The House of Ramesses II: Egypt's Greatest Pharaoh?
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What is the significance of Ramesses II in Egyptian history?
Ever wondered why the Romans were defeated in the Teutoburg Forest? What secrets lie buried in prehistoric Ireland? Or what made Alexander truly great? With a subscription to History Hit, you can explore our ancient past alongside the world's leading historians and archaeologists. You'll also unlock hundreds of hours of original documentaries with a brand new release every single week covering everything from the ancient world to World War II. Just visit historyhit.com slash subscribe. Hello from Abu Simbel, one of the greatest Egyptian temples surviving today. I'm currently here, about 30 kilometers from the border with Sudan, and I'm staring at four colossal statues of Ramesses II, of Ramesses the Great.
Very much him showing this image that he was divine, that he was a great builder, and that he was the man in charge of this land, of the area of what was known as Lower Nubia. It's his story that we're covering today, his rise to prominence. What do we know? Well, to talk through it all, I was delighted to interview the one and only Dr. Campbell Price from Manchester Museum. Let's go.
It's 3,315 years ago and a young Egyptian prince walks through a towering monument. He is at the prestigious ancient city of Thebes in Upper Egypt, the capital of famous pharaonic predecessors like Thutmose III and Hatshepsut, and the home of a renowned temple complex dedicated to Egypt's chief god, Amun. Its name? Ipetsut. Karnak. The young prince walks through the newest great building being constructed at the sanctuary, commissioned by his father, the current pharaoh. The interior is a dense forest of columns, more than a hundred in total, each over 15 metres in height, closely spaced and supporting a large roof above, with slits high up in the walls to let in beams of sunlight. This great hall was to be a centre of ceremonies and rituals for Amun, where only the pharaoh, his family and his closest entourage could enter.
This newest sacred space for Amun is not yet complete. Decorations still need to be added. Reliefs of pharaohs, gods and offerings still need to be carved into the walls and columns. Paint still needs to be applied. But the work is underway. As the prince walks through the hall, the sounds of workmen grow louder. He exits the northern entrance and sees a great cluster of builders. They are gathered around the exterior wall, busy carving reliefs into it.
How did dynastic turmoil influence the rise of Ramesses II?
The prince recognises the scene instantly. There in the wall is his victorious father, larger than any other figure, riding a chariot. There are countless captives bound in front of him, a river filled with crocodiles and a city under siege. The scene records his father's most recent military venture up into Syria and the Great Bastion of Kadesh, a city hotly contested between the Egyptians and their northern rivals, the Hittites. The campaign had proven a success. The prince's father had returned to Egypt in a stronger position, consolidating his family's new hold over the throne. Seti was his name, Pharaoh Seti I. And his young son, then overseeing his father's achievements, being immortalized in stone, was none other than Rameses, soon to be Pharaoh Rameses II, Rameses the Great.
In this episode, we are going to cover this early story of Ramesses. How his family, including both his father Seti and his father before him, became pharaohs of Egypt after a period of turmoil for this Bronze Age superpower, laying the foundations for Ramesses and his extraordinary reign. A reign that included great battles, buildings and so much more. I'm Tristan Hughes, your host, and this is the story of the rise of Ramesses with our guest, Dr. Campbell Price. Campbell, it is such a pleasure to have you back on the show. Hello, Tristan. It's nice to be back. And we've done episodes in the past up at your work home, Manchester Museum, and now you're down in our lovely studio in London. Indeed. And to talk about the rise of Ramesses II, first of all, and his dynasty, the 19th dynasty.
Yes, I mean, Ramesses II is a well-known household name, but it's interesting to consider how he became the great and why people later thought he was so great.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the significance of Ramesses II in Egyptian history?
0:00–3:16
2
How did dynastic turmoil influence the rise of Ramesses II?
3:16–6:20
3
What role did Seti I play in shaping Ramesses II's future?
6:20–8:22
4
What were the key achievements of Seti I during his reign?
8:22–12:02
5
How did Ramesses II's early reign compare to his father's?
12:02–15:20
6
What challenges did Ramesses II face at the Battle of Kadesh?
15:20–18:38
7
How did Ramesses II spin the narrative of his military campaigns?
18:38–21:16
8
What legacy did Ramesses II leave behind after his reign?
21:16–1:00:00