The History of Egypt
Ancient Egypt, from Creation to Cleopatra. This podcast tells the story of pharaonic Egypt "in their own words." Using archaeology, ancient texts, and up-to-date scholarship, we uncover the world of the Nile Valley and its people. Hosted on the Airwave Media Network.
Episodes
December 22, 2025 • 3 mins
A quick message to say thanks for listening in 2025, and what's coming up on the podcast...
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December 20, 2025 • 6 mins
I recently did an interview with the Science Factory YouTube channel. This is a short preview of the conversation. Find the full video at the Science Factory on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K731D4bfMw and on their podcast
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December 17, 2025 • 2 mins
Howdy folks, it's time for another Livestream lecture! This time, I want to take you on a tour of Abu Simbel. To explain the design, decoration, and history of the monument. Along the way, we'll introduce Nefertari and her special temple, and the myriad royal children whom Ramesses displayed on his monuments.
Livestream will be on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@dominicperryae
The lecture should last approx. 60 minutes, with tim...
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December 11, 2025 • 36 mins
Divine intermediaries. Ramesses II commissioned many statues, some of which are among the largest ever quarried. From the halls of the Grand Egyptian Museum, to the bedrock of Aswan, we follow the King's development of a remarkable project. Colossal statues of the king, bearing distinct names and even their own priests, provided Ramesses' subjects with new intercessors between their world and the gods...
Logo: The statue "Ramesses...
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December 4, 2025 • 34 mins
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 shutt...
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November 28, 2025 • 14 mins
In November of 2026, I’d like to take you on a tour I’m calling “Roaming with Ramesses.” Themed around the 19th Dynasty, and the days of the Ramessid pharaohs, we’ll explore multiple sites across northern and southern Egypt. The tour is organised by my long-time collaborators, Ancient World Tours. They’ve been in the business for over 30 years, and every tour we’ve run has been a marvel of smooth sailing and general delights. So, w...
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November 21, 2025 • 52 mins
The ultimate pharaoh makes the ultimate agreement. In this interview, Prof. Peter Brand offers us his insights on the cultures of Egypt and Hatti around the time of the Year 21 Treaty. From the background details of diplomatic correspondence, to the larger context of empires at war, we deep-dive the history of this important treaty.
Learn more about Prof. Peter Brand's work at https://memphis.academia.edu/PeterBrand.
Find Prof. B...
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November 14, 2025 • 36 mins
The Egyptian-Hittite Treaty. In regnal year 21 (c.1272 BCE), Ramesses II announced a treaty with Hattusili III. The two kings united in "peace and brotherhood, forever," and agreed to a raft of provisions regarding their territories, vassals, rules-of-succession, and more.
As the first (surviving) treaty between the two Great Powers, the year 21 agreement is a landmark in the history of diplomacy. We explore the text and its impac...
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November 6, 2025 • 26 mins
The later wars of Ramesses II (Years 8 to 15). Following Kadesh, Ramesses led or despatched further campaigns into Canaan and Syria. These battles are documented on his temple walls, preserving some details of the geopolitical situation. From the death of a rival, to the plundering of Syria's heartland, we go in search of these "lost campaigns."
Music: Ancient Lyric and Luke Chaos.
Logo image: Ramesses II attacks Dapur (Wikimedia...
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October 30, 2025 • 24 mins
Moves and counter-moves. In the aftermath of Kadesh, Muwattalli (King of Hatti) seems to consoldiated hold over Syria. Border territories like Amurru fell to Hittite influence. At home, Ramesses spent at least one year regrouping before launching his reponse. Soon, pharaonic armies were marching into northern Canaan (around Galilee) and east, into Moab (Mwibw). The pharaoh's imperial authority had taken a beating; it was time to as...
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October 16, 2025 • 45 mins
Holy mountain. Around 1286 BCE, builders started work at Abu Simbel. Sacred to a local form of Horus, this sandstone mountain would become one of the most famous monuments in the Nile Valley. It was called the “House of Ramesses, Beloved of Amun,” and provided a home for dozens of deities. Within, sunlight illuminated its sanctuary on certain days, and the King could honour himself in a “Temple of Millions of Years.” Thanks to some...
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October 9, 2025 • 29 mins
Daily Life in Ramessid Egypt (Part 1). Starting around 1300 BCE, the (surviving) corpus of written documents from Egypt begins to increase dramatically. It's not clear why, but papyrus and ostraca are far more abundant for this era than anything before. Thanks to these records, we get many glimpses of daily life and personal concerns, from the society of the time; and we can enjoy some Small Stories of life in Ramessid Egypt.
Logo...
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October 2, 2025 • 74 mins
Our final part of the Kadesh story is Ramesses' art. Wall carvings, on major temples, present the pharaohs' summary of Kadesh and the conflict. They include many fun details, including enemy combatants, and comparing some scenes with artefacts allows us to imagine aspects of the ancient battle.
Video version available on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@dominicperryae under "Live." Direct link here https://youtube.com/l...
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September 25, 2025 • 61 mins
My guest today is Dr. Colleen Darnell, who will speak to us about New Kingdom literature (featuring rulers like Ramesses, Thutmose III, Seqenenra, and more). It’s a fun discussion, ranging from the calamitous death of Seqenenra Tao, to the triumphs of Thutmose III and Ramesses II, to the divine glamour of chariots, and how pharaohs became literary "heroes."
Dr. Colleen Darnell's website: https://www.colleendarnell.com/
Online cla...
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September 18, 2025 • 3 mins
Heavy Metal Hittites. This is a preview of my "rock musical" version of Kadesh. Full version available at patreon.com/c/egyptpodcast.
Song produced by Hermanubis (aka Luke Chaos https://chaosmusick.bandcamp.com/).
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September 11, 2025 • 36 mins
The war of the words. Following his strategic defeat at Kadesh, Ramesses set about putting his version of the story into wide circulation. Today, art and texts of this conflict survive at the temples of Abu Simbel, Karnak, Luxor, Abydos, and the Ramesseum. Among those texts, we have the “Literary Record” or “Kadesh Poem.” A lengthy, dramatised version of the events, painting Ramesses as the great hero. In this episode, I introduce ...
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September 4, 2025 • 95 mins
Why is the Battle of Kadesh so famous, compared to other ancient conflicts? What can we take away from Ramesses' account in terms of "truth" vs "rhetoric." And what did it all up to, really? Prof. Peter Brand returns to discuss the battle in great detail, from the blow-by-blow moments to the larger strategic and political context. Along the way, we learn why Ramesses is like Rambo, and take a whimsical visit to medieval Bohemia...
...
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August 28, 2025 • 46 mins
Who won? In the aftermath of battle, Ramesses and Muwattalli withdrew from Kadesh. We discuss the short- and long-term fallout and consider the "score card" for the respective armies. Then, we spend time with the wounded soldiers, using the Edwin Smith Papyrus to understand diagnoses and treatments used by ancient Egyptian physicians (swnw). Finally, we explore a curious hypothesis, suggesting that Ramesses practiced a form of "de...
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August 15, 2025 • 119 mins
In June of 1287 BCE (approximately), one of antiquity’s great conflicts unfolded in southern Syria. Meeting near Kadesh (Qidsha), the armies of Egypt and Hatti fought each other in a spectacular engagement. The events of that battle are recorded, somewhat grandiosely, by Ramesses II in temple art and extended hieroglyph narratives. With those as our foundation, we explore the most dramatic day in the young pharaoh’s life.
CHAPTERS...
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August 8, