Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History

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Ramses II, often called Ramses the Great, ruled Egypt for 66 years during the 19th Dynasty, a period of unprecedented wealth, monumental construction, and military expansion. From his early campaigns against the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh—the largest chariot battle in history—to the signing of the first known peace treaty, Ramses shaped the ancient Near East. This podcast explores the man behind the monuments: his 200-plus children, his beloved queen Nefertari, and his colossal building projects from Abu Simbel to the Ramesseum. Lucas and Luna unravel the propaganda of temple inscriptions, the controversies of his reign (did he really win at Kadesh?), and the daily life of Egyptian society under a pharaoh who proclaimed himself a god. They examine the decline that followed his death, the looting of his tomb, and his mummy's journey to a museum in Cairo. Why does Ramses still captivate us? Because his story is one of power, art, and the human drive for immortality—a legacy carved in stone that still speaks across millennia. #RamsesTheGreat #AncientEgypt #Pharaoh #19thDynasty #BattleOfKadesh #Nefertari #AbuSimbel #Hittites #EgyptianHistory #NewKingdom #PeaceTreaty #Ramesseum #Hieroglyphs #Sphinx #Pyramids #History #WorldHistory #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

  1. 21h ago

    Ramses the Great's Canal: The Nile-Red Sea Waterway

    Before the Suez Canal, before Darius, there was Ramses the Great's canal — an ancient waterway linking the Nile to the Red Sea. This episode traces the engineering, logistics, and geopolitics behind this forgotten megaproject. We follow the canal's route from the Pelusiac branch of the Nile near Per-Ramesses, through the Wadi Tumilat, to the Bitter Lakes and the Gulf of Suez. We discuss the corvée labour system that built it, the ships that sailed it (Byblos-runner types and Punt-venturing vessels), and the stelae Ramses erected to commemorate his achievement, including the one found at Tell el-Maskhuta. We explore how the canal enabled trade with Punt, bypassed the Nile cataracts for Red Sea access, and later influenced Necho II and Darius I. We also examine the controversy: was this a fully navigable canal or a seasonal irrigation channel? Archaeological evidence from the 20th century excavation by Labib Habachi and others is weighed. Finally, we consider the canal's role in Ramses's broader imperial strategy — tying together his delta capital, his Nubian gold routes, and his Asian campaigns. A fascinating look at ancient state infrastructure and the power of water. #RamsesTheGreat #AncientEgypt #Canal #RedSea #Nile #WadiTumilat #PerRamesses #TellElMaskhuta #LabibHabachi #Punt #SuezCanal #AncientEngineering #CorveeLabor #NechoII #DariusI #Kemet #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

    Ramses the Great's Canal: The Nile-Red Sea Waterway

  2. 1d ago

    Ramses the Great's Navy: Warships of the Nile and the Sea

    When we think of Ramses the Great, we picture chariots thundering across the plains of Kadesh. But Egypt's power also floated on the Nile and the Mediterranean. In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into Ramses's navy — the warships, supply vessels, and troop transports that extended his reach from the Delta to the Levantine coast. They explore the design of Egyptian ships, the crucial role of Byblos timber, the logistics of moving armies by water, and the little-known naval battle against the Sherden sea raiders. Along the way, they touch on the ports of Per-Ramesses and Tjaru, the use of sail and oar, and how Ramses projected force across the Great Green, securing Egypt's dominance for decades. A fresh angle on a pharaoh known for his monuments, revealing the unseen arm of his military might. #RamsesII #AncientEgypt #EgyptianNavy #NavalHistory #PerRamesses #Tjaru #Byblos #Sherden #Mediterranean #Nile #Kadesh #MilitaryHistory #AncientWarships #Pharaoh #NewKingdom #FexingoHistory #History #NorthAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

