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Blemmye or Nobades (30 BC - 650 AD)
(DBA 63)

In the second century A.D., the Nobades (e.g. Nobatae, Nobadae) emerged from the west to occupy the west bank of the Nile in northern Kush (Lower Nubia). One of several well-armed bands of horse and camel-borne warriors who sold protection to the Kings of Meroitic Kush; eventually the Nobades intermarried and established themselves among the Meroitic people as a military aristocracy. During this period, the Meroitic Kush kingdom contracted because of the northward expansion of Axum, a powerful Abyssinian state. Around 350 AD, an Axumite army captured and destroyed Meroe, ending that kingdom's independent existence. By 375 AD, the Nobades had their own well-established kingdom of Ballana (Nobatia) to the north near the third cataract of the Nile River (and near the modern Sudanese border).

The Blemmye were a fierce nomadic people from the mountainous regions near Nubia's Eastern Desert. Known to the Arabs as the Bedja, their raids are mentioned in Kushite annals as early as the fourth century BC. They preyed on the ancient trade route connecting the Nile Valley to the Africa interior, which supplied Egypt and Rome with a wide variety of exotic goods including frankincense, myrrh, ivory, ebony and other exotic woods, precious oils, resins and gums, panther and leopard skins, monkeys, dogs, giraffes, ostrich feathers and eggs, and pygmies. In the first century AD, they began a series of constant raids against Kushite and Romano Egyptian garrison-towns and were eventually able to occupy much of southern Egypt and Lower Nubia.

During the reign of Emperor Probus (276-282 AD), the Blemmye supported a somewhat obscure rebellion by the Egyptian cities of Ptolemais and Coptos. A decisive leader, Probus quickly crushed the rebellion and proceeded southward in a campaign of retribution against the Blemmye that so alarmed their not too distant neighbors, the Sassanians, that the Persian king sent a deputation to the court of Probus asking for Rome's friendship.

Probus' victories, however, did not end the Blemmye problem. In 298 AD, Emperor Diocletian decided that Nubia was no longer worth the effort and withdrew Roman troops from the region, ceding authority to the Nobades. The Nobades were unable to oust the Blemmye from Lower Nubia, who had established their own kingdom between the first and third cataracts of the Nile River. Rome continued to subsidize the Nobades until the fifth century as a buffer against the Blemmye.

By the fourth century AD, Lower Nubia was effectively divided between the Nobades in the south and the Blemmye in the north. Both Kingdoms adopted the ancient Egyptian religion juxtaposed with Byzantine civil titles and influences, and both resisted Coptic Christian influences, which had already spread throughout Egypt and Abyssinia to the south. When not fighting with each other, the Nobades and the Blemmye often joined forces to raid Egypt or to fight Rome's enemies under commissions paid by the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) emperors.

It is told that during this period the Blemmye raided into Egypt, seizing 20,000 captives. A Coptic priest, Apa Shenouda followed, making his way to the Blemmye camp to plead for their release. According to Coptic tradition, Blemmye soldiers threatened him at spearpoint all along the way, only to have their spear arms turn to wood. When the Blemmye king saw his men in such distress, he bowed before Shenouda and offered him gifts. Shenouda declined the gifts, but restored life to the men's arms on condition that the King release the captives, which he did gladly. For this miracle, Shenouda was later sainted (St. Shenouda the Archimandrite).

In AD 451, the Emperor Marcian mounted another campaign against the Blemmye and expelled them entirely from Upper Egypt, although a special exemption was made to allow Blemmye and Nobades pilgrims to travel to worship at the Eyptian Temple of Isis at Philae. Thus weakened, the Blemmye were eventually driven out of Upper Nubia by King Silko of the Nobades, who expanded the kingdom of Ballana to the first cataract.

In A.D. 540, the Egyptian temple of Isis at Philae was closed by order of the Byzantine emperor Justinian. Coptic missionaries began to travel throughout Nubia. According to tradition, the empress Theodora arranged for the appointment of Longinus as Bishop of the See of Napata (the Nobades capital). Gradually, the Nubian temples were converted into Christian churches. The Nobades and other Nubian kingdoms accepted the monophysite christianity practiced in Egypt and acknowledged the spiritual authority of the Coptic patriarch of Alexandria over the Nubian church. By 600 AD, the conversion of Upper Nubia was essentially complete.

Neither the beginning (30 BC) nor the end point (650 AD) of the Blemmye/Nobades list is tied to any well-recorded historical event, and given the overlap into the Christian Nubian period, it is not clear whether this list is also intended to cover other Nubian kingdoms that evolved farther south near the heart of ancient Meroe.

Army Composition

Blemmye were known to use small numbers of the African elephants, although they are not reflected in the DBA (or DBM) army list.

It is interesting to note that the standard DBM to DBA conversions for the Blemmye and Nobades produce lists that are significantly different than the list adopted by Barker for DBA. Here for example are Bernd Lehnhoff's DBM to DBA conversions:

• Blemmye or Beja (30 BC - 1500 ad): 2 Cv3*, 8 Bw3 or Ps2, 2 Ax3. After 200 ad can exchange infantry on an even basis for Cm3, one infantry can be exchanged for one LH element (camel mounted).

• Nobades (30 BC - 1500 ad): 3 Cv3*, 6 Bw3 or Ps2, 1 Ax3, 2 Sp4 or 2 Wb3. After 200 AD can exchange two infantry elements for two Cm3. This list can also be used for the Blemmye, exchanging in 240 AD as the Niltal.

After 550 AD, Blemmye/Nobades armies can presumeably be morphed into Christian Nubian armies (again using a DBM to DBA conversion): Christian Nubian (550-1500): 1 Cv3*, 1 Cm3*, 1 LH2, 1 Cm3 or LH2, 6 Wb3, 2 Bw3 or Ps2.

Painting Tips

According to Phil Barker (Armies and Enemies of Imperial Rome), Blemmye cavalry in the early period were mounted on horses and donkeys, but not camels. They became increasingly well-mounted and equipped in the later period (5th century), including use of Byzantine-style horse armor.

Horsemen typically wore a white tunic and trousers with blue patterns decorating the neck and cuffs. Copper or bronze scaled armor hung from leather suspenders around the mid-section only and a light hide shield with bronze boss was carried. Copper or bronze wrist bands were common. A bronze or copper helmet was often decorated with incised patterns, colorful ostriche plumes, and the addition of rams horns as cheek guards. Cavalryman carried javelins, a mace and a large belt knife. In later periods, Byzantine helmets, shields, and a bow would have become part of the panoply, although javelins were still preferred to the Byzantine kontos. Camels seem to have come into more frequent use after 200 AD, typically as conveyance for the lower class warriors who could not afford horses.

The typical Blemmye foot soldier was an archer dressed in an off-white wrap-around jacket with short sleeves held in place with a belt. Legs and head would be bare and the only common ornamentation was large circular ear rings of copper in each ear.

Blemmye (and presumeably Nobades) skin tone would be chocolate brown with coarse black hair.

Enemies

With their constant raiding into Roman Aegyptus and interruption of the trade routes from the Mediterranean into Central Africa, the Blemmye (and their occasional allies, the Nobades), were a thorn in the sandal of the Early Imperial Romans (#64), Middle Imperial Romans (#69), Late Roman-East (#77b), and Early Byzantines (#86).

Inexplicably missing from the enemies list are the Blemmyes/Nobades themselves, although fighting between the Blemmyes and Nobades over control of Upper Nubia is well-recorded. Also missing from the enemies list is the Abyssinian kingdom of Axum, who overthrew the Kush Kingdom at Meroe despite the efforts of the Nobades and other Meroite allies (which admittedly may have been meager or non-existant).

