The History Of Egypt Podcast

Sety in the Desert. Around 1300 BCE, King Sety led an expedition into the Red Sea hills. His purpose? Gold. The King brought soldiers and charioteers out to mine precious metals for his treasuries. The journey was difficult, traversing a dry and rocky landscape far from the comforts of home. Fortunately, Sety left detailed descriptions of the event; and art and artefacts from this era allow us to reconstruct the journey... Episode details: Logo image: Soldiers make camp, setting up tents for commanders. Tomb of Horemheb at Saqqara (Martin 2016). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. The Wadi Barramiya, in which Sety’s expedition travelled, by Hakatani Tenfu at Flickr.com. The Kanais Temple of Sety I, in the Wadi Barramiya, by Mutnedjmet at Flickr.com. Select bibliography: A. Dodson,

Ramesses Rising. Traditionally, Egyptian princes are almost invisible. The pharaohs downplayed the presence of their sons, to reduce political competition and maintain religious order. Sety I (c.1300 BCE) changed this habit. In art and monuments, he promoted young Ramesses II to a position of prominence and power. The exact nature of this promotion is slightly controversial among Egyptologists. In this episode, we explore Ramesses’ rise and some of the thorny issues. Additionally, Prof. Peter Brand joins us to discuss some of the harder questions on these period. Peter Brand, The Monuments of Sety I (2000), available free at Academia.edu. Peter Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh (2023) available from Lockwood Press. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Music and interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Outro music: “River Lullaby” from The Prince of Egypt (1998) – Harp cover by The Knitting Harpist (YouTube). The History of Egypt Podcast: Website: www.egyptianhistorypo

Recorded May 2024. A name more famous than its owners. The Cleopatras of Egypt (all seven of them) were remarkably influential women and rulers. Frequently taking up power and responsibilities far beyond their more famous husbands (the Ptolemies), the seven Cleopatras of Egypt (and even more in the wider Hellenistic world) are worthy of greater attention and respect. In this interview, Prof. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones of Cardiff University introduces these figures and his new book The Cleopatras: Forgotten Queens of Egypt. Author details: Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, The Cleopatras, 2024. Available in hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook (read by the author). See Headline Publishing and all good retailers. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones at Cardiff University and Academia.edu. Rulers discussed in this episode: Cleopatra I Syra: Wikipedia. Cleopatra III: Wikipedia. Cleopatra Thea of the Seleukid Empire: Wikipedia. Cleopatra VI Tryphaena: Wikipedia. Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator: Wikipedia. The Hist

In the Temple of Sety I at Abydos, an out-of-the-way corridor preserves a unique image. The King of Egypt, and his eldest son, wrangle and subdue a bull. This scene appears simple, at first glance. But it has a wealth of deeper symbolism and meanings. In this episode, we explore the idea of Bulls as images of power and violence, and their relationship with gods like Osiris and Seth… Episode logo: Ramesses and the Bull, by artist Brenna Baines (commissioned by The History of Egypt Podcast). Full version available on my Patreon (link below). The Bull Hall photos by Heidi Kontkanen at Flickr.com. The Bull Hall in Peter Brand, Monuments of Sety I (2000) available free online. 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Sound effects purchased from Pond5. Select Bibliography: M. Abuel-Yazid, ‘Architecture of the Slaugh

Remember “Going Forth by Day”? It’s back! In song form. Many creative projects have explored themes around the Egyptian underworld. But in 2023, the Czech band Nemuer has taken a novel approach. Their album, Book of Going Forth by Day is based on original funerary papyri; and for the pronunciation of the Egyptian language, they consulted with Egyptologist Dr. Christian de Vartavan. This gives us an opportunity to explore excerpts from the Book of the Dead from a new perspective and connect more deeply with the ancient language. The podcast has covered the Book of the Dead previously, but it may be time to revisit it. Would you like me to produce more episodes diving into this text? Let me know in the comments. Episode details: Nemuer, Going Forth by Day (2023). Available on Spotify and Bandcamp. Christian de Vartavan, Vocalised Dictionary of Ancient Egyptian (2022). Available in Open Access. The History of Egypt Podcast Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Access expanded materials and support the His

