Pharaoh's Army

Lore & Background

Within the animated universe of *The Prince of Egypt*, these soldiers are depicted as a highly organized and disciplined force. They operate under the strict hierarchy of the Egyptian court, where loyalty to the Pharaoh is paramount. Initially, they oversee the brick-making camps, ensuring that the enslaved Hebrew population remains productive through intimidation and physical coercion. As the plagues descend upon the land—including the Nile turned to blood, frogs, lice, flies, livestock pestilence, boils, hailfire, locusts, and prolonged darkness—the army becomes increasingly agitated by the losses of livestock and crops. Their presence grows more threatening as Moses demands release for his people. The tension culminates when Rameses, after the tenth plague kills his own son, permits the Hebrews to leave but then hardens his heart, ordering a full mobilization to recapture the fleeing Israelites. The fate of this faction is sealed at the shoreline of the Red Sea. Charging into the canyon of water with their chariots, they find themselves trapped as the sea closes over and drowns the Egyptian soldiers, sparing Rameses alone.

In Their Own Story

The dust kicked up by a thousand hooves stung the eyes of the charioteer. He gripped his reins, sweat mixing with the grit on his brow as the golden sun dipped low behind the towering walls of water. The Pharaoh's voice echoed from the shore, commanding them forward without hesitation. There was no retreat, only the glory of Egypt and the wrath of a king denied. He looked back at the fleeing campfires in the distance, then ahead to the impossible path through the deep. His spear lowered as the wind shifted, carrying a scent that smelled not of sand, but of salt and impending doom. The ground beneath his wheels began to tremble, vibrating with a power no human hand could control.

Reader's Guide

The Pharaoh's Army serves as the primary military antagonist force in DreamWorks' 1998 animated epic *The Prince of Egypt*, which is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus. Led by Pharaoh Rameses, these soldiers are tasked with maintaining order and preventing the Hebrew slaves from leaving Egypt. Their composition includes elite charioteers and infantry. Initially, they function as enforcers of labor camps, ensuring production quotas are met under harsh conditions. As tensions rise between Moses and Rameses, their role shifts to active pursuit. They represent the entrenched power structure that refuses to yield to divine or moral pressure. Their loyalty is absolute to the throne, viewing freedom for slaves as a threat to stability. The faction's narrative arc culminates in a catastrophic defeat at the waters of the Red Sea, where the sea closes over and drowns the Egyptian soldiers, sparing Rameses alone. This event symbolizes the end of their oppression and the triumph of liberation. While they are depicted as formidable warriors, their reliance on brute force ultimately fails against overwhelming divine intervention.

Did You Know?

• The Pharaoh's Army is destroyed when the Red Sea closes over and drowns the Egyptian soldiers, sparing Rameses alone.
• The army pursues the Hebrews after Rameses hardens his heart following the tenth plague, which killed his own son.
• The film is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus and follows the life of Moses from being a prince of Egypt to leading the Hebrews out of Egypt.
• The Prince of Egypt premiered at Royce Hall in Los Angeles on December 16, 1998, and was released in theaters on December 18.