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, tha ... Show More
Aug 24
241: Annihilation of the Wicked
Merneptah's Nubian War, the Book of Caverns, and his Legacy. The later years of Merneptah's reign were eventful. Just as the Libu war wound down, another conflict started in Nubia. Shortly after, there may have been some disruptions or reshuffling in the government. We also get a ... Show More
30m 45s
Aug 18
240: Merneptah vs the Sea Peoples (and Odysseus, and the Hittites)
As the Libu war wound down, Merneptah's troops took captives and plundered the bodies of fallen warriors. Along the way, we also hear of "foreign peoples of the Sea," who were involved in these events. Merneptah mentions Sherden, Lukka, Tursha, Ekwesh, and Shekelesh. Who were the ... Show More
37m 43s
Aug 3
239: A Pyramid of Corpses
Merneptah vs the Libyans. In 1221 BCE, Egypt faced a crisis. Tribal coalitions from the west, and some "Peoples of the Sea" were marching on the Nile Valley. They came in their thousands, armed and ready to settle. Caught by surprise, King Merneptah and his warriors hastened to t ... Show More
47 m
Aug 2023
Ramesses II: the greatest pharaoh?
Ramesses II was a genius in the art of self-promotion. Epic palaces, jaw dropping temples and sycophantic scribes all projected his brilliance. But, asks author Egyptologist Toby Wilkinson in today’s long read, do the achievements of ancient Egypt's king of kings truly justify th ... Show More
20m 59s
Oct 2022
Episode C13 - The Hand of Shishak
Synopsis: The Canaanite cities of Tel-Rehov and Beth-Shean were re-founded by the Pharaoh Thutmose III in the wake of the Battle of Megiddo. By the early Iron Age, their size, location and wealth drew the attention of the Pharaoh Shoshenq I.
“(Thutmose) was in their center, Amun ... Show More
27m 57s
Nov 2024
Ancient Egyptian warfare: everything you wanted to know
Ancient Egypt conjures up images of pharaohs, pyramids and hieroglyphics – but what about soldiers, generals and military campaigns? In today's episode, Jon Bauckham talks to Egyptologist Nicky Nielsen about the evolution of ancient Egyptian warfare – from the conquests of Thutmo ... Show More
46m 34s