Legend says Persia conquered Egypt with the help of cats.

525 BC

Polyaenus wrote that at Pelusium in 525 BC Cambyses placed animals sacred to the Egyptians in front of his army, and the Egyptians would not shoot.

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The event

• Pelusium and the sacred cats525 BC · Pelusium, Nile Delta. Cambyses’ victory at Pelusium gave Egypt to Persia. Seven centuries later the writer Polyaenus claimed that Cambyses placed cats and other sacred animals before his army, and the Egyptians dared not shoot.

6th century BC

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