The Forgotten Pharaoh: Merneptah and the First Israel

Pharaoh Teti and the Rise of Pyramid Texts

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Pharaoh Teti, the first ruler of Egypt's 6th Dynasty (c. 2345–2333 BCE), and his revolutionary contribution to religious literature: the Pyramid Texts. Discovered in Teti's pyramid at Saqqara, these are the oldest known religious writings in the world, carving spells and hymns onto stone to ensure the king's afterlife. Lucas unpacks how Teti's reign marked a shift from the towering pyramids of the Old Kingdom to more modest structures packed with spiritual power. They discuss the goddesses Isis, Nephthys, Selket, and Neith who protected Teti's canopic chest, the ritual 'Opening of the Mouth', and the possible political intrigue behind Teti's assassination by his own bodyguards. Luna asks whether these texts influenced later Egyptian funerary traditions like the Book of the Dead. A look at how one king's tomb became the foundation for millennia of afterlife beliefs. #PharaohTeti #6thDynasty #PyramidTexts #Saqqara #OldKingdom #AncientEgypt #Egyptology #Afterlife #Isis #Nephthys #Selket #Neith #OpeningOfTheMouth #BookOfTheDead #Hieroglyphs #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Pharaoh Ramesses II and the Battle of Kadesh's Propaganda Machine

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the reign of Ramesses II, focusing on one of the most documented and misunderstood events of ancient Egypt: the Battle of Kadesh. They explore how Ramesses II turned a near-defeat into a propaganda triumph through monumental inscriptions, the so-called 'Bulletin' and 'Poem' of Kadesh, and the reliefs at Abu Simbel, Luxor, and the Ramesseum. The conversation examines the actual military stalemate against the Hittite king Muwatalli II, the role of the 'Sleeping Warriors' ruse, and the treaty that followed—one of the first in recorded history. They also touch on Ramesses's massive building program, his deification in his own lifetime, and the legacy of his self-mythologizing. Specific details covered include the strategic importance of Kadesh on the Orontes River, the Egyptian army's four divisions (Amun, Re, Ptah, Sutekh), the ne'arin troops, and the silver treaty tablet now in Istanbul. This episode offers a nuanced look at how Pharaohs wielded both sword and stylus to shape their own legend. #RamessesII #BattleOfKadesh #EgyptianPropaganda #Hittites #MuwatalliII #AbuSimbel #LuxorTemple #Ramesseum #NewKingdom #KadeshTreaty #AncientDiplomacy #Pharaoh #Egyptology #OrontesRiver #Nearin #SilverTablet #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Pharaoh Ramesses III and the Sea Peoples: Egypt's Last Great Defense

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the reign of Ramesses III, the last great warrior pharaoh of the New Kingdom. They explore the mysterious Sea Peoples—a coalition of raiders who swept across the eastern Mediterranean around 1200 BCE, toppling empires like the Hittites and Mycenaeans. Lucas unpacks Ramesses's epic battles at Djahy and the Nile Delta, the detailed reliefs at Medinet Habu, and the pharaoh's innovative use of naval warfare and archers. They also touch on the economic decline that followed, the first recorded labor strike in history at Deir el-Medina, and the shadowy palace conspiracy that ended Ramesses's life. A vivid portrait of a civilization fighting for survival against overwhelming odds. #RamessesIII #SeaPeoples #MedinetHabu #DeirElMedina #BronzeAgeCollapse #NavalWarfare #Pharaoh #NewKingdom #AncientEgypt #Djahy #Hittites #Libyans #Peleset #Philistines #Luxor #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Pharaoh Thutmose III: Egypt's Napoleon and the Battle of Megiddo

In this episode of The Pharaohs, Lucas and Luna explore the military genius of Thutmose III, often called 'the Napoleon of Egypt.' They dive into his unprecedented campaign against the Canaanite coalition at Megiddo in 1457 BCE, the meticulous logistics of moving an army through the narrow Aruna Pass, and the controversial siege that followed. They discuss the detailed annals inscribed at the Karnak Temple, Thutmose's strategy of combining speed with overwhelming force, and how his stepmother Hatshepsut's reign set the stage for his conquests. The episode also touches on his personal relationship with the god Amun-Re, his administrative reforms, and the enduring legacy of the Megiddo campaign as a template for future warfare. Along the way, they untangle the blurred lines between military necessity and divine mandate in New Kingdom ideology. #ThutmoseIII #Megiddo #BattleOfMegiddo #AncientEgypt #NewKingdom #Karnak #AmunRe #ArunaPass #Canaan #NapoleonOfEgypt #MilitaryHistory #SiegeWarfare #EgyptianArmy #Hatshepsut #NorthAfrica #BronzeAge #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Pharaoh Hatshepsut The Female King Who Built an Empire

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the reign of Hatshepsut, the fifth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty who ruled as a king, not a queen. They discuss her unprecedented rise to power, her use of propaganda including the famous 'Divine Birth' relief at Deir el-Bahri, her ambitious building program including her mortuary temple and the Red Chapel at Karnak, the Punt expedition that brought back exotic goods, her military campaigns, her patronage of the arts, and the mystery of her legacy after her death—including the damnatio memoriae enacted by her successor (and perhaps co-ruler) Thutmose III. The episode dives into the nuances of her gender presentation, her titles (Maatkare, Khnumt-Amun), her relationships with officials like Senenmut, and the ongoing debates among historians about the extent of her power and the reasons for her later erasure. #Hatshepsut #AncientEgypt #Pharaoh #Egyptology #DeirElBahri #Punt #Senenmut #Karnak #RedChapel #DamnatioMemoriae #ThutmoseIII #18thDynasty #NewKingdom #FemalePharaoh #Maatkare #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]