Vanished Persian army said found in desert

50,000 soldiers believed buried by a cataclysmic sandstorm in 525 B.C.

The remains of a mighty Persian army said to have drowned in the sands of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago might have been finally located, solving one of archaeology's biggest outstanding mysteries, according to Italian archaeologists. Bronze weapons, a silver bracelet, an earring and hundreds of human bones found in the vast desolate wilderness of the Sahara desert have raised hopes of finally finding the lost army — 50,000 strong — of Persian King Cambyses II, buried by a cataclysmic sandstorm in 525 B.C. "We have found the first archaeological evidence of a story reported by the Greek historian Herodotus," Dario Del Bufalo, a member of the expedition from the University of Lecce, told Discovery News. According to Herodotus (484-425 B.C.), Cambyses, the son of Cyrus the Great, sent 50,000 soldiers from Thebes to attack the Oasis of Siwa and destroy the oracle at the Temple of Amun. Alexander the Great had famously sought legitimization of his rule from the oracle of Amun in 332 B.C., but according to legend, the oracle would have predicted the death of Cambyses.

The death of Cambyses According to most ancient historians, in Persia the throne was seized by a man posing as his brother Smerdis, who had really been killed by Cambyses some three years previously. Some modern historians consider that this person really was Smerdis, the story that he was an impostor was created by Darius after he became monarch. Whoever this new monarch may have been, Cambyses attempted to march against him, but died shortly after under disputed circumstances. According to Darius, who was Cambyses' lance-bearer at the time, he decided that success was impossible, and died by his own hand March 522. Herodotus and Ctesias ascribe his death to an accident. Their story is that while mounting his horse, the tip of his scabbard broke and his sword pierced his thigh - Herodotus mentions it is the same place where he stabbed a sacred cow in Egypt. He died of gangrene of the bone and mortification of the wound. Some modern historians suspect that Cambyses may have been assassinated, either by Darius as the first step to usurping the empire for himself, or by supporters of Smerdis .[5][6] According to Herodotus (3.64) he died in Ecbatana, i.e. Hamath; Josephus (Antiquites xi. 2. 2) names Damascus; Ctesias, Babylon, which is absolutely impossible.[7] Cambyses was buried in Pasargadae. The remains of his tomb were identified in 2006.[8] [edit]The Lost Army of Cambyses According to Herodotus, Cambyses sent an army to threaten the Oracle of Amun at the Siwa Oasis. The army of 50,000 men was halfway across the desert when a massive sandstorm sprang up, burying them all. Although many egyptologists regard the story as a myth, people have searched for the remains of the soldiers for many years. These have included Count László Almásy (on whom the novel The English Patient was based) and modern geologist Tom Brown. Some believe that in recent petroleum excavations, the remains may have been uncovered.[9] Two Italian archaeologists, Angelo and Alfredo Castiglioni, claim to have discovered the remains of the Persian army near Siwa Oasis. [10]

Originally posted by x2Strongx
reply to post by Cyprex

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Great find Cyprex!!! Thank you for sharing that video.

I wonder what else the world and the ground swallowed up and we might find in the future... Would love to see the expedition personally!