Podcast
The History of Egypt Podcast
Episodes — page 3
216:The Kadesh PoemThe war of the words. Following his strategic defeat at Kadesh, Ramesses set about putting his version of the story into wide circulation. Today, art and texts of this conflict sur…
Kadesh: What Was It Good For? with Prof. Peter BrandWhy is the Battle of Kadesh so famous, compared to other ancient conflicts? What can we take away from Ramesses' account in terms of "truth" vs "rhetoric." And what did it all up t…
215: Ramesses II Battlefield SurgeryWho won? In the aftermath of battle, Ramesses and Muwattalli withdrew from Kadesh. We discuss the short- and long-term fallout and consider the "score card" for the respective armi…
214: The Battle of Kadesh, Ramesses II vs the HittitesIn June of 1287 BCE (approximately), one of antiquity’s great conflicts unfolded in southern Syria. Meeting near Kadesh (Qidsha), the armies of Egypt and Hatti fought each other in…
213: Ramesses II Seven Nation ArmyRamesses, 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 in…
212: Ramesses II The Arsenal of PharaohcracyPreparing 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…
Kadesh: The 200 Year Enemy with Prof. Peter BrandLeading 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…
Ancient Egyptian Curse / Swear WordsExplicitWe learn how to insult someone in ancient Egyptian, based on the surviving texts... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Ramesses' Wild West with Prof. Steven SnapeHeart 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 t…
Not Safe for Water (Did Pharaohs Do THAT in the Nile?)ExplicitExplicit content. There's a factoid floating around on the internet. It claims that, to ensure fertility and good harvest, pharaohs would ejaculate into the River Nile. Where did t…
Hapi Days (or, Ramesses in DeNile)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 of…
Scent of a Mummy: Smells and Pleasure in ancient Egypt, with Dora GoldsmithWhat 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 Goldsmit…
211: Ramesses II The First Campaign of VictoryRamesses 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…
210: Ramesses II The Eyes of Ra, The House of LifeRamesses 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. Ne…
209: Ramesses II vs the Sea PeoplesDelta 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 the…
208: Ramesses II The Oracle & The SphinxA 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 e…
207: Ramesses II Shadow of Two FathersRamesses 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…
206: Ramesses II Usir-Ma'at-RaIn 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…
Introducing The Ancient World - AgesFellow 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.…
- Scan Technology Reveals Hidden Chambers at Giza?
Approach with caution. In March 2025, a group calling itself the “Khafre Research Project” posted visual information online about the pyramid of Khafra at Giza. The group claims th…
