Chariotry in ancient Egypt In ancient Egyptian society chariot ry stood as an independent unit in the King ’ s military force . Chariots were first introduced as a weapon in Egypt by the Hyksos in the 16th century BC . The Egyptians developed their own design of the chariot . Design . Chariots were originally invented in Mesopotamia and were initially drawn not by horse , but rather donkeys , mules , oxen and even goats . The early usage of chariots was mainly for transportation purposes . With technological improvements to their structure ( such as a “ cross - bar ” form of wheel construction to reduce the vehicle ' s weight ) , the use of chariots for military purposes began . The Egyptians invented the yoke saddle for their chariot horses around 1500 BC . Chariots were effective for their high speed , mobility and strength which could not be matched by infantry at the time . They quickly became a powerful new weapon across the ancient Near East . The best preserved examples of Egyptian chariots are the four specimens from the tomb of Tutankhamun . Chariots in warfare . Chariots were expensive , heavy and prone to breakdowns , yet in contrast with early cavalry , chariots offered a more stable platform for archers . Chariots were also effective for archery because of the relatively long bows used , and even after the invention of the composite bow the length of the bow was not significantly reduced . Such a bow was difficult to handle while on horseback . A chariot could also carry more ammunition than a single rider . However , the chariot also had several disadvantages , notably its size and its dependence on the right terrain . Their use has been compared to that of tanks in modern day warfare but this is disputed by scholars who point out that chariots were vulnerable , fragile and required a level terrain while tanks are all - terrain vehicles . Chariots were thus not suitable for use in the way modern tanks have been used as a physical shock force . Chariots were not able to launch sudden strikes because they made too much noise . It has been argued that early Egyptians may have had no experience of breed ing and training horses for military purposes , which may be a reason why so few cavalry served in the ancient Egyptian military . In field action , chariots usually delivered the first strike and were closely followed by infantry advancing to exploit the resulting breakthrough , somewhat similar to how infantry operates behind a group of armed vehicles in modern warfare . This tactic was effective against tight units of spear men as it allowed holes to be punched in a line which would otherwise be difficult to attack due to its compact nature . In another role , chariots were deployed to pursue and disperse enemies after the victory had been achieved . Egyptian light chariots contained one driver and one warrior , usually wielding a bow or , after depleting all his arrows , a short spear . In ancient Egypt , members of the chariotry units formed their own aristocratic class known as the maryannu ( young heroes ) . The heroic symbolism can be seen in contemporary paintings in which the King is shown riding with the elites , shooting arrows at the enemies . This image became a typical of royal power iconography in the New Kingdom . The best known and preserved textual evidence about Egyptian chariots in action was from the Battle of Kadesh during the reign of Ramses II ; probably the largest single chariot battle of all time .