Battle of Megiddo
1457 BCE · Canaan (modern Israel)
The Battle of Megiddo was fought in 1457 BCE in Canaan (modern Israel) between New Kingdom of Egypt vs a Canaanite coalition led by Kadesh and Megiddo; Egyptian victory; the first battle in history recorded in reliable detail.
Battle of Megiddo: quick facts
- Date
- 1457 BCE
- Location
- Canaan (modern Israel)
- Belligerents
- New Kingdom of Egypt vs a Canaanite coalition led by Kadesh and Megiddo
- Commanders
- Thutmose III vs the King of Kadesh
- Result
- Egyptian victory; the first battle in history recorded in reliable detail.
- Era
- 🏛️ Ancient Egypt & Mesopotamia
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Megiddo?
Pharaoh Thutmose III led his army through the narrow Aruna Pass to surprise a coalition of Canaanite rulers led by the King of Kadesh near the fortress city of Megiddo. The bold move through the dangerous pass caught the Canaanites off guard. After defeating the coalition in the field, the Egyptians besieged Megiddo for seven months before it fell. The victory established Egyptian dominance over the Levant for generations. The site later gave its name to the biblical concept of Armageddon.
Did you know?
Megiddo's ancient name gave us the word 'Armageddon' (Har Megiddo, meaning 'Mount of Megiddo'), where the Bible prophesies the final battle between good and evil will take place.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Megiddo on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.