logo
episode-header-image
Aug 15
1h 59m

214: Ramesses II The Battle of Kadesh

DOMINIC PERRY
About this episode
In 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 a spectacular engagement. The events of that battle are recorded, somewhat grandiosely, by Ramesses II in temple art and extended hieroglyph narratives. With those as our foundati ... Show More
Up next
Nov 21
Ramesses II War and Peace with Prof. Peter Brand
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 Treaty. From the background details of diplomatic correspondence, to the larger context of empires at w ... Show More
52m 19s
Nov 14
222: Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? The Egyptian-Hittite Treaty
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 to a raft of provisions regarding their territories, vassals, rules-of-succession, and more. As the ... Show More
36m 10s
Nov 7
221: Ramesses II Raiders of Syria
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 walls, preserving some details of the geopolitical situation. From the death of a rival, to the plunderi ... Show More
26m 38s
Recommended Episodes
May 2016
Episode 15: Canaan (Biblical History and Archaeology)
<p>The Old Testament, Part 1 of 10. 1207 BCE. Two world empires. And between them, an unassuming strip of seacoast land that has been at the center of history, ever since.<br /> <br /> Episode 15 Quiz<br /> <a href= "https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-015/">https://literaturea ... Show More
1h 32m
Sep 17
291. Ancient Gaza: The Philistines (Part 1)
Gaza is one of the oldest urban centres on Earth, and in this series we are exploring its long history. It was first referred to by Pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BC when it was known as Ghazzati. In this episode we ask: Who were the Philistines? Why did Egyptian pharao ... Show More
48m 56s
Nov 2020
Medieval Times [Part 4]
In this episode of The Brain Food Show, we are start out with an appetizer looking at the film The Knight’s Tale and the very real historic knight Ulrich von Liechtenstein and what the real guy actually got up to. Next up we have a brief message from our sponsor… Ourselves! Go ch ... Show More
1h 11m
Apr 2025
E103: Pirates, part 1
First in a double podcast about the Golden Age of Piracy, with historian Marcus Rediker. The legendary pirates of this era weren’t just thieves—they were daring rebels challenging the very systems of power and authority of their time. Fighting every colonial empire, and creating ... Show More
36m 2s
Apr 2025
The Egyptian Revolution & Nasser's Era w/ Ahmad Shokr (AR&D Ep. 7)
With this episode of Guerrilla History, we roll into our next case study in our series African Revolutions and Decolonization. Here, we turn our focus to Egypt, and particularly the 23 July Revolution in 1952 and the rise of Nasser. However, to tell this story, we turn back to th ... Show More
1h 42m
Sep 22
292. Ancient Gaza: From The Assyrians to The Romans (Part 2)
Why did the Assyrians spare Philistine port cities like Gaza when they conquered The Levant? How did the Persians overthrow the Babylonians in the region? What did Alexander The Great send back to his tutor after he sieged Gaza City? William and Anita are joined once again by Jos ... Show More
42m 30s
Sep 7
History of Ancient Rome, Part 1 of 2 - The Republic
This sleepy story about the History of Ancient Rome is the first of two parts, because there were too many things to say for one single episode. The next part about the end of the Republic and the Empire will be out soon. In this episode, I tell you about the origins of Rome, its ... Show More
1h 19m
Sep 3
597. The First World War: The Massacre of the Innocents (Part 4)
What happened at the crucial, bloody, Battle of Ypres in October 1914? How did the battle come about? Why did the Germans and the British fight each other so brutally and for so long to take Ypres? What made the fighting so particularly violent? How were the British able to repel ... Show More
55m 15s
Sep 10
599. The First World War: Downfall of the Habsburgs (Part 6)
After endeavouring to wreak their revenge on Serbia, what would be the greatest hammer blow to the Austro-Hungarian Empire during the First World War? With Leviv having fallen apocalyptically to the Russian hordes, what had gone so wrong? How might the war have been brought to an ... Show More
1h 1m
Sep 29
294. Gaza & The Islamic Conquest (Part 4)
How did the expansion of Islam out of the Arab peninsular affect Gaza in the seventh century? Who was ‘Amr ibn al-As and how did he ambush the Byzantines in Gaza? Why is the Islamic Conquest described as the “invisible conquest” by some historians? William and Anita are joined on ... Show More
41m 27s