion.
“Not only would their age play a factor in any kind of prosecution that could be had, circumstances would be further complicated because of the eventual success of the campaign by the army of Alexander the Great and the fact that the Persian empire itself has totally disappeared,” said Dr. Mahmoud Chalthoum of the University of Cairo. “Things like desertion really have no expiry date but the simple fact of the matter is the courts and military tribunals that would have existed 2500 years ago have ceased to exist. In the unlikely event that survivors of this army are actually discovered there’s a good chance that they will get off without trial.”
Already Iranian officials have requested to be kept up to date on the search. The people of Iran and Afghanistan are the closest thing to immediate descendents of the ancient Persians.
“The real danger is that if these men are not prosecuted people may look upon the situation as though they were getting special treatment. True, the fact that they would be the oldest living beings on the planet but that really should grant them special immunity from prosecution,” continued Chalthoum. “Egypt will lay claim and so will Iran and that could cause a major incident, especially given the growing tensions in the region. Inevitably the United States will become involved and that will simply complicate things. Perhaps it would have been best to leave the past buried.”
It’s also not clear what kind of prison term any remaining soldiers might face, but due to their age the courts would likely show mercy.
Emil Uliya, International Correspondent
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