Some of them were Roman soldiers, men who had come with the army of Mark Antony from Syria when Ptolemy Auletes, Cleopatra's father, was reinstated on the throne, and had been left in Egypt, in Ptolemy's service, when Antony returned to Rome.

Some were native Egyptians.

There was also in the army of Achillas a large number of fugitive slaves,--refugees who had made their escape from various points along the shores of the Mediterranean, at different periods, and had been from time to time incorporated into the Egyptian army.

These fugitives were all men of the most determined and desperate character.
Achillas had also in his command a force of two thousand horse.

Such a body of cavalry made him, of course, perfect master of all the open country outside the city walls.