meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The History of Egypt Podcast

223: Ramesses & Hattusili Best Friends Forever

The History of Egypt Podcast

Dominic Perry

History, Society & Culture

4.82.1K Ratings

🗓️ 5 December 2025

⏱️ 35 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

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, to fabulous gift-exchanges by Nefertari and a prince, the Egyptian and Hittite courts negotiated their new bonds. Alas, things weren't always rosy, and the issue of Urhi-Teshub caused great friction between the two Kings. Finally, we meet the man who shuttled back-and-forth between these kingdoms, delivering the goods: the Egyptian royal messenger Netjerwymes aka Pirikhnawa gets a look in... Music: Luke Chaos. Select Bibliography: Beckman, G. (1999). Hittite Diplomatic Texts (2nd ed.). Society of Biblical Literature. Bryce, T. (2003). Letters of the Great Kings of the Ancient Near East: The Royal Correspondence of the Late Bronze Age. Routledge. https://ia802908.us.archive.org/14/items/LettersOfTheGreatKingsOfTheAncientNearEastTrevorBryce2003/Letters%20of%20the%20Great%20Kings%20of%20the%20Ancient%20Near%20East%20-%20Trevor%20Bryce%202003.pdf Edel, E. (1994). Die ägyptisch-hethitische Korrespondenz aus Boghazköi in babylonischer und hethitischer Sprache I: Umschriften und Übersetzungen. Westdeutscher Verlag. Franzmeier, H. (2024). Netjerwymes alias Parekhnu in Piramesses. In A. Cooke, N. Nielsen, & G. Godenho (Eds.), Landscapes: Studies in Honour of Steven Snape (pp. 91--98). Abercromby Press. Liverani, M. (1990). Prestige and Interest: International Relations in the Ancient Near East ca. 1600-1100 B.C. Sargon. Warburton, D. (2003). Love and War in the Late Bronze Age: Egypt and Hatti. In R. Matthews & C. Roemer (Eds.), Ancient Perspectives on Egypt (pp. 75--100). UCL Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Before we begin, a quick note.

0:03.2

This episode is brought to you ad-free, thanks to my subscribers on Patreon.

0:08.0

If you are hearing ads, they come from the website or service that you are using to access

0:13.2

the podcast.

0:14.5

Unfortunately, I have no control over those.

0:17.5

It's the price of doing business online.

0:20.0

Hopefully those platforms are not being too annoying today.

0:23.7

Once again, thanks to my patrons for their generous support.

0:33.4

In 1272 BC, Regnall year 21, Ramesses II announced a treaty with the Hittites.

0:41.3

Simultaneously, the Hittite monarch, Hattusili III, announced his agreement with Ramesses.

0:48.3

The two great kings promised unity and brotherhood, respect for one another's territories and vassals, mutual defence,

0:56.6

and the extradition of any fugitives. Witnessed by gods and goddesses alike,

1:02.6

with curses for those who violated the treaty, the agreement was a landmark in Egyptian

1:08.0

Hedite relations. What happened next? Having made their peace,

1:13.5

Remises and Hattu Sili settled into a new phase of their relationship. For his part,

1:19.3

the King of Egypt showed a marked enthusiasm for his new brother, quote unquote. A set of letters

1:26.1

written on clay tablets and excavated in the Hittite capital

1:29.9

city reveal messages that Remesies dispatched to the king of Hatti. Pharaoh was notably accommodating

1:37.9

to his former rival. In some cases, Ramesses even offered to meet Hattusili in person.

1:45.9

One letter says, quote,

1:48.4

Thus speaks Wasmuria Satepnaria, Ramesses II,

1:52.7

The great king of the land of Egypt,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dominic Perry, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Dominic Perry and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.