212: Ramesses II The Arsenal of Pharaohcracy

The History of Egypt Podcast

Dominic Perry

Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 1 August 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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, thanks to inscriptions, art, and excavations. From a new royal city, Pi-Ramesses, to the enormous scale of the army, to the diplomatic manouevres (and espionage) that would accompany this campaign… the preparations for Kadesh are almost as elaborate as the battle itself. Learn more at the Qantir-Piramesse archaeological project: https://qantir-piramesse.de/home/ort/ Digital reconstruction of Pi-Ramesses, incl. its stables, at Artefacts Berlin: https://www.artefacts-berlin.de/portfolio-item/the-reconstruction-of-pi-ramesse/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You've reached the final level.
0:02.4	The spicy McNuggets side mission.
0:05.3	Maximum flavour, crispy crunch, and a spicy dip with a kick.
0:09.6	Are you ready?
0:11.7	Spicey McNuggets for a limited time only.
0:14.9	Until the night of September 25, fees apply to delivery.
0:17.4	Participation and price may vary.
0:18.5	Subject to availability, serving time supply.
0:23.3	The year was 1287 BCE, approximately. Reginal year 5 under Ramesses the second king of Egypt.
0:32.4	Along the Nile Valley, the government and its people were busy. Royal messengers went back and forth between major cities,
0:39.7	delivering reports and instructions from the pharaoh. Remises had sent word to his governors. That word was
0:47.2	war. Remusse's was preparing a new campaign. He would go east and north into what is now Syria. His target? The fortified
0:57.1	city of Kadesh. Kiddesh, or Kiddshah, had long been a thorn in pharonic expansion.
1:04.5	Its rulers had challenged such warlords as Ttmos III, Amunhotep II, Akanaten and Horemheb.
1:12.6	Recently, King Setti I, Ramesi's father, had captured the city on one of his great campaigns.
1:19.6	Alas, once again, the Kadesians had rejected Egyptian authority and thrown their lot in with the Hittites.
1:30.2	Such rebellion could not go unpunished.
1:32.6	Remusies prepared to attack.
1:42.4	The first and most fundamental question.
1:45.0	How big was Remesses' army?
1:51.9	Alas, we don't have an exact figure for his troops. Despite recording the battle in detail,
1:58.9	Ramesses did not mention how many soldiers he had. He tells us about the Hittites and their numbers,
	...

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