    Ramses the Great's Navy: Warships of the Nile and the Sea

  3. 1d ago

    Ramses the Great's Kadesh Reliefs: The First Propaganda War

    In this episode of Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh, Lucas and Luna dive into the battle reliefs at the Ramesseum and Karnak that depict the Battle of Kadesh. But these aren't straightforward historical records—they're carefully crafted propaganda. Lucas explains how Ramses reshaped a near-disaster into a personal victory, rewriting history on stone. They explore the specific scenes: the rescue by the Amun division, the personal bravery of the pharaoh, and the controversial 'Hittite spy' story. Lucas also introduces the Egyptian term for the reliefs—sS n qd—and discusses how the hieroglyphic captions interact with the images to create a narrative of divine favor. The episode also touches on the Kadesh Treaty as a later diplomatic resolution, contrasting the bellicose reliefs with the pragmatic peace. Donation segment ties listener support to preserving knowledge of ancient storytelling. #RamsesTheGreat #BattleOfKadesh #Karnak #Ramesseum #EgyptianPropaganda #Hieroglyphs #NewKingdom #Hittites #Kemet #WarReliefs #AncientEgypt #Pharaoh #Userrenputaanehktu #AbuSimbel #History #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica #Archaeology Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

    Ramses the Great's Kadesh Reliefs: The First Propaganda War

  4. 2d ago

    Ramses the Great's Prince Khaemwaset: Scholar, Magician, Archaeologist

    By the time Ramses the Great was in his forties, he had a son who was far more interested in temples than battles. Prince Khaemwaset, the fourth son of the king, became the High Priest of Ptah in Memphis and used that position to restore the pyramids and tombs of Egypt’s ancient past—monuments already over a thousand years old. He earned the title "The First Egyptologist" from modern historians. But in his own time, he was known as a magician, a healer, and the author of the Serapeum inscriptions. This episode explores his restoration projects at Giza and Saqqara, his role in the Heb Sed festival, and the legends that grew around him after his death—including tales of him outsmarting Nubian sorcerers in the Ptolemaic-era "Setne Khamwas" stories. We also look at his rivalry with his brother Merenptah and how Khaemwaset's death before his father changed the succession. Lucas and Luna dig into the real man behind the myth: a prince who chose scribal palette over chariot. #Khaemwaset #RamsesTheGreat #AncientEgypt #Kemet #Ptah #Memphis #Serapeum #Saqqara #Giza #Pyramids #HebSed #SetneKhamwas #Merenptah #FirstEgyptologist #Archaeology #PerRamesses #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

    Ramses the Great's Prince Khaemwaset: Scholar, Magician, Archaeologist

  5. 2d ago

    Ramses the Greats Libyans: Migrants, Mercenaries, and the War for the Delta

    Lucas and Luna explore Ramses the Great's long-running campaign against the Libyans, a threat that haunted Egypt's western border for decades. In this episode, they uncover who the Tjehenu and Tjemehu peoples really were — not a single nation, but a shifting coalition of tribes driven by drought and ambition. Lucas explains how Ramses turned the delta into a military zone, building a chain of forts and watchtowers that stretched from the Mediterranean to the Fayum. They discuss the Great Libyan War, a massive invasion that nearly broke through in Ramses's later years, and how the pharaoh's response — deportations, resettlement, and the creation of a Libyan mercenary corps — changed Egypt forever. Along the way, they touch on the archaeological evidence: the vivid battle reliefs at Medinet Habu, the inscribed 'year 11' stelae, and the surprising role of the Sherden sea peoples as Egyptian allies against the Libyans. This episode offers a fresh look at a frontier war that shaped the fate of the New Kingdom and foreshadowed the 'Sea Peoples' invasions yet to come. #RamsesII #LibyanWar #Tjehenu #Tjemehu #MedinetHabu #AncientEgypt #NorthAfrica #NewKingdom #Merenptah #Sherden #DeltaFortresses #LibyanTribes #BattleReliefs #Pharaoh #Warfare #History #FexingoHistory #AncientWarfare Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

    Ramses the Greats Libyans: Migrants, Mercenaries, and the War for the Delta

  6. 3d ago

    Ramses the Great's Priesthood: Power Behind the Throne

    Lucas and Luna explore the immense political and economic power wielded by the high priests of Amun-Re during Ramses the Great's reign. They delve into the career of Bekenkhons, who served as High Priest of Amun for over 27 years, and his predecessor Nebwenenef. The conversation covers the priesthood's control over vast temple estates, their role as power brokers in Thebes, and how Ramses managed this influential institution through strategic appointments and by elevating other cults like that of Ptah. Listeners will learn about the daily rituals performed in Karnak, the temple's role as an economic engine, and the delicate balance between pharaoh and clergy that shaped Ramses's rule. #RamsesTheGreat #AncientEgypt #HighPriest #AmunRe #Bekenkhons #Nebwenenef #Karnak #Thebes #TempleEconomy #Priesthood #Pharaoh #EgyptianReligion #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #Ptah #PerRamesses #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