Warrior, protector, murderer. By 1300 BCE, the Egyptian god Seth had become a complex and multi-faceted deity. Chaotic and destructive, but not "evil," Seth played an important role in the gods' realm and our own. This legend developed and evolved over centuries, from the earliest religious literature to the imperial age. In this episode, we explore Seth's role, appearances, and descriptions in the Pyramid Texts, Coffin Texts, Book of the Dead, Amduat, and Book of Gates. And we try to get to grips with a god who was (quite literally) two-faced... Episode details: Date: c. 2400 - 1300 BCE (Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms up to the reign of Sety I). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.  Music intro and outro by Michael Levy. Music interludes by Luke Chaos and Keith Zizza. Logo image: The hybrid deity Herfy ("Two-Face"), combining the powers of Horus and Seth. Hour 10 of the Book of Gates, from the t

Identity crisis. Seth (aka Sutekh / Setekh / Suty) is a complicated deity. A master of storms, winds, deserts and seas, Seth dominates foreigners and the world outside Egypt. However, he is also treacherous, violent, and aggressive; a god who slew his own brother and tried to seize the throne for himself. As a result, Seth has a complicated relationship with the Egyptian kingship. Part defender and source of legitimacy, but also a threat to the stable order of the world (ma’at). Most kings navigated this relationship fairly easily. But then, most kings weren’t named after the god himself. As a pharaoh of Egypt, a living Horus, and the son of Osiris, King Sety I had to work hard to reconcile his personal identity with his divine. The results are visible on his monuments… Date: Reign of Sety I (c.1300 BCE). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music intro, outro, and interludes: Michael Levy. Music

Blade of Frontiers (not Wyll). In September 2024, the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities announced new discoveries including a sword inscribed with the names of Ramesses II, King of Egypt. In this episode, we discuss the weapon and its origins, as well as the larger significance of the fortress in which this discovery occurred. Who did the sword belong to? What was this fortress guarding against? Egyptian swords in museum collections: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/545558 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA5425 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA52850 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA36769 The Egyptian army and fortifications: Video lecture series, "Perspectives on the Ramesside Military System" on YouTube. The Old Kingdom (c.2500—2200 BCE): Spotify and Website. Grave of the Unknown Warriors (c.2000 BCE): Spotify. The Army of Sety I (c.1300 BCE), Part 1: Spotify. The Army of Sety I (c.1300 BCE), Part 2: Spotify. The New Kingdom (c

A new year dawns, and it’s time to look back. Egyptology and archaeology had a great year in 2023, with numerous major discoveries, studies, and conservation projects reaching fruition. Here is a sample selection of some particularly significant finds… Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Chat with ancient Egypt enthusiasts at our Discord. Logo image: Statue discovered at Saqqara, 2023. Select Bibliography (in order of discussion): Luxor, new royal tomb: Press Release from Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Article by Dr. Piers Litherland in Egyptian Archaeology 63 (2023). Hear about the (brief) reign of Thutmose II on the podcast, episode 60 “Thutmosid Family Values.” Luxor, tomb re-openings: The tomb of Meru (Polish Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology). The tombs of Hurri and Djehuty (Proyecto Djehuty and Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Press Release). Abydos, grave goods of Mer(et)-

In 1798, an army of soldiers and scientists invaded Egypt. At their head, the young general Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Expedition had an enormous impact on Egypt's political history, and Egyptology as a field of scholarly inquiry. Remarkable discoveries, and dedicated study, led to an explosion in knowledge about the ancient past. Today, William Clark of Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon joins me to discuss these momentous undertakings. And, of course, we talk about the new film "Napoleon," directed by Ridley Scott and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby. Links and details: William Clark's Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon podcast. Logo image - Maurice Orange, Napoleon at the Pyramids 1895. The Description of Egypt complete digital copy at Bibliotecha Alexandrina. The Description of Egypt complete digital copy at Library of Congress. The History of Egypt Podcast Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make

