Egyptologist Discovers What Really Happened to Missing 50,000-Strong Persian Army

Around 524 BC, a Persian army of 50,000 strong disappeared in the Egyptian desert in what is one of the greatest archaeological mysteries of all time. Now, an Egyptologist has finally solved this vanishing act.

Leiden Professor Olaf Kaper made this accidental discovery while conducting his decade-long excavation in Amheida, in the Dachla Oasis of Egypt. He unearthed ancient temple blocks detailing a full list of titles of Petubastis III, an Egyptian rebel leader, and let the puzzle pieces "fall into place." It turns out that the army's disappearance was really just a cover-up.

According to the writings of anchient Greek historian Herodotus, King Cambyses led his Persian troops into the desert near Thebes (modern-day Luxor) and never returned. Supposedly, they were swallowed by sand dunes, but this myth has long been debated.