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

In Year 21 of his reign, Ramses II concluded the world's first recorded peace treaty with the Hittite king Hattusili III. But the real story is the silver tablet on which the treaty was inscribed — a diplomatic currency that carried Kemet's voice across the ancient Near East. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Ramses used not just chariots and temples, but letters, gifts, and a marriage a...

This episode of Fexingo History goes deep into the construction and meaning of the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, the largest single-room religious structure ever built. Lucas and Luna explore how Ramses II and his father Seti I transformed the temple precinct of Amun-Re into a stone forest of 134 towering columns, some rising 21 meters. They discuss the logistics of quarrying sandstone from Gebe...

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Feast of Opet, the grandest festival in ancient Kemet, under Ramses the Great. Held annually at Waset (Thebes), the Opet Festival was a 24-day celebration that reinforced the pharaoh's divine kingship and his bond with the god Amun-Re. Lucas explains the journey of the barque statues from the Temple of Karnak to the Temple of Luxor, th...

Long before they fought for Ramses II at Kadesh, the Sherden were feared sea raiders who plagued Egypt's coasts. This episode traces their transformation — from captured pirates to elite warriors of the pharaoh's personal guard, with their distinctive horned helmets and bronze swords. Lucas and Luna explore what we know from the Battle of Kadesh reliefs at the Ramesseum, the Papyrus Harris I's acc...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Ramses II's largely overlooked campaigns against Libyan tribes in the western Delta. While the Battle of Kadesh and Hittite diplomacy dominate the record, Ramses faced persistent threats from the Libyans (Tjehenu and Tjemehu) who pressed into Egypt's fertile lands. Using the fortress of Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham and his northern capital Pi-Ramesses as bases, Ram...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore an often-overlooked pillar of Ramses II's military might: his state-run horse breeding program. From the stables of Per-Ramesses to the horse-training regimens depicted at Abu Simbel, we uncover how Egypt's 'Great Stable' supplied the chariotry that won at Kadesh. Lucas explains the logistical feat of importing and breeding horses from Syria and Nubia, the r...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Ramses II's pioneering diplomatic missions: the embassies that shuttled between Kemet and Hatti after the Battle of Kadesh. They follow the journey of Egyptian envoys along the Ways of Horus, through Canaan and into Anatolia, bearing gold and silver, accompanied by scribes and interpreters. The dialogue unpacks the first peace treaty in history—the Treaty of...

He was Ramses II's fourth son, but instead of commanding armies or building monuments of his own, Khaemwaset chose the path of the priest and the scholar, becoming one of ancient Egypt's most intriguing figures. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Prince Khaemwaset served as High Priest of Ptah in Memphis, restored long-neglected pyramids and tombs of Old Kingdom pharaohs, and earned a rep...

In the waning years of his 67-year reign, Ramses II ordered the construction of a colossal statue of himself at Tanis, a city in the Nile Delta. This episode traces the journey of that 100-ton quartzite colossus from the quarry at Gebel el-Ahmar near modern Cairo to its final home at the temple of Amun-Re in Tanis. We follow the logistics—the sledges, the thousands of workers, the seasonal floodin...

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the remarkable career of Setau, Ramses the Great's most trusted Viceroy of Kush. Setau wasn't just an administrator — he was a priest, a military commander, and the driving force behind Ramses's massive building projects in Nubia. We trace Setau's rise from a humble scribe to the second most powerful man in Egypt, overseeing gold mines, te...

This episode explores one of the most remarkable diplomatic achievements of the ancient world: the peace treaty between Ramses II of Egypt and Hattusili III of the Hittite Empire, concluded around 1259 BCE. Lucas and Luna examine the brutal war of attrition that led to the treaty, the silver tablet on which the accord was inscribed, and the parallel copies found at Karnak and in the Hittite capita...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the often-overlooked role of desert patrols in Ramses II's Egypt. They delve into the Shasu bedouin, the fortress of Tjaru, and the Ways of Horus military road. Discover how the Medjay police force and local commanders maintained order along the eastern frontier, protecting trade routes and border security. Learn about the strategic importance of the Sinai a...

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the lost city of Per-Banebdjedet, the cult center of the ram-headed god Banebdjedet in the Nile Delta. Ramses the Great erected massive granite monoliths there, including a colossal statue of himself as the god. The city was a key administrative hub for the 19th Dynasty, linking the Delta to the Mediterranean trade routes. Lucas explains h...

