Libyans
This is the army for people who like painting flesh! The Libyans’ main items of dress were a leather phallus sheath and an ostrich feather, and little else. Occasionally they would add rows of beads and a heavy cloak but generally they fought nearly naked. This did not stop them being particularly aggressive, and they launched raids into Egypt for over 2,000 years, until they eventually founded their own dynasty early in the first millennium BC, after successive migratory waves had flowed west out of the Libyan Desert.
A Libyan army would consist of masses of skirmishing archers and javelinmen for most of the period covered, with only the few chosen warriors who accompanied chieftains being willing to get into hand-to-hand combat. This changed somewhat with the appearance of the Sea Peoples, with whom the Libyans allied. This alliance gave them access to copper slashing swords, which were taken up not only by an increased, though still relatively small, number of chieftains’ retainers, but also by archers.
Following engagements against the Egyptians, some chariots were captured or purchased, in which Libyan chieftains and their retinues rode to battle. However, Libyan chariots were not as well equipped nor their crews as well trained as those of Egypt.
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