Knowing that the Egyptians revered cats as sacred animals, Cambyses ordered his soldiers to capture and carry cats into battle. The Persian troops held these cats at the forefront of their advance, effectively using the animals as shields.
The Egyptian soldiers, fearing divine retribution for harming the sacred creatures, hesitated to attack, leading to a significant strategic advantage for the Persians. This exploitation of the Egyptians' religious beliefs contributed to the demoralization and eventual defeat of the Egyptian forces.
Additionally, Cambyses II further capitalized on the Egyptians' reverence for cats by having his soldiers paint feline images on their shields. This strategy played on the Egyptians' deep-rooted superstition and veneration of cats, causing confusion and fear among the ranks.
The sight of the sacred images on enemy shields likely intensified their reluctance to engage in combat, as they perceived any act of aggression against the Persians as an affront to their deities. By leveraging cultural and religious sensitivities, Cambyses II was able to manipulate the battlefield dynamics in his favor, demonstrating the effectiveness of psychological warfare in ancient military tactics.
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