I've wanted a game like Total War: Pharaoh since childhood. Now it's here! Thanks to Creative Assembly, I've had the opportunity to explore the game and prepare some introductions to the history and major leaders. This is meant to be a "listen along while playing" experience, just like I used to do with Mike Duncan's History of Rome and the original Rome: Total War. I hope you enjoy! Chapters: Intro: 00:00. Merneptah: 05:30. Ramesses: 29:10. Amenmesse: 1:02:40. Sety: 1:19:30. Tausret: 1:40:45. Bay & Irsu: 2:07:35. Kurunta & Suppiluliuma: 2:32:07. Preview and purchase Total War: Pharaoh at https://pharaoh.totalwar.com/. Music in all episodes by Richard Beddow © Creative Assembly 2023. Support the History of Egypt Podcast via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sety I reigned (approx.) 1303--1292 BCE. In the first half of his reign, the King's followers achieved significant and splendid deeds. We explore these achievements in aggregate, and what they all mean for the Egyptian people. Plus, what 19th Dynasty "expansion" means for our story of pharaohs, ordinary people, and the gods... Logo image: Sety I, a painted panel from his tomb (Louvre Museum). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music by Jeffrey Goodman www.jeffreygoodman.com. Interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How the west was won. Around 1298 BCE, King Sety I (Men-ma’at-Ra) attacked the peoples of modern-day Libya and, in a supposedly swift victory, took many captives back to Egypt. The relationship between Libyans and ancient Egyptians is complicated, but we go in search of some answers… Date: c.1298 BCE (Sety I, year 6). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music intro/outro: “Godzilla theme” by Akira Ifukube, cover version by Luke Chaos. Music interludes by: Keith Zizza, Luke Chaos. Sety’s War Reliefs at Karnak: Available in Open Access at The University of Chicago.   Select Bibliography: P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000). P. J. Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh (2023). W. A. Cooney, ‘Egypt’s Encounter with the West: Race, Culture and Identity’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Durham (2011). A. Dodson, Sethy I Kin

Dorothy Eady, Bulbul Abd el-Meguid, Omm Sety… A woman of three names, multiple lives, and a lifelong devotion to Egyptology. From the 1950s to 1981, Omm Sety was a resident of Abydos, and a regular worshipper at the great Temple of Sety I. Her life is a tale of dedication, spiritual connection, and fascination with the ancient past. In this episode, we explore Omm Sety’s life and try to “shine a spotlight” on her work, personality, and beliefs… Documentaries about Omm Sety (YouTube): BBC Interview with Omm Sety at Abydos: https://youtu.be/2fdNJ2L9_zw?t=1. Omm Sety explains the Abydos Temple: https://youtu.be/QXmnus48jdI?t=83. Recollections of Omm Sety by those who knew her (Arabic, with subtitles): https://youtu.be/ZrFA-kDHtzg?t=281. Egypt – Quest for Eternity, with section on Omm Sety (filmed just prior to her death): https://youtu.be/VHXsv9ZLlYo?t=737. Episode details: Jonathan Cott, The Search for Omm Sety at Archive.org. Omm Sety and Hanny el Zeini, Abydos: Holy City of Ancient Egypt at Archive.org

Sety at Abydos (Part 4). Finishing our tour of Sety’s Great Temple at Abydos, we explore a few more sanctuaries and facilities. Then, we discuss the monument overall. Sety invested huge resources into his building projects at Abydos, and these monuments connect to some truly ancient traditions. What were the King’s priorities, what was he trying to achieve? Photos of monuments described in this episode: Sety’s Temple: Kairoinfo4u. Sety’s Temple: Wikimedia. Chapel of Ramesses I: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Umm el-Qa’ab, pottery sherds from ancient offerings: Soloegipto. Interpreting the temple complex and adjacent facilities: David, Temple Ritual at Abydos (2018). O’Connor, Abydos: Egypt’s First Pharaohs and the Cult of Osiris (2009). Verner, Temple of the World: Sanctuaries, Cults, and Mysteries of Ancient Egypt (2013). Additional details and sources: Date: c.1300 BCE—1292 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time dona

