The History Of Egypt Podcast

Ramesses, Muwattalli, and the Trojans(?). In June of 1287 BCE, the Great Kings of Hatti and Egypt were on the verge of a major confrontation. Ramesses, marching across Sinai and into Canaan, made careful preparations for his assault on Kadesh. Alas, even the best-planned campaign could not be hidden from a watchful enemy. In Hatti, Muwattalli II sent calls to his vassals, summoning them to fight. The Hittite army, and its allies, is a remarkably well-documented force... For the Kikkuli Text of horse training, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikkuli and https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/orbis:9782188. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preparing for Kadesh. In 1287 BCE (late in his fifth regnal year) King Ramesses II departed Egypt on campaign. His target? The city of Kadesh / Qidsha in southern Syria. The Kadesh campaign is famous, as one of history’s “great battles.” Today, we “set the scene,” and explore the preparations for this war. We have a surprisingly detailed picture of this, thanks to inscriptions, art, and excavations. From a new royal city, Pi-Ramesses, to the enormous scale of the army, to the diplomatic manouevres (and espionage) that would accompany this campaign… the preparations for Kadesh are almost as elaborate as the battle itself. Learn more at the Qantir-Piramesse archaeological project: https://qantir-piramesse.de/home/ort/ Digital reconstruction of Pi-Ramesses, incl. its stables, at Artefacts Berlin: https://www.artefacts-berlin.de/portfolio-item/the-reconstruction-of-pi-ramesse/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leading up to the Battle of Kadesh (c.1287 BCE) betwen Ramesses II of Egypt and Muwatalli II of Hatti, we need to understand the background. Why was this city the epicentre of such a major conflict? How did the rulers of Kadesh (Kadeshians?) persistently frustrate pharaohs dating back two centuries to Thutmose III (c.1480 BCE). Today, Prof. Peter Brand (University of Memphis) gives us the details... Learn more about Ramesses and Kadesh in Peter Brand's book Ramesses II: Egypt's Ultimate Pharaoh (Lockwood Press). Prof. Peter Brand at Academia.edu. Interview recorded: May 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We learn how to insult someone in ancient Egyptian, based on the surviving texts... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heart of Darkness at Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham. Far from the Nile Valley, on Egypt’s northern coastline, Ramessid soldiers and civilians constructed a significant fortress to control the maritime roads. This remote garrison faced off against Libyan tribes coming from the far west (e.g. the Meshwesh of Cyrenaica), traded with Mediterranean merchants, possibly dealt with marauding pirates and Sea Peoples, and built a life for themselves on the western frontier. Alas, it wasn’t all beaches and bonhomie, as soldiers like Nebra, the commander, would learn… Prof. Steven Snape is the author of many books and articles including The Complete Cities of Ancient Egypt (2014); Ancient Egyptian Tombs: The Culture of Life and Death (2011); Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham I: The Temple and the Chapels (with Penny Wilson, 2007); Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham II: The Monuments of Neb-Re (with Glenn Godenho, forthcoming). Learn more about excavations and discoveries at this site in a free lecture, “ Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham and the Ramesside Defence

Explicit content. There's a factoid floating around on the internet. It claims that, to ensure fertility and good harvest, pharaohs would annually masturbate into the River Nile. This claim is total bubkis, but where did it come from? Which deities and myths were most closely associated with such concepts? In this mini episode, we explore the factoid and its potential origins. Great gods of fertility and Creation: Allen, J. P. (1988). Genesis in Egypt: The Philosophy of Ancient Egyptian Creation Accounts. Epigraphic Survey. (1940). Medinet Habu, Volume IV. Festival Scenes of Ramses III. Available free via The University of Chicago. Maher-Taha, M., Loyrette, A.-M., & Sayed, S. (1979). Le Ramesseum XI: les fêtes du dieu Min. Olette-Pelletier, J.-G. (2023). Min, l’Horus victorieux: Le dieu Min au Moyen Empire (Vol. 33). Siuda, T. L. (2024). The Complete Encyclopedia of Egyptian Deities. Wilkinson, R. H. (2000). The Complete Temples of Ancient Egypt.. Wilkinson, R. H. (20

Hapi was Egypt. The life-giving waters of the annual flood (inundation) were his work; and thanks to these waters, Egypt flourished, its people were fed, the gods received their offerings, and the social order was maintained. From the New Kingdom, papyrus and ostraca record songs/poems to the river god, called "Praise (dua) of Hapi." From the days of Ramesses II, we also have elaborate proclamations to the god and his blesings... A Hymn to Hapi (excerpt) Hail to you Hapi, who comes forth from the earth, Who arrives to give life to Egypt (Kemet), Hidden of nature, like darkness in the day, Whose followers sing to him, Who floods the fields, created by Ra, Who causes every herd to live, Who satisfies the desert, which is far from water, He (Hapi) is the moisture, descending from the sky… ... Egypt is awakened; its exhaustion has gone! All the creatures celebrate, when (Hapi) makes the Two Banks green. When he pours forth abundance, among the old and young alike. How lovely the lotus, whose blossom

