Ramses the Great's Mummy: The Pharaoh Who Would Not Die

Ramses the Great's Mummy: The Pharaoh Who Would Not Die

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the extraordinary afterlife of Ramses II—not in myth, but in the preservation and rediscovery of his actual body. They trace how Egyptian embalmers spent seventy days preparing the pharaoh for eternity, using techniques that would keep his features recognizable for over three thousand years. The conversation follows the mummy's journey from the Valley of the Kings to a secret royal cache at Deir el-Bahari, where priests of the 21st Dynasty reburied him to protect him from tomb robbers. They discuss the moment in 1881 when Egyptologist Émile Brugsch uncovered the cache, and the later decision to send Ramses to Paris in 1976 for conservation—the only time an ancient Egyptian pharaoh has traveled abroad for medical treatment. Along the way they touch on CT scans, pollen analysis, and what Ridley Scott's portrayal got wrong. Along the way, they touch on CT scans, pollen analysis, and what modern science has revealed about the king's age, health, and red hair. This is the story of a pharaoh who really would not die. #RamsesII #Mummy #Egyptology #DeirElBahari #Mummification #CTScan #Paris #Pharaoh #AncientEgypt #Kemet #ValleyOfTheKings #Cache #ÉmileBrugsch #GastonMaspero #RedHair #Artiosclerosis #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Sceptres: Symbols of Divine Authority

In this episode of Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh, Lucas and Luna explore the sceptres and regalia that embodied the pharaoh's divine rule. They examine the heka sceptre (the crook) representing kingship and shepherding, the nekhakha flail symbolizing the king's power to provide and punish, and the was sceptre denoting dominion. Lucas explains how these objects were not mere props but were considered living extensions of the royal ka, charged with protective and legitimizing power. The discussion touches on the Heb Sed festival where the sceptres were ritually renewed, the iconography at temples like Karnak and Abu Simbel, and the role of the goddess Weret Hekau ('Great of Magic') who was believed to charge the regalia with divine force. Luna asks about the materials used, and Lucas details the gold, faience, and wood construction, citing examples from Tutankhamun's tomb as parallels. The episode also weaves in the donation segment where Lucas notes that listener support on buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo keeps the show ad-free and independent. #RamsesTheGreat #AncientEgypt #Pharaoh #Sceptres #Heka #Nekhakha #WasSceptre #Regalia #Karnak #AbuSimbel #HebSed #WeretHekau #Kemet #DivineAuthority #EgyptianIconography #History #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Builder of Pi-Ramesses: The Lost Capital

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the founding and construction of Pi-Ramesses, the magnificent capital built by Ramses II in the eastern Delta. They discuss the city's strategic location, its grandiose temples and palaces, the vast workforce involved, and how it was abandoned and lost for centuries after the 20th Dynasty. The conversation covers the city's rediscovery by modern archaeologists, including the erroneous identification with Tanis, and the eventual correct location at Qantir. Key figures include Ramses II, the architect Penre, and later kings like Smendes. The episode paints a vivid picture of a city that was once the heart of Egypt's empire, now buried under Nile silt. #PiRamesses #RamsesII #AncientEgypt #LostCapital #Qantir #PerRamesses #19thDynasty #EgyptianArchitecture #Delta #Tanis #Penre #Smendes #ThirdIntermediatePeriod #Egyptology #Archaeology #History #FexingoHistory #NorthAfrica Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Royal Wives Beyond Nefertari

While Nefertari is the most famous, Ramses II had many other royal wives who played crucial diplomatic and political roles. This episode explores his marriage to the Hittite princess Maathorneferure, which sealed the peace treaty of Year 21. We also discuss his lesser-known Egyptian wives, such as Isetnofret, mother of Merenptah, and the daughters he married. Learn how Ramses used marriage as a tool of statecraft, forging alliances within Egypt and with foreign powers. We examine the daily life of royal women at Per-Ramesses, their religious duties, and their influence on succession. Discover the story of the Hittite princess's journey to Egypt, the tensions surrounding her arrival, and how she was integrated into the Egyptian court. This episode sheds light on the complex web of relationships that supported Ramses's long reign and the women who helped shape the 19th Dynasty. #RamsesII #Maathorneferure #Isetnofret #AncientEgypt #Kemet #19thDynasty #PerRamesses #HittitePeace #RoyalWives #HattusiliIII #Diplomacy #Pharaoh #WomenInHistory #AncientMarriage #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #Egyptology Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Ramses the Great's Divine Birth: Propaganda at Luxor Temple

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into one of the most audacious propaganda campaigns of the ancient world: Ramses II's claim of divine birth, inscribed on the walls of Luxor Temple. They explore how the king co-opted the ancient 'divine birth' narrative used by Hatshepsut and Amenhotep III, rewriting it to legitimize his rule and connect himself directly to the god Amun-Re. Lucas explains the scene-by-scene reliefs at Luxor: the god Amun taking the form of Ramses's father, Seti I, the divine conception by Queen Tuya, the birth of the infant king flanked by goddesses, and the presentation of the royal child to the gods. They discuss the political context — Ramses was not the crown prince; his elder brother Nebwenenef had died young, making the claim of divine election a powerful tool. Luna asks about the audience for these carvings, and Lucas reveals that the innermost sanctuary of Luxor Temple was restricted to priests and royalty — so the message was aimed at the elite, not the masses. The episode also touches on the architectural innovation of the 'Birth Colonnade' and how Ramses used the Festival of Opet to parade his divine status through Thebes. The conversation ends with a reflection on the enduring power of myth in statecraft. This episode breaks new ground by focusing on a specific religious-political monument rather than battles or treaties. #RamsesII #DivineBirth #LuxorTemple #AmunRe #AncientEgypt #Propaganda #Pharaoh #QueenTuya #SetiI #Hatshepsut #FestivalOfOpet #EgyptianMythology #Kemet #Thebes #NorthAfrica #History #FexingoHistory #19thDynasty Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]