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In the beginning, there was only darkness.

Until one day, the breath of life proved ready.

And the Egyptian sun god, Ra, emerged and bade the world in light.

But the days were not endless.

At sunset, Ra descended into the underworld,

where every night the giant serpent, Apep, would attack Ra's heavenly barge,

intent on destroying all life and plunging the world into darkness.

And every night, Ra would vanquish the serpent, ensuring that the sun would rise at dawn.

Thereby, in this action or this act of slaying, Ra was able to create the cosmos.

This is Michael Bryant.

I'm a professor of history and legal studies at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island.

The story of Ra's nightly battle created order in the world for ancient Egyptians,

including for the Pharaoh, Raz Avatar, on Earth.

The enemies of the Pharaoh were likened to night into disorder and chaos. And of course,

the Pharaoh and his army was then considered to be on the side of raw.

Which meant that violence, loss, and death in times of war could be divinely justified.

But of course, this has very little to do with the humanitarian sort of motive that that guides our modern understanding of international law and of war crimes today.

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