Episode 112 of Ramses the Great dives into the lives of the engineers, quarrymen, artists, and laborers who built the colossal monuments of Egypt's most prolific pharaoh. Lucas and Luna explore the workforce behind Abu Simbel, the Ramesseum, and Pi-Ramesses — not slaves but skilled artisans, conscripted farmers during the inundation, and state-organized crews working in rotating shifts. They discu...

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the often-overlooked women in Ramses the Great's life — not just the famous Nefertari, but also Queen Tuya, Isetnofret, Maathorneferure, and the harem conspiracy. They discuss Nefertari's political influence, her temple at Abu Simbel, and her letters to the Hittite queen Puduhepa. They also examine Isetnofret's role as mother of the crown...

In episode 110, Lucas and Luna explore Ramses the Great's chariot corps — the elite weapon that turned the Battle of Kadesh from a near-disaster into a propaganda triumph. They discuss the two-man crew: the charioteer who steered the horse team and the archer who loosed composite arrows at full gallop. Lucas explains how Egyptian chariots were lighter and faster than Hittite models, built from woo...

When Ramses II became pharaoh, he built a new capital from scratch on the Nile Delta: Per-Ramesses, the 'House of Ramses.' For centuries it was the glittering heart of Egyptian power, filled with temples, palaces, and workshops. Then it vanished. In this episode, Lucas and Luna trace the rise and fall of this lost city — from its foundation on the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, to its role as a mili...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Ramses the Great's use of the Sed festival (heb-sed) to reinforce his divine kingship and extend his 67-year reign. They discuss how Ramses built jubilee chapels at Per-Ramesses and elsewhere, performed ritual runs to demonstrate vitality, and co-opted the festival's ancient origins from earlier pharaohs like Djoser and Sneferu. The conversation touches on t...

Long before Ramses II became the legendary builder and warrior pharaoh, he served as a young prince leading desert patrols along Egypt's eastern frontier. This episode traces his early military career, from skirmishing with Shasu bedouin near the Ways of Horus to commanding garrisons at Tjaru and the fortified wells along the Sinai route. Lucas and Luna explore the daily reality of frontier polici...

Why would the most prolific builder pharaoh leave projects unfinished? This episode explores Ramses II's incomplete monuments: the abandoned second court at the Ramesseum, the unfinished colossi at Tanis, and the mysterious 'unfinished obelisk' at Aswan. We discuss how even Ramses's vast resources had limits—logistical failures, shifting priorities, and the practical realities of New Kingdom const...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the extraordinary length of Ramses II's 67-year reign, the second longest in Egyptian history. They examine the key factors that sustained his rule for so long: a combination of military victories, monumental building projects, diplomatic marriages, and careful management of the economy and succession. The conversation covers his early co-regency with Seti I...

Ramses II ruled Egypt for 67 years, longer than almost any other pharaoh. How did he hold onto power for so long in the volatile Late Bronze Age? This episode of Fexingo History explores the practical strategies behind his longevity: from his careful management of the priestly class at Karnak and Amun-Re's temple, to his strategic use of royal marriages including the famous Hittite peace treaty, t...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna delve into Ramses the Great's military campaigns in Nubia, exploring how he secured Egypt's southern frontier and exploited the region's vast resources. They discuss the annexation of Kush, the construction of temples like Wadi es-Sebua and Beit el-Wali, and the role of the Viceroy of Kush, Setau, in administering the conquered territories. The conversation also exa...

This episode explores the vast gold mining operations in Nubia that fueled Ramses II's monumental building projects and military campaigns. Lucas and Luna delve into the geography of the Eastern Desert, the organization of mining expeditions, the lives of workers at sites like the Wadi Hammamat and the gold mines of the Wadi el-Hudi, and the religious rituals performed to appease the gods of the d...

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the mysterious Sea Peoples who threatened Egypt during Ramses II's reign. Who were these raiders from the north — the Sherden, the Peleset, the Tjekker? Lucas unpacks the evidence from the Battle of the Delta in Year 5, the inscriptions at Medinet Habu, and the theory that the Sea Peoples were displaced Mycenaeans, Lycians, and Sardinians fleeing the Bronze...