Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History

Ramses the Great's 67-Year Reign: What Made It Last

9 min · 18. juni 2026
episode Ramses the Great's 67-Year Reign: What Made It Last cover

Description

Ramses II ruled Egypt for 67 years, longer than almost any other pharaoh. How did he hold onto power for so long in the volatile Late Bronze Age? This episode of Fexingo History explores the practical strategies behind his longevity: from his careful management of the priestly class at Karnak and Amun-Re's temple, to his strategic use of royal marriages including the famous Hittite peace treaty, to his unprecedented building program that employed thousands and kept the economy stable. We examine how Ramses balanced the competing powers of the Amun priesthood, the military elite, and the royal family, particularly his sons Khaemwaset and Merenptah. We also look at the role of the Deir el-Medina workmen's strike in Year 29, the earliest recorded labor action in history, and what it reveals about his rule. And we consider the succession crisis after his death that nearly unraveled the 19th Dynasty. From Per-Ramesses to the Valley of the Kings, this is the story of how one man kept a vast empire together for nearly seven decades. #RamsesII #AncientEgypt #19thDynasty #Kemet #Pharaoh #PerRamesses #Karnak #AmunRe #Khaemwaset #Merenptah #DeirElMedina #HittitePeace #LateBronzeAge #NewKingdom #Succession #BuildingProgram #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

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115 episodes

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

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]

Yesterday8 min
episode Ramses the Great's Desert Patrols Policing the Eastern Frontier artwork

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]

Yesterday5 min
episode Ramses the Great's Forgotten City: The Cult Center of Per-Banebdjedet artwork

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 artwork

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
episode Ramses the Great's Royal Wives: Nefertari and Beyond artwork

Ramses the Great's Royal Wives: Nefertari and Beyond

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the often-overlooked women in Ramses the Great's life — not just the famous Nefertari, but also Queen Tuya, Isetnofret, Maathorneferure, and the harem conspiracy. They discuss Nefertari's political influence, her temple at Abu Simbel, and her letters to the Hittite queen Puduhepa. They also examine Isetnofret's role as mother of the crown prince, the diplomatic marriage to a Hittite princess, and the little-known harem plot that threatened Ramses' succession. Along the way, they touch on how royal women wielded power through religion, diplomacy, and family ties in 19th Dynasty Egypt. This episode offers a fresh angle on Ramses' reign by focusing on the women who shaped it. #RamsesII #Nefertari #Isetnofret #Maathorneferure #QueenTuya #Puduhepa #AbuSimbel #HaremConspiracy #19thDynasty #NewKingdom #Kemet #PerRamesses #EgyptianQueens #AncientEgypt #History #FexingoHistory #WomenInHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

21. juni 20266 min