The Tombos Stela is an ancient Egyptian rock inscription found in the area of Tombos (Nubia), dated to Year 2 of Pharaoh Thutmose I. It attests to his military campaign into Nubia around the area of the 3rd cataract of the Nile. It was discovered around 1829, on a large boulder in Tombos, Nubia on the east bank of the Nile. Thutmose is known to have expanded Egypt’s borders throughout his reign, not only in Nubia, but also by campaigns in the Syria-Palestine area. During the Middle Kingdom, pharaohs such as Mentuhotep II had already expanded into Nubia. However, scholars argue that the Tombos stela is evidence of farther expansion by Thutmose into Nubia than previous kings. Background The Nile flows generally north through Africa, passing through Nubia into Egypt and eventually empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Along stretches of the river south of Egypt there are what are termed "cataracts". Cataracts are areas in the river where there are patches of rock, making the river dangerous and unnavigable by boat. These cataracts served as general boundary points for the Egyptian Empire, and often settlements and forts were constructed around these natural boundaries. Egypt’s natural boundary was in the area of the first cataract, just south of Aswan. The Nubian empire was Egypt’s historical enemy, with its territory spread throughout the areas of the second cataract, down into the area of Kush, and around the 4th and 5th cataracts around the area of Khartoum (Modern day Sudan). Around the time of the Second Intermediate Period Nubia seized land past its border with Egypt at the 1st cataract, almost wiping out Egypt’s empire. Egyptian Pharaoh Ahmose crushed the Nubian expansion and re-established Egyptian dominance by reunifying the empire while turning back the Nubians to the south. The text Two of the more prominently-used English versions of the text are those translated by scholars James Henry Breasted and Hans Goedicke. This article will use Goedicke’s translation. It reads as follows: Year 2, 2d month of day 15 under the Majesty of Horus “victorious bull” law loving; Nbty: who appears with Nsrt, great of strength; gold-horus: beautiful of years, who enlivens the hearts, King, given life eternally, Son-of-Re Thutmosis. In the 2d year that he was introduced: His appearance as Chief of the two lands in order to rule what the sun disc has encircled, South and also North , namely the parts