What did ancient Egyptians like to smell? Did they use any narcotics in their day to day lives? And what do mummified bodies smell like? Today, I'm pleased to welcome Dora Goldsmith to the podcast. Dora Goldsmith is a PhD-candidate at the Freie Universitat in Berlin, Germany. Specialising in ancient smellscapes, Dora explores how the ancient Egyptians perceived and described the scent of their world. Along the way, Dora introduces us to the favoured perfumes and flowers used by the ancients, some of their “recreational” substances, and how mummified bodies smell today. Publications by Dora Goldsmith at Academia.edu https://fu-berlin.academia.edu/DoraGoldsmith For perfumes and newsletter, email Dora Goldsmith directly at doragold@zedat.fu-berlin.de. Learn more about her reconstructions in the Ancient Egyptian Scent Kit. Follow Dora on Instagram @prof_dora Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're joining YouTube! After many years of on-off effort, I'm finally putting podcast episodes in video form up on my YouTube channel. Also, a quick update on the narrative as a I prepare the Battle of Kadesh... Follow us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@ancientegypthist Massive thanks to Amr Saleh for taking on the editing duties. I hope you'll all join us on an exciting journey to bring more ancient Egypt to you(tube). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello everyone, it’s that time again! In March of 2026, we’re offering a new itinerary in the Nile Valley. This one is called the New Kingdom Cruise. It lasts for ten days, with a special focus on the south, the monuments of Elephantine (Aswan) and Lake Nasser. We ride a cruise boat, organised by Ancient World Tours, and visit monuments of Thutmose III, Sety I, Ramesses II, and even the Roman Emperors. For bookings follow this link and use the password KALABSHA https://www.ancient.co.uk/holiday/history-of-egypt-podcast-2026-the-nubian-cruise/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramesses II defends his borders. In the early years of his reign, Ramesses focussed on home defence. His army established new forts at remote locations along the western Delta and Mediterranean Coast (Marmarica). Traces of this work can be found at famous locations like el-Alamein, Mersa Matruh, and Zawiyet Umm el-Rakham, the latter of which has been the object of detailed excavation in recent decades. Apparently, Ramesses was fortifying his frontiers, guarding the western approaches to Egypt. Soon after, the pharaoh went forth on campaign. His target? The cities of Canaan and Amurru, in modern-day Lebanon. Along the way, he left inscriptions at Nahr el-Kalb, which started a surprisingly long-lived tradition... Music: "War" by Ancient Lyric (commissioned by The History of Egypt Podcast). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU. We have merch! Browse ou

Fellow podcaster Scott Chesworth, from The Ancient World has a new season. I’m excited to introduce “The Ancient World – Ages”, a series covering the Early Bronze Age Collapse (c. 2200 BC) and the remaking of Southwest Eurasia. In this feed swap, you’ll hear episode A3 – The Kings of Kish. It covers the period c.2900 BCE and 2350 BCE, also known as the Early Dynastic Period in Sumer. A time of kings, emerging from legends. Figures like Gilgamesh, burial sites like the Royal Cemetery of Ur, and the legendary conflict between the gods Lagash and Umma, recorded on the Stela of the Vultures. Along the way, Scott will introduce you to history’s earliest-known diplomacy, bilateral treaty, and legal codes. Finally, Scott will set the stage for the most famous conqueror of the day: Sargon of Akkad. The Ancient World – Ages promises to by an exciting, big picture history of this ancient period. While the Egyptians were focused on pyramids, rulers in Mesopotamia were kicking Kish and taking names. Please, consider jo

