Ramses the Great's Dazzling Temple at Abu Simbel

Ramses the Great's Food and Feast: Feeding an Empire

When you rule the ancient world's greatest superpower for 67 years, you need to feed millions. This episode explores the vast agricultural engine behind Ramses II's Egypt—the grains, cattle, and fish that sustained the might of Kemet. We follow the annual inundation of Hapi, the Nile's flood, which turned the desert green and filled the royal granaries. Lucas and Luna discuss the daily diet of a Deir el-Medina worker versus a Theban noble's banquet, with wine from the Delta, honey from the marshes, and the great baking industry at Per-Ramesses. They uncover how Ramses used grain as power—storing it against famine, paying his army of Sherden and Medjay, and hosting his Hittite allies with sumptuous feasts. The episode also looks at the role of the 'Scribe of the Fields' and the tax collectors who tracked every bushel. A surprising detail: the sacred Apis bulls were fattened on the best barley, and the royal kitchen at the Ramesseum employed hundreds. A conversation about the food that made an empire. #RamsesII #AncientEgypt #EgyptianFood #Nile #PerRamesses #DeirElMedina #EgyptianAgriculture #Hapi #Feasting #EgyptianBread #WineInEgypt #Ramesseum #ApisBull #Kemet #FexingoHistory #Podcast #History #NorthAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Royal Wives: Nefertari and Isisnofret

While Ramses the Great is famous for his monumental building projects and military campaigns, his personal life was equally complex. This episode delves into the lives of his two principal wives, Nefertari and Isisnofret, exploring their political roles, religious influence, and the power dynamics within the royal harem. We examine Nefertari's temple at Abu Simbel, her diplomatic correspondence with the Hittite queen Puduhepa, and her titles as 'Great Royal Wife' and 'God's Wife of Amun.' Isisnofret, often overshadowed, emerges as a key figure through her son Khaemwaset's religious reforms and her own monuments. We also touch on the lesser-known wives, including Ramses's Hittite princess Maathorneferure, and the children who shaped the succession. The episode considers archaeological evidence from the Valley of the Queens (QV66) and recent DNA studies that hint at family relationships. Listeners will gain a nuanced view of how royal women wielded soft power in New Kingdom Egypt, balancing religious duties, diplomacy, and dynastic ambitions. #Nefertari #Isisnofret #RamsesII #AbuSimbel #GreatRoyalWife #ValleyOfTheQueens #QV66 #Puduhepa #Maathorneferure #Khaemwaset #19thDynasty #NewKingdom #EgyptianQueens #RoyalHarem #AncientEgypt #History #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Nubian Viceroy: The Man Who Ruled Kush

In this episode of the Fexingo History podcast, Lucas and Luna explore the career of Setau, Ramses the Great's viceroy of Kush, who governed Egypt's Nubian territories for over two decades. They discuss how Setau rose from a lowly scribe to become the king's right hand in Nubia, overseeing gold mines, temple construction, and diplomatic relations with local chieftains. Lucas reveals details from Setau's rock inscriptions at Aswan and Wadi es-Sebua, describing his role in building the temple of Gerf Hussein and his supervision of the gold mining expeditions that funded Ramses's building projects. The conversation also touches on the administrative structure of Kush under Egyptian rule, the relationship between the viceroy and the priesthood of Amun, and how Setau's career reflects Ramses's broader strategy of controlling Nubia through loyal, non-royal officials. Luna asks about the challenges of governing such a distant province and the legacy of Setau's rule, which helped integrate Nubia into the Egyptian state for centuries. #Setau #ViceroyOfKush #Nubia #RamsesII #AncientEgypt #Kush #GoldMines #WadiEsSebua #GerfHussein #Aswan #Amun #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #EgyptianAdministration #NubianTemples #FexingoHistory #HistoryPodcast #AncientHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Horses: Companions in War and Peace

Ramses the Great is famous for his chariots at Kadesh, but what about the horses that pulled them? In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the vital role of horses in Ramses's military campaigns, their breeding, training, and care. They discuss the names of Ramses's personal horses, like "Victory in Thebes" and "Mut is Content," and how the pharaoh's bond with these animals was immortalized in temple reliefs and inscriptions. The conversation also touches on the broader significance of horses in New Kingdom Egypt—their introduction by the Hyksos, their status as symbols of power, and the logistics of maintaining a royal stable. Lucas shares insights from ancient texts, including the story of a horse named "Qedesh" that saved Ramses at Kadesh. This episode offers a fresh perspective on Ramses's reign through the eyes of his most trusted four-legged companions. #RamsesTheGreat #AncientEgypt #Horses #Warhorses #Chariots #BattleOfKadesh #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #Hyksos #VictoryInThebes #MutIsContent #Kemet #EgyptianCavalry #PharaohsHorses #History #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica #AncientWarfare Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Army: Soldiers and Strategy in the New Kingdom

What was it like to serve in Ramses the Great's army? This episode pulls back the curtain on the men behind the pharaoh's legendary campaigns. We explore the structure of Egypt's military during the New Kingdom's 19th Dynasty: the professional core of soldiers, the conscripted peasants filling the ranks, and the foreign mercenaries like the Sherden and the Medjay who brought their own tactics to the Nile. Lucas describes the daily life of a soldier—rations, pay, and the brutal reality of siege warfare—and explains how Ramses used military propaganda to cement his legacy. Luna asks about the training of charioteers and the logistics of feeding an army in the field. We also discuss the role of the 'Scribe of the Army' and how battlefield promotions could lift a soldier from the dust to a position at court. No grand battles today—just the flesh-and-blood warriors who fought them. #RamsesII #NewKingdom #AncientEgyptianArmy #19thDynasty #Chariotry #Sherden #Medjay #Mercenaries #SiegeWarfare #Kemet #MilitaryHistory #Infantry #Spearmen #Bowmen #Charioteers #Scribes #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]