Tactics

The Blemmye/Nobales list lacks any obvious killer elements, but has reasonable speed, mobility, and the ability to fight well in rough terrain. Against their Roman enemies, they seem to be somewhat overmatched, facing potential killer combinations of reliable Blade infantry and Knights. Careful deployment to avoid unfavorable match-ups and effective use of the Blemmye/Nobades cavalry is critical. Blemmye/Nobades spear can also be employed to reasonably good advantage against Roman auxilia in good going if the Romans are so careless as to allow such a match-up.

With the ability to field up to seven Psiloi or Auxilia in the Blemmye/Nobades list, one obvious option would be to forgo the Spear and place as much bad terrain as possible as an infantry equalizer.

The new DBA 1.2 amendment allowing second and subsequent moves by Psiloi in the first bound creates an interesting option for the Blemmye/Nobades commander, who can now elect to send a group of as many as seven Psiloi in a quick dash across the board to start the game. This option could allow you to exploit any initial flaws in the Roman deployment and/or delay the Roman advance with resilient light infantry while the Blemmye/Nobades cavalry maneuvers into a threatening position for attack.

Camp

Given the reputation of the Blemmye as raiders, a donkey cart or camels loaded with loot including Roman statutary seems appropriate. Otherwise, a nomadic style tent camp or section of Middle-Eastern-style city wall makes a suitable camp element. The Nobades in particular built temples and buildings that were very much inspired by the Egyptian pharoahs, although nothing as grand as a pyramid.

Miniatures

Falcon Figures (UK) offer an extensive range of 15mm Blemmye figures and seem to be the definitive source. Donnington Miniatures also apparently offer a Blemye/Nobades range. Otherwise you will have to scrounge through various manfacturer's offerings of Nubians, Byzantines, pre-Islamic Arabs, and others for suitable figures.

Gamer Feedback

Anu Arora: I don't seek to quibble with or replace the already wonderful essay extant on the Blemmye or the Nobatians, but merely to refine a few points:

I was doing Greek translation work on fragments of a poem called the Blemmyomachia by Pisander of Panopolis, which describes a successful Roman campaign against the Blemmye and noted several things of interest. It is, of course, a dubious thing to work from a poem, but Pisander did indeed include a section about 300 hexameters long describing in great detail the stratagems and mannerisms of the Blemmye. This section, entitled in Latin "De Tactica" (the Greek writer's conjugation left something to be desired) was, from the days of Lucius Ponticus, supposed to be as close to the truth as possible.

First of all, it should be noted that in one of the three battles against Probus the Blemmye fielded a force of 300 elephants. One must be reminded that Porus fielded 500 or so elephants against Alexander, and that the Early Indian army list contains in it three elephant elements. To that end, anyone wishing to replay the campaigns of Probus (I believe 277-282 AD, but am not sure) should include perhaps 2x El in the list.

It was noted that the date AD 30 had not relevance in terms of the beginning of the Blemmye; it may indeed be true for the Blemmye, but AD 30 was date when the Nobades, who were previously totally peaceful, raided the home city of Sychyrion, an Alexandrian orator of mild repute (if anyone can tell me the name of the city I would be indepted). Sychyrion is known to have written at least a dozen orations that were presented in the Alexandrian courts in order to convince the citizens of the city that the Nobades were a greater threat then they were. The date is convenient because it merely marks the point where the Nobades truly became a concern of the Hellenistic world; Quintus Smyrnaeus later hawked the dead orator's speeches in Athens and Rome.

Finally, painting and modeling tips: first of all, Pisander notes that the Blemmye used purple and blue tainted banners to marshal their hordes. He also tells of silver skulls laid at the entrance to every camp site and packed up when the raiders moved. The purpose of this is not entirely clear (why put down silver skulls instead of real ones, and why carry them everywhere?) but it apparently did happen; Sychyrion notes the same behavior among the Nobades. Probus urged his troops on with tales of silver skulls for the plundering. So there is something for all you camp-builders.

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Last Updated: Nov. 6, 2000

Questions, comments, suggestions welcome. Send them to Chris Brantley, brant@erols.com.