Ramses the Great's Sherden Mercenaries: Pirates Turned Bodyguards

Ramses the Great's Sherden Mercenaries: Pirates Turned Bodyguards

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 account of Sherden prisoners being recruited, and the thorny question of their homeland — Sardinia? The Levant? We also examine how the Sherden integrated into Egyptian society, marrying local women and settling in the Delta, and what their story tells us about Ramses's pragmatic approach to foreign policy. This is a tight, focused look at a single group that crosses the lines between enemy and ally, pirate and soldier. #Sherden #SeaPeoples #RamsesII #Kadesh #EgyptianMilitary #Mercenaries #BronzeAge #Pirates #Ramesseum #PapyrusHarrisI #PerRamesses #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #NorthAfrica #AncientEgypt #NavalWarfare #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Libyan Wars Defending the Western Delta

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, Ramses launched punitive expeditions to secure the border. We discuss the archaeological evidence from the western forts, the role of the Sherden mercenaries in these campaigns, and how these conflicts set the stage for later Libyan incursions under Ramses' successors. The episode also touches on the Meshwesh tribe's gradual integration into Egyptian society, culminating in Libyan pharaohs of the Third Intermediate Period. A fascinating but often forgotten chapter of Ramses' reign. #RamsesII #LibyanWars #AncientEgypt #WesternDelta #Tjehenu #Tjemehu #Meshwesh #ZawiyetUmmelRakham #PiRamesses #Sherden #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #NorthAfrica #Libya #Fortress #Mercenaries #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Horse Breeding Program: The Strength Behind the Chariotry

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 roles of charioteers and grooms, and the veterinary care documented in papyri. We also touch on the economic impact: horses were status symbols and diplomatic gifts. The episode sheds light on a specialized bureaucracy that kept Ramses's army mobile and feared throughout the ancient Near East. #RamsesII #HorseBreeding #Chariotry #PerRamesses #Kadesh #AbuSimbel #AncientEgypt #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #Horses #EgyptianMilitary #Logistics #Syria #Nubia #Veterinary #Charioteers #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Embassies and the Birth of International Diplomacy

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 Kadesh—and the letters exchanged with Hattusili III and Queen Puduhepa that reveal a surprisingly modern world of statecraft. Lucas explains how these embassies weren't just about politics but also intelligence gathering, gift exchange, and even marriage negotiations, culminating in the arrival of the Hittite princess Maathorneferure at Per-Ramesses. The episode touches on the daily life of an Egyptian diplomat, the languages spoken (Egyptian, Hittite, Akkadian), and how Ramses used diplomacy to bolster his image at home. A fresh angle that draws on the Amarna Letters tradition and recent scholarship on Hittite-Egyptian relations. #RamsesII #EgyptianDiplomacy #HittiteEmpire #TreatyOfKadesh #HattusiliIII #Puduhepa #Maathorneferure #PerRamesses #BronzeAge #AncientEgypt #Kemet #Hatti #Anatolia #WaysOfHorus #AmarnaLetters #PeaceTreaty #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Prince Khaemwaset: Scholar, Priest, Magician

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 reputation as a magician that persisted in Egyptian folklore for centuries. They discuss his library of medical and magical texts, his restoration of the Serapeum's Apis bull burials, and the famous 'Stories of Setne Khaemwaset' — Demotic tales that turned him into a legendary sorcerer. Along the way, they touch on his rivalry with his half-brother Merenptah, his role in Ramses's Sed festival, and how his careful preservation of Egypt's past shaped our own understanding of the ancient world. From the Apis bulls to the Pyramid Texts, from Memphis to Saqqara, this is the story of a prince who looked backward to save the future. #RamsesII #Khaemwaset #PrinceKhaemwaset #SetneKhaemwaset #HighPriestOfPtah #Memphis #Saqqara #Serapeum #ApisBull #AncientEgypt #Egyptology #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #PyramidTexts #Merenptah #DemoticLiterature #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]