    Ramses the Great's Priesthood: Power Behind the Throne

  7. 3d ago

    Ramses the Great's Hittite Peace Treaty: The World's First

    In Episode 170, Lucas and Luna explore the diplomatic masterpiece that ended decades of war between Egypt and the Hittite Empire: the Treaty of Kadesh, often called the world's first surviving peace treaty. They walk through the crumbling political landscape after the famous battle—neither side had won decisively, and both empires were exhausted. Lucas unpacks the years of back-channel negotiations, the exchange of letters in Akkadian cuneiform, and the key players: Hattusili III, who seized the Hittite throne, and Ramses, who saw a chance for stability. They discuss the treaty's terms—extradition clauses, mutual defense pacts, and the marriage alliance that sealed it—all inscribed on silver tablets and copied onto temple walls at Karnak and Ramesseum. Luna wonders about enforcement, and Lucas explains how the treaty was reinforced by the arrival of a Hittite princess, Maathorneferure, who became Ramses's queen. They also touch on the treaty's legacy: a copy hangs in the United Nations today. The episode ends with a reflection on what peace meant for two ancient superpowers—and what it cost. #RamsesTheGreat #TreatyOfKadesh #HittiteEmpire #HattusiliIII #Maathorneferure #Karnak #Ramesseum #Akkadian #EgyptianHittitePeace #AncientDiplomacy #WorldsFirstPeaceTreaty #SilverTablet #Puduhepa #Kemet #BronzeAge #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

    Ramses the Great's Hittite Peace Treaty: The World's First

  8. 4d ago

    Ramses the Great's Nubian Viceroy Setau: Governor of Gold

    From the gold mines of Nubia to the temples of Abu Simbel, Ramses the Great's reign depended on one man: Setau, the Viceroy of Kush. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how this former military officer became the second-most powerful figure in Egypt, overseeing the extraction of Nubian gold that financed Ramses's building projects and diplomatic outreach. They discuss Setau's rise under the shadow of earlier viceroys like Amenemope, his role in constructing the temples of Gerf Hussein and Wadi es-Sebua, and how he navigated the tension between Egyptian pharaohs and Nubian chiefs. The conversation also touches on the hieroglyphic inscriptions Setau left behind, the logistics of gold mining, and the legacy of Nubian gold in Egyptian history—including the economic pressures that ultimately destabilized the empire. A deep dive into a figure who managed the wealth of an empire. #Setau #ViceroyOfKush #NubianGold #RamsesTheGreat #AbuSimbel #GerfHussein #WadiEsSebua #Kush #EgyptianGoldMines #Amenemope #LowerNubia #19thDynasty #NewKingdom #AncientEgypt #NorthAfrica #FexingoHistory #History #AncientHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

    Ramses the Great's Nubian Viceroy Setau: Governor of Gold
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About

Ramses II, often called Ramses the Great, ruled Egypt for 66 years during the 19th Dynasty, a period of unprecedented wealth, monumental construction, and military expansion. From his early campaigns against the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh—the largest chariot battle in history—to the signing of the first known peace treaty, Ramses shaped the ancient Near East. This podcast explores the man behind the monuments: his 200-plus children, his beloved queen Nefertari, and his colossal building projects from Abu Simbel to the Ramesseum. Lucas and Luna unravel the propaganda of temple inscriptions, the controversies of his reign (did he really win at Kadesh?), and the daily life of Egyptian society under a pharaoh who proclaimed himself a god. They examine the decline that followed his death, the looting of his tomb, and his mummy's journey to a museum in Cairo. Why does Ramses still captivate us? Because his story is one of power, art, and the human drive for immortality—a legacy carved in stone that still speaks across millennia. #RamsesTheGreat #AncientEgypt #Pharaoh #19thDynasty #BattleOfKadesh #Nefertari #AbuSimbel #Hittites #EgyptianHistory #NewKingdom #PeaceTreaty #Ramesseum #Hieroglyphs #Sphinx #Pyramids #History #WorldHistory #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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