Ramesses goes back to school. Luxor Temple is a magnificent monument, in a city full of them. The sanctuary you visit today is, in large part, the work of Ramesses' early reign. New pylons, colossal statues, obelisks, and dedicatory texts provide the testament to the young pharaoh's work. Exploring these, we also get a surprising insight into temple archives and educational facilities, embodied in the Per-Ankh / House of Life... Outro music: Jeffrey Goodman, "Prophetic Harps of Amun-Ra," used with permission. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU. We have merch! Browse our designs at Dashery by TeePublic https://egyptpodcast.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Delta raiders. Decades before their famous migrations, the "Sea Peoples" were already active and visible in the eastern Mediterranean; and Ramesses II had his own dealings with these groups. In year 2 of his reign, Ramesses II (Usir-Ma'at-Ra) dealt with a coastal raid by the Sherden, who came from the "islands in the midst" of the sea (which the Egyptians called the "Great Green"). The battle, and its aftermath, is referenced in several of Ramesses' inscriptions. We explore this curious first chapter in the Sea Peoples' story... Music: Michael Levy "Odysseus and the Sirens” www.ancientlyre.com Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU We have merch! Browse our designs at Dashery by TeePublic https://egyptpodcast.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new royal tomb, and how two 18th Dynasty rulers defined the "New Kingdom" as we know it. Prof. Aidan Dodson is a dedicated and prolific scholar, whose research covers many facets of ancient Egyptian history (and even WW1 warships!) His latest book, Thutmose III & Hatshepsut: Pharaohs of Egypt - Their Lives and Afterlives looks at how these two monarchs, and their followers, defined many of the aspects of "pharaonic culture" as we imagine it. Along the way, we also discuss the new royal tomb, its significance, and its connection to these famous figures. Prof. Aidan Dodson at Academia.edu and the University of Bristol. Book: Thutmose III and Hatshepsut, Pharaohs of Egypt at AUC Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A death at Karnak, and a lion amongst men. In regnal year 1 (c.1292 BCE), Ramesses II was at Abdju / Abydos. While there, he appointed a new First Priest of Amun (Hem Netjer Tepy en Imen). He chose his candidate by consulting the deity directly, engaging in an oracle with Amun to choose the best option. Shortly after, Ramesses departed Abdju and continued his northward journey. Eventually, he came to Giza, home of the Great Sphinx and the deity that inhabited it... The History of Egypt Podcast: Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. We have merch! Browse our designs at Dashery by TeePublic https://thehistoryofegyptpodcast.dashery.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ramesses had a lot to plan for, in his first year of rule (c.1292 BCE). Staying in Waset / Luxor, the new pharaoh began building work on his tomb (KV7) and his memorial temple (The Ramesseum). Archaeological records testify to both of these projects. Then, the King immortalised his late father, the Osiris Sety I, in scenes of worship at Karnak. Finally, Ramesses left Waset, heading north; but he stopped at Abdju / Abydos on his way. There to commune with Osiris (Sety) once more, and to address some glaring issues... Chapters: 00:00 Building KV7 and the Ramesseum 04:55 Ramesses celebrates the Opet Festival 12:15 Ramesses honours Sety at Karnak 17:32 Ramesses at Abydos and the "Great Abydos Dedication" text 39:18 Summary and Conclusion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the annals of Egyptian history there is no one quite like Ramesses II. He is arguably the most famous, or infamous, of Egypt’s pharaohs. His reign would be long (67 years!) and his influence would be incalculable. In this episode, Ramesses "appears" as King, following the death of his father (III Shemu 27). He chooses his royal names (Usir-Ma'at-Ra, Ramesses Beloved of Amun). He buries Sety, in the Valley of the Kings. And he goes before the gods to receive blessings and power... Episode chapters: 00:00 - Introduction to Ramesses II 04:20 - Ramesses Accession Date & Royal Names 12:56 - The Funeral of Sety I (Horus buries Osiris) 20:50 - Ramesses goes before the gods 43:22 - Conclusion For the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak, and Ramesses’ “coronation” scenes, see the following volumes: Nelson (1981). The Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Volume 1, Part 1: The Wall Reliefs https://isac.uchicago.edu/research/publications/oip/great-hypostyle-hall-karnak-volume-1-part-1-wall-reliefs Brand et al. (2018). The Great Hyp

The coffin of Sety I (now in the NMEC) was probably reworked from an earlier piece, during the reburials in DB320 (the royal cache). But how can we tell? Dr. Peter Lacovara explains. Dr. Lacovara's website https://peterlacovara.com/ Video version available at Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast Video version available on YouTube https://youtu.be/6e1fauj4qPA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sety’s royal burial. Valley of the Kings tomb 17 (KV17) came to light in October 1817. Discovered by a team of Egyptian workers, employed by Giovanni Belzoni, the tomb is the most beautiful, and one of the largest, in the entire Valley. == Learn more about KV17: 3D Tour by Mused: https://mused.com/tours/926/tomb-of-seti-i-valley-of-the-kings/ Theban Mapping Project https://thebanmappingproject.com/tombs/kv-17-sety-i Photos: Kairoinfo4u via https://www.flickr.com/photos/manna4u/albums/72157687439529835/ KV17 at Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:KV17 == The History of Egypt Podcast: Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU We have merch! Browse our designs at Dashery by TeePublic https://egyptpodcast.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices