The Ancients

Ramesses the Great: Death of a Dynasty

March 1, 2026

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  • Ramesses II masterfully spun the inconclusive Battle of Kadesh into a narrative of victory through monumental inscriptions, which were considered truth because they were written in hieroglyphs, the 'words of the gods'. 
  • Ramesses II's long reign fostered an intense personal cult, culminating in his self-deification, exemplified by the temple at Abu Simbel where he is seated among the great gods. 
  • The Ramessid Dynasty collapsed rapidly after Ramesses II's death (around 66 years into his reign), with his successor Merimpetah successfully fending off immediate threats from the Sea Peoples and Libyans before the dynasty ended within a few decades. 

Segments

Ramesses II and Kadesh Spin
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(00:04:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Ramesses II transformed the inconclusive Battle of Kadesh into a perceived victory by commissioning inscriptions on temple walls, making the narrative true through the ‘words of the gods’.
  • Summary: Ramesses II’s reign was marked by attempts to secure victory over the Hittites following the Battle of Kadesh, which was not an outright success but was spun as a triumph. In ancient Egyptian belief, carving an event in hieroglyphs on a temple wall made it an undeniable truth, even if it contradicted reality. This set a precedent for Ramesses II to continually revisit and reframe his military achievements.
Diplomacy and Hittite Peace
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(00:07:45)
  • Key Takeaway: After years of conflict, Ramesses II accepted a peace treaty with the Hittites sealed by a diplomatic marriage, a common practice where an Egyptian princess was never sent abroad, but foreign princesses were welcomed with dowries.
  • Summary: The long conflict with the Hittites eventually led to a compromise, marked by a diplomatic marriage around 15 years after Kadesh. The exchange involved complex bargaining over dowries, illustrating that diplomacy and economic considerations were as vital as battlefield success. This treaty also included mutual defense pacts against third-party attackers.
Strategic Capital and Military Focus
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(00:11:44)
  • Key Takeaway: Ramesses II strategically relocated the principal royal city to Pi-Ramesses in the Nile Delta to serve as a forward base, equipped with stables and a standing army, to better manage eastern frontier defense.
  • Summary: The founding of Pi-Ramesses was a strategic shift, placing the capital closer to the Levant for launching expeditions and maintaining a standing army. The military personnel at Pi-Ramesses were also closely tied to the cult of Ramesses II as a god, suggesting a fusion of military readiness and divine authority. This military focus was mirrored by fortifications built on the western front toward Libya and in the south in Nubia.
Divine Status and Building Projects
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(00:16:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Following the peace treaty, Ramesses II intensified monumental building, emphasizing his divinity, particularly after his 30th regnal year Heb Sed festival, where he claimed full god status.
  • Summary: The period after the Hittite peace saw Ramesses II focus heavily on construction, though the quality of artwork sometimes declined due to the sheer volume of work commissioned. His temple at Abu Simbel, dedicated to himself and Queen Nefertari, emphatically placed Ramesses shoulder-to-shoulder with the great gods Amun, Reharachti, and Ptah in the Holy of Holies. Evidence suggests the concept of Ramesses as a full god developed during construction, as his figure was sometimes inserted into existing divine scenes as an afterthought.
Succession and Dynasty’s End
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(00:30:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Ramesses II’s exceptionally long reign complicated succession, and his dynasty, the House of Ramesses, effectively ended within a few decades of his death, succeeded by Sethnacht and Ramesses III.
  • Summary: Ramesses II outlived many of his numerous children, eventually being succeeded by his 13th son, Merimpetah, who ruled for about a decade. Merimpetah actively campaigned against emerging threats from the Libyans and the first recorded incursions of the Sea Peoples. Following Merimpetah’s death, the 19th Dynasty quickly dissolved through short-lived kings, a female pharaoh (Tawazrit), and political maneuvering involving the courtier Bai, leading to the rise of the 20th Dynasty.
Legacy and Physical Remains
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(00:53:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Ramesses II’s enduring fame is largely due to his longevity and prolific self-promotion, but his physical mummy, discovered in 1881, fueled a massive, unexpected popularity in the 19th century.
  • Summary: The collapse of the dynasty shortly after Ramesses II’s death suggests his stability was more personal image than enduring structural foundation, exacerbated by unforeseen issues like the silting up of the Nile branch near his capital, Pi-Ramesses. His mummy, found in the royal cache, was so well-preserved that it was mistakenly associated with the Pharaoh of the Exodus, leading to significant public fascination in the modern era. His name, Usar Matra Setip Enra, became the most recognizable cartouche in Egypt due to its ubiquity on monuments.