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

Ramses the Great's Smiting Scenes: The Art of Pharaoh as Warrior

9 min · 26. maj 2026
episode Ramses the Great's Smiting Scenes: The Art of Pharaoh as Warrior cover

Beskrivelse

When Ramses II carved his victories into temple walls, he wasn't just recording history — he was projecting divine power. In Episode 58, Lucas and Luna explore the iconic 'smiting scenes' that appear on nearly every Ramessid monument, from Abu Simbel to Karnak to the Ramesseum. Why did Ramses have himself depicted gripping enemies by the hair, raising a mace to strike them down, over and over again? These images were not mere propaganda; they were ritual statements of ma'at — cosmic order — triumphing over chaos. The episode examines the artistic conventions of the smiting pose (tracing it back to the Narmer Palette 1,500 years earlier), the specific enemies depicted (Libyans, Nubians, Hittites, and the mysterious Sea Peoples), and the hieroglyphic labels that sometimes name individuals like the Libyan chief Mesher or the Hittite prince. Lucas unpacks how these scenes functioned as 'execration texts' — magical acts that ensured the pharaoh's dominance in the afterlife. The conversation also touches on the controversial 'Battle of Kadesh' reliefs at the Ramesseum, where Ramses rewrote a near-defeat as a personal victory gifted by Amun. Finally, they consider what the smiting scenes reveal about Ramses's personality: a king who needed the world to see him as the invincible guardian of Egypt's borders, even when the reality was messier. A tight, visual dive into one of pharaonic art's most enduring motifs. #RamsesII #SmitingScenes #AbuSimbel #Karnak #Ramesseum #NarmerPalette #Ma'at #AncientEgypt #PharaonicArt #Kadesh #Libyans #Nubians #SeaPeoples #Hieroglyphs #ExecrationTexts #Propaganda #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

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106 episoder

episode Ramses the Great's Abandoned Monuments: The Mysteries of His Unfinished Works cover

Ramses the Great's Abandoned Monuments: The Mysteries of His Unfinished Works

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 construction. Learn about the workers who walked away mid-carving, the quarry marks that reveal hasty changes, and what these remnants tell us about the cracks in Ramses's divine image. A rare look at failure in an age of triumph. #RamsesII #UnfinishedMonuments #Ramesseum #Tanis #UnfinishedObelisk #AswanQuarry #NewKingdom #EgyptianArchitecture #Kemet #Pharaoh #ConstructionFailures #QuarryMarks #Colossi #Seth #PerRamesses #AncientEgypt #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

19. juni 20267 min
episode Ramses the Great's 67-Year Reign What Made It Last cover

Ramses the Great's 67-Year Reign What Made It Last

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, the propaganda value of the Battle of Kadesh, the Hittite peace treaty, and the roles of his many children, especially Khaemwaset and Merenptah. They also discuss how Ramses leveraged the annual Nile flood (Hapi) through agricultural policies and used his vast network of temples, including the Ramesseum and Per-Ramesses, to project power. The episode touches on the practical realities of governing an empire for over six decades, including the challenges of maintaining health, securing loyalty, and managing the transition to a new pharaoh. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of how one pharaoh managed to hold power longer than almost any other ruler in history. #RamsesII #AncientEgypt #19thDynasty #NewKingdom #Pharaoh #67YearReign #Kemet #PerRamesses #Hapi #Kadesh #HittiteTreaty #Khaemwaset #Merenptah #SetiI #Ramesseum #EgyptianHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

I går8 min
episode Ramses the Great's 67-Year Reign: What Made It Last cover

Ramses the Great's 67-Year Reign: What Made It Last

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, to his unprecedented building program that employed thousands and kept the economy stable. We examine how Ramses balanced the competing powers of the Amun priesthood, the military elite, and the royal family, particularly his sons Khaemwaset and Merenptah. We also look at the role of the Deir el-Medina workmen's strike in Year 29, the earliest recorded labor action in history, and what it reveals about his rule. And we consider the succession crisis after his death that nearly unraveled the 19th Dynasty. From Per-Ramesses to the Valley of the Kings, this is the story of how one man kept a vast empire together for nearly seven decades. #RamsesII #AncientEgypt #19thDynasty #Kemet #Pharaoh #PerRamesses #Karnak #AmunRe #Khaemwaset #Merenptah #DeirElMedina #HittitePeace #LateBronzeAge #NewKingdom #Succession #BuildingProgram #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

I går9 min
episode Ramses the Great's Nubian Campaigns and the Kushite Legacy cover

Ramses the Great's Nubian Campaigns and the Kushite Legacy

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 examines the cultural and economic impact of Nubian gold and trade, the interaction between Egyptian and Kushite cultures, and the long-term legacy of Ramses's Nubian policies, which shaped Egypt's relations with the south for centuries. Lucas and Luna also touch on the debated chronology of Ramses's Nubian wars and the archaeological evidence from sites like Kerma and Gebel Barkal. #RamsesII #Nubia #Kush #Setau #AncientEgypt #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #WadiEsSebua #BeitElWali #Kerma #GebelBarkal #NubianGold #Pharaoh #MilitaryHistory #Imperialism #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

17. juni 202610 min
episode Ramses the Great's Nubian Gold Mines: Wealth Beneath the Sands cover

Ramses the Great's Nubian Gold Mines: Wealth Beneath the Sands

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 desert. They discuss the Turin Papyrus Map—the oldest surviving geological map—and how it guided prospectors. The conversation also touches on the economic impact of Nubian gold, the role of the Kushite viceroy, and the eventual decline of production. A vivid picture emerges of the ingenuity, brutality, and spiritual significance behind Egypt's most precious resource. #RamsesII #NubianGold #WadiHammamat #TurinPapyrusMap #EasternDesert #EgyptianMining #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #Kush #GoldMines #AmunRe #Hapi #WadiElHudi #Scribes #MiningExpeditions #AncientEgypt #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

17. juni 20269 min