The History of Egypt Podcast

The prince Kha-em-Waset (lived c.1260 BCE) was a learned man, and an accomplished priest. Centuries after his death, storytellers remembered the prince as a sage and magician. They…

In 1263 BCE, priests announced the death of the APIS BULL. Sacred to Ptah, the bull dwelled in the temple at Men-nefer (Memphis). Now, in year 30 of Ramesses II, the King's son KHA…

Loss and rejuvenation. Ramesses third decade in power was a time of death. The King's Great Wife Nefertari passed around year 25. Almost simultaneously, his mother Tuya, his second…

What is the true name of god? Once upon a time, Ra ruled the earth directly. But the great goddess Iset/Isis desired to know his private name, the one hidden from all outsiders. A…

The tomb of Queen Nefertari is one of the masterpieces of New Kingdom funerary monuments. The tomb is stunningly preserved, with an array of exquisite images, evocative texts (from…

The rise and reign of Nefertari (Nefret-Iry, "She Has Become Beautiful"). A girl of unknown origins (but some tantalising possibilites) who would rise to the rank of King's Chief/G…

In the Cretaceous Period (c.100 million years ago) Egypt and North Africa were radically different environments. With vast tidal flats and mangroves, and a shallow sea, the contine…

In this mini episode, I explain the history and significance of the new complex (why does Egypt need a billion-dollar museum?) and discuss what will happen to Cairo's other major i…

The winter 2025/26 excavation season is underway, and lots of news is coming forth already. Let's explore the major finds! Chapters: The GEM is open 00:30. Scans at Menkaura's p…

Divine intermediaries. Ramesses II commissioned many statues, some of which are among the largest ever quarried. From the halls of the Grand Egyptian Museum, to the bedrock of Aswa…

Egyptian-Hittite Diplomacy. In the aftermath of the Treaty, Ramesses II and Hattusili III got down to business establishing their brotherhood. From prospective summits in Canaan, t…

The ultimate pharaoh makes the ultimate agreement. In this interview, Prof. Peter Brand offers us his insights on the cultures of Egypt and Hatti around the time of the Year 21 Tre…

The Egyptian-Hittite Treaty. In regnal year 21 (c.1272 BCE), Ramesses II announced a treaty with Hattusili III. The two kings united in "peace and brotherhood, forever," and agreed…

The later wars of Ramesses II (Years 8 to 15). Following Kadesh, Ramesses led or despatched further campaigns into Canaan and Syria. These battles are documented on his temple wall…

Moves and counter-moves. In the aftermath of Kadesh, Muwattalli (King of Hatti) seems to consoldiated hold over Syria. Border territories like Amurru fell to Hittite influence. At…

Holy mountain. Around 1286 BCE, builders started work at Abu Simbel. Sacred to a local form of Horus, this sandstone mountain would become one of the most famous monuments in the N…

Daily Life in Ramessid Egypt (Part 1). Starting around 1300 BCE, the (surviving) corpus of written documents from Egypt begins to increase dramatically. It's not clear why, but pap…

Our final part of the Kadesh story is Ramesses' art. Wall carvings, on major temples, present the pharaohs' summary of Kadesh and the conflict. They include many fun details, inclu…

My guest today is Dr. Colleen Darnell, who will speak to us about New Kingdom literature (featuring rulers like Ramesses, Thutmose III, Seqenenra, and more). It’s a fun discussion,…

Heavy Metal Hittites. This is a preview of my "rock musical" version of Kadesh. Full version available at patreon.com/c/egyptpodcast. Song produced by Hermanubis (aka Luke Chaos…