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In Our Time: History

Hatshepsut

In Our Time: History

BBC

History

4.43.2K Ratings

🗓️ 6 November 2014

⏱️ 46 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut, whose name means 'foremost of noble ladies'. She ruled Egypt from about 1479 - 1458 BC and some scholars argue that she was one of the most successful and influential pharaohs. When she came to the throne, Egypt was still recovering from a period of turbulence known as the Second Intermediate Period a few generations earlier. Hatshepsut reasserted Egyptian power by building up international trade and commissioned buildings considered masterpieces of Egyptian architecture. She also made significant changes to the ideology surrounding the pharaoh and the gods. However, following her death, her name was erased from the records and left out of ancient lists of Egyptian kings. With: Elizabeth Frood Associate Professor of Egyptology at the University of Oxford Kate Spence Lecturer in Egyptian Archaeology at the University of Cambridge Campbell Price Curator of Egypt and Sudan at The Manchester Museum Producer: Victoria Brignell.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Thank you for downloading this episode of In Our Time for more details about In Our Time

0:04.1

and for our terms of use please go to bbc.co.uk slash radio for.

0:09.0

I hope you enjoy the program.

0:11.6

Hello, in the early 15th century BC a woman came to power in ancient Egypt and name was

0:17.4

Hachepsut and she remained the longest-raining female Pharaoh until Cleopatra 1400 years later.

0:23.6

She was remarkable for ruling in a society normally controlled by men she ruled for about

0:28.1

15 years.

0:29.1

But that's far from the most remarkable thing about her.

0:31.8

Many scholars regard her as one of the most influential Pharaohs of the new kingdom period

0:36.0

of Egyptian history.

0:37.0

A more achievements if we ever change the public image of the Pharaoh and barked on a far-reaching

0:41.7

building program and increased Egypt's prosperity by expanding its trade network.

0:46.4

Yet at some point after her death it seems that a systematic attempt was made to erase her

0:50.7

memory from the records and her image was removed from many of her monuments.

0:54.8

Let me discuss Hacheput's life and legacy are Elizabeth Fruud, Associate Professor of

1:00.0

Egyptology at the University of Oxford, Kate Spence, Lecture in Egyptian Archaeology at

1:05.8

the University of Cambridge and Campbell Price, Curator of Egypt and Sudan at the Manchester

1:11.6

Museum.

1:12.6

Elizabeth Fruud Hacheput was born around 1500 BC not long after a period of turmoil, turmoil

1:19.1

even in Egyptian history.

1:20.7

What had been going on?

1:22.0

Well, when Hacheput came to the throne, Egypt had been stable and centralized for only

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