Sety at Abydos (Part 3). The Osireion is an intriguing monument, one that attracts a huge amount of debate, discussion, and speculation. Its discovery was unexpected, its excavation was an enormous undertaking, and there are many uncertainties about its purpose, history, and overall significance. Still, with an extensive photographic record, some meticulous archaeological work, and a great deal of discussion, we can attempt to understand the Osireion. Who built the Osireion (and how old is it)? Why is it here, behind Sety’s great temple? What purpose does it serve? In this episode, we explore these questions, and try to understand the monument overall. NOTE: Due to the complex nature of the Osireion’s history (ancient and modern), archaeology, and the difficulty of describing it, I will do a video lecture on YouTube in future. Check this post, or the website, for links when published. Further Information: The Osireion is surprisingly well documented, both in archival photography and modern analysis and discus

Sety in Abydos (Part 2). Having toured the first part of Sety’s Temple at Abydos, we continue our exploration. Today, we discuss one of the monument’s most famous features: a King List, presenting a (supposedly) uninterrupted record of rulers up to Sety’s day. In truth, the Abydos King List is complex, with omissions and inclusions that don’t quite match scholars’ archaeological and historical information. What was Sety trying to achieve, with this curious feature? We explore… This is part 2 in our tour of the temple. We have already visited the Hypostyle Halls, Seven Chapels, and Osiris Complex. In future episodes, we will discuss the Osireion, the secondary features of the monument, and the known priests/staff who managed it. Images: Full-colour reproduction of the Abydos King List at Wonderful Things Art. Use checkout code EGYPTPODCAST for 30% off your order when purchasing 3-or-more items! Logo image by Wonderful Things Art. A.M. Calverley, The Temple of Sethos I at Abydos, 4 volumes, open access via Ch

Part 1. In the ancient city and necropolis of Abydos (Egyptian Abdju), pharaoh Sety I commissioned a magnificent temple. Today, this monument is one of the finest in the country, a highlight of any trip. Sety’s work is complicated, with several components and structures worthy of discussion. So, this is part one of a multi-part tour through the complex. Today, we cover: The history of Abydos pre-Sety I. The modern experience of Sety’s temple. The Hypostyle Halls, the unique “Seven Chapels,” and the “Osiris Complex.” The meaning and symbolism of the Osiris religion as Sety shows it. In future episodes, we will discuss the Osireion, the Abydos King List, and the known Priests/Staff who managed it. Details and sources: Date: c. 1300 BCE—1292 BCE (temple unfinished at Sety I death). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Texts: Kenneth Kitchen's Ramesside Inscriptions volume 1. Hieroglyph versions

Ramesses II: Prince of Egypt. When Sety I took power, his eldest son was probably 10—15 years old. The King's Son Ra-messes (“Born of Ra”) enjoyed a privileged upbringing. And by the time he was physically mature, the young prince was ready to expand the royal household. His father Sety had some plans in that regard… Details and sources: Date: c. 1299 BCE. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music intro: Keith Zizza. Music interludes and outro: Luke Chaos. Texts: Kenneth Kitchen's Ramesside Inscriptionsvolume 1. Hieroglyph versions at Internet Archive, English translations at Abercromby Press. Peter Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt's Ultimate Pharaoh, out now from Lockwood Press. Looking to upgrade your eating habits? Try HELLO FRESH and get 50% off your order. Visit hellofresh.com/egypt50 and use the promo code EGYPT50 for 50% off (U.S. customers only). Select Bibliography: P. J. Brand, The Mon

Karnak, Abydos, foreign wars, and prince Ramesses. In this interview, Prof. Peter Brand joins us once again to explore the life, reign, and legacy of Sety I. We also explore the rise of prince Ramesses (later King Ramesses II), who becomes increasingly prominent in the later years of his father's rule. Links and more info: Peter Brand at Memphis University. National Geographic documentary "Egypt: Quest for Eternity," on YouTube. Peter Brand articles and books on Academia.edu. Peter Brand, The Monuments of Sety I (2000), free pdf version at Academia. Peter Brand, Ramesses II: Egypt's Ultimate Pharaoh (2023) available now via Lockwood Press. Free preview at Academia. Peter Brand (with Rosa Ferleg and William Murnane), The Great Hypostyle Hall in the Temple of Amun at Karnak, volumes II and III (2018) free pdf versions via Chicago University. Volume I (by Harold Hays and William Murnane) also available via Chicago University. The History of Egypt Podcast Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support t