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. mai 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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Alle episoder

116 Episoder

episode Ramses the Great's Nubian Viceroy Setau The Power Behind the Throne cover

Ramses the Great's Nubian Viceroy Setau The Power Behind the Throne

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the remarkable career of Setau, Ramses the Great's most trusted Viceroy of Kush. Setau wasn't just an administrator — he was a priest, a military commander, and the driving force behind Ramses's massive building projects in Nubia. We trace Setau's rise from a humble scribe to the second most powerful man in Egypt, overseeing gold mines, temples like Wadi es-Sebua, and the brutal suppression of a Kushite rebellion. Along the way, we uncover how Ramses rewarded Setau with unprecedented privileges, including a rock-cut temple and a tomb in the Valley of the Kings — honors normally reserved for pharaohs. Setau's story reveals the human machinery behind Ramses's golden age, and raises questions about loyalty, power, and the cost of empire. Join us for a deep dive into the life of a man who helped build an Egyptian superpower. #Setau #ViceroyOfKush #RamsesTheGreat #Nubia #WadiEsSebua #AbuSimbel #KushiteRebellion #GoldMines #EgyptianEmpire #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #ValleyOfTheKings #Kemet #AncientEgypt #History #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica #Pharaoh Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

24. juni 20266 min
episode Ramses the Great's Hittite Peace Treaty The First in History cover

Ramses the Great's Hittite Peace Treaty The First in History

This episode explores one of the most remarkable diplomatic achievements of the ancient world: the peace treaty between Ramses II of Egypt and Hattusili III of the Hittite Empire, concluded around 1259 BCE. Lucas and Luna examine the brutal war of attrition that led to the treaty, the silver tablet on which the accord was inscribed, and the parallel copies found at Karnak and in the Hittite capital Hattusa. They discuss the treaty's terms—extradition clauses, mutual defense, and the promise of brotherhood—and how it reshaped the geopolitics of the Late Bronze Age. The conversation also touches on the treaty's surprising legacy: it is often called the first recorded peace treaty in history, a model for later diplomacy, and its text is even displayed at the United Nations. Lucas explains the role of Queen Puduhepa in the negotiations, the marriage alliance that sealed the deal, and how the treaty held for the rest of Ramses's reign. A fresh angle building on prior episodes about Kadesh, the Sea Peoples, and Ramses's wives. #RamsesII #HittitePeaceTreaty #HattusiliIII #Puduhepa #Kadesh #LateBronzeAge #AncientDiplomacy #Karnak #Hattusa #SilverTablet #Maathorneferure #Brotherhood #Extradition #MutualDefense #UnitedNations #FexingoHistory #History #AncientEgypt Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

I går8 min
episode Ramses the Great's Desert Patrols Policing the Eastern Frontier cover

Ramses the Great's Desert Patrols Policing the Eastern Frontier

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the often-overlooked role of desert patrols in Ramses II's Egypt. They delve into the Shasu bedouin, the fortress of Tjaru, and the Ways of Horus military road. Discover how the Medjay police force and local commanders maintained order along the eastern frontier, protecting trade routes and border security. Learn about the strategic importance of the Sinai and the challenges of policing a vast desert landscape. #RamsesII #DesertPatrols #EasternFrontier #Shasu #Tjaru #WaysOfHorus #Medjay #Sinai #Kemet #AncientEgypt #19thDynasty #NewKingdom #BorderSecurity #TradeRoutes #MilitaryHistory #EgyptianArmy #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

I går5 min
episode Ramses the Great's Forgotten City: The Cult Center of Per-Banebdjedet cover

Ramses the Great's Forgotten City: The Cult Center of Per-Banebdjedet

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the lost city of Per-Banebdjedet, the cult center of the ram-headed god Banebdjedet in the Nile Delta. Ramses the Great erected massive granite monoliths there, including a colossal statue of himself as the god. The city was a key administrative hub for the 19th Dynasty, linking the Delta to the Mediterranean trade routes. Lucas explains how the site, now called Tell el-Ruba, was excavated in the 1990s, revealing Ramses's grand temple and a mysterious sphinx avenue that may have connected it to the nearby city of Mendes. The episode also touches on Ramses's religious strategy—using local cults to consolidate power—and the eventual decline of the city after the Third Intermediate Period. Listeners will learn about the god Banebdjedet, the role of the Delta cults in Ramses's reign, and the archaeological challenges of preserving mudbrick structures in the damp Delta soil. #RamsesII #PerBanebdjedet #Banebdjedet #TellElRuba #Mendes #NileDelta #19thDynasty #NewKingdom #EgyptianReligion #RamessidePeriod #AncientEgypt #Archaeology #CultCenter #ColossalStatue #SphinxAvenue #DeltaCults #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

22. juni 20266 min
episode Ramses the Great's Temple Builders: The Workforce Behind Abu Simbel cover

Ramses the Great's Temple Builders: The Workforce Behind Abu Simbel

Episode 112 of Ramses the Great dives into the lives of the engineers, quarrymen, artists, and laborers who built the colossal monuments of Egypt's most prolific pharaoh. Lucas and Luna explore the workforce behind Abu Simbel, the Ramesseum, and Pi-Ramesses — not slaves but skilled artisans, conscripted farmers during the inundation, and state-organized crews working in rotating shifts. They discuss the role of the Vizier in overseeing projects, the use of copper chisels and stone hammers, the logistics of feeding thousands of workers, and the evidence from Deir el-Medina and papyri like Papyrus Anastasi IV. The episode also touches on the social status of builders, the religious ceremonies that sanctified construction, and the legacy of Ramses's building program in cementing his divine kingship. The conversation ends with a reflection on how these structures still shape our image of ancient Egypt. #RamsesII #AbuSimbel #Ramesseum #PiRamesses #AncientEgypt #19thDynasty #NewKingdom #DeirElMedina #PapyrusAnastasiIV #Vizier #StoneQuarry #CopperTools #MonumentBuilding #AncientEngineering #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #Workforce Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

22. juni 20266 min