The History of Egypt Podcast

Khaemwaset Forever with Dr. Campbell Price

Campbell Price is Curator of Egypt & Sudan at Manchester Museum. Enthusiasts will know him from the books Ancient Egypt in 50 Discoveries and Golden Mummies of Egypt. Interpreting Identities from the Graeco-Roman Period. You may have seen or heard him on History Hit’s The Ancients, a variety of documentaries, and this podcast! Today, Campbell joins the show once more to talk about KHA-EM-WASET. The fourth son of Ramesses II, renowned priest and conservator of ancient monuments... and fairytale hero in later ages. Campbell Price: Academia.edu [https://manchester.academia.edu/CampbellPrice]. Liverpool University [https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/people/campbell-price-2#:~:text=Research%20outputs-,About,material%20from%20the%20Karnak%20Cachette.]. Ancient Egypt in 50 Discoveries (2025) via Egypt Exploration Society [https://www.ees.ac.uk/resource/ancient-egypt-in-50-discoveries.html]. Golden Mummies of Egypt: Interpreting Identities from the Graeco-Roman Period (2023) via Google Books [https://books.google.ie/books?id=Z5uSzwEACAAJ&source=gbs_book_other_versions_r&redir_esc=y]. Dr. Price’s non-Egyptology reading recommendation: Lucy Fulford, The Exiled (2024) https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/lucy-fulford/the-exiled/9781399711210 [https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/lucy-fulford/the-exiled/9781399711210] Music by Keith Zizza, used with artist's permission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Introducing Lost Roman Heroes (Feed Swap)

This week we’re sharing a special episode from Lost Roman Heroes, recently named a “must-listen history podcast” by Amazon Music and named one of the "Best Ancient History Podcasts" in Find that Pod! Hosted by Matteo and Matthew Storm, a father-son duo, Lost Roman Heroes brings to life the forgotten figures who helped shape ancient Rome—rebels, generals, philosophers, and outcasts. Each episode blends narrative, analysis, and just enough humor to make these stories feel vivid, human, and surprisingly relevant. Like today’s episode – where we’re sharing one of their favorite lost Roman characters – Belisarius. Part 1 of a multipart series, we’ll hear why this guy is a one-named mystery, worshipped in the ancient world, but forgotten today. When you meet Belisarius in this episode, he is not yet the legend he becomes. He’s simply a Thracian boy that makes his way to Constantinople, enters Justinian’s bodyguard and in a heartbeat is a 28 year old Magister Militum Per Orientem, leading an invasion fleet to Carthage, to punish the Vandals for their mortal insult to Roman honor.   For more episodes like this, and to hear the rest of the series on Belisarius, make sure to follow Lost Roman Heroes, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And tell them we sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

230: Khaemwaset & the Book of Thoth

The prince Kha-em-Waset (lived c.1260 BCE) was a learned man, and an accomplished priest. Centuries after his death, storytellers remembered the prince as a sage and magician. They told tales of his adventures, including one where Khaemwaset stole a magical book, belonging to the great god Djehuty/Thoth. In a tale of gothic horror, the prince must wrangle with the consequences of his greed... CONTENT WARNING: Story contains themes of suicide, murder, and sexual horror. Please listen with discretion. Music: Matt Uelman, "Tristram;" Keith Zizza, "Dissatisfaction," "Memories of Thebes," and "Beloved of Ma'at;" Ray Noble & His Orchestra, "Midnight with the Stars and You (Instrumental);" TableTop Audio "The Mummy's Tomb." Logo image: Statue of Khaemwaset from Asyut, now in British Museum (photo Dominic Perry); painting of Tabubue, by M. Lalau (1932). The Tale of Khaemwaset and the Book of Thoth: Griffith, F. L. (1900). Stories of the high priests of Memphis: The Sethon of Herodotus and the Demotic tales of Khamuas. Available at Internet Archive [https://archive.org/details/storieshighprie00grifgoog]. Lichtheim, M. (1980). Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume III: The Late Period, 125—151. Ritner, R. K. (2003b). The Romance of Setna Khaemuas and the Mummies (Setna I). In W. K. Simpson (Ed.), The Literature of Ancient Egypt: An Anthology of Stories, Instructions, Stelae, Autobiographies, and Poetry (3rd ed., pp. 453--469). Vinson, S. (2018). The Craft of a Good scribe: History, Narrative and Meaning in the First tale of Setne Khaemwas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

229: The First Egyptologist? Khaemwaset & the Apis Bulls

In 1263 BCE, priests announced the death of the APIS BULL. Sacred to Ptah, the bull dwelled in the temple at Men-nefer (Memphis). Now, in year 30 of Ramesses II, the King's son KHA-EM-WASET would lead the funerary processions. Shortly after, the prince inaugurated the first phase of a now famous monument. The Lesser Vaults of the SERAPEUM begin to take shape. The prince also starts a project for which he is renowned: the preservation and restoration of old monuments. These acts have earned him the moniker "the first Egyptologist." Logo: Statue of Khaemwaset from Asyut, now in the British Museum (Photo Dominic Perry). Music: Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net [https://www.keithzizza.net/], used with artist's permission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

228: Three Funerals & a Sed Festival

Loss and rejuvenation. Ramesses third decade in power was a time of death. The King's Great Wife Nefertari passed around year 25. Almost simultaneously, his mother Tuya, his second wife Iset-Nofret, and his eldest son Amun-her-khopeshef all passed to the west. We meet these figures, explore their tombs (including the amazing KV5), and trace their surprising legacies. Then, we recount the big event: in Year 30, Ramesses celebrated the first of his jubilees. A magnificent Sed Festival took place in Memphis... Logo image: gold bead of Iset-Nofret (Metropolitan Museum of Art, public domain). Music by Keith Zizza https://www.keithzizza.net/, [https://www.keithzizza.net/,] used with artist's permission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]