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Why did ancient Egypt seek control of Palestine during the Late Bronze Age?

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Panoramic view of a small valley with a stream, olive trees, and terraced hillsides in the countryside near Ramallah, Palestine, under a sky with scattered clouds. — Palestine View from a small valley with a stream between large hills of olive groves.

During the Late Bronze Age, the pharaohs of ancient Egypt sought control of Palestine primarily for strategic defense. Maintaining authority over the region was considered essential to protect Phoenicia and southern Syria from external threats, specifically the Mitanni until approximately 1375 BCE and the Hittite empire thereafter.1

Following the expulsion of the Hyksos at the end of the Middle Bronze Age, Egyptian armies began their conquest of Palestine under Ahmose I. This control was later solidified by Thutmose III, who established a stable administrative system that divided the region into districts governed by Egyptian officials. This period, often referred to as the Amarna Age, is well-documented through the Amarna Letters, which provide insight into the administration and political concerns of the era.1