the road which led through 'Aluna to Taanach or by way of Zaft (perhaps
Safed), whence he would have descended southward upon Megiddo. The
arrival of his spies, however, determined him to take the first, and
accordingly, after the officers had sworn that they would not leave
their appointed posts in battle even to defend the person of the king,
he started on his march, and on the nineteenth of the month pitched his
tent at 'Aluna. The way had been rough and impassable for chariots, so
that the king had been forced to march on foot.

'Aluna must have been close to Megiddo, since the rear of the Egyptian
forces was stationed there during the battle that followed, while the
southern wing extended to Taanach and the northern wing to Megiddo. The
advanced guard pushed into the plain below, and the royal tent was set
up on the bank of the brook of Qana, an affluent of the Kishon. The
decisive struggle took place on the twenty-first of the month. Thothmes
rode in a chariot of polished bronze, and posted himself among the
troops on the north-west side of Megiddo. The Canaanites were unable to
resist the Egyptian charge. They fled into the city, leaving behind them
their horses and their chariots plated with gold and silver, those who
arrived after the gates of the town had been shut being drawn up over
the walls by means of ropes. Had the Egyptians not stayed behind in
order to plunder the enemy's camp they would have entered Megiddo along
with the fugitives. As it was, they were compelled to blockade the city,
building a rampart round it of "fresh green trees," and the besieged
were finally starved into a surrender.

In the captured camp had been found the son of the king of Megiddo,
besides a large amount of booty, including chariots of silver and gold
from Asi or Cyprus. Two suits of iron armour were also obtained, one
belonging to the king of Kadesh, the other to the king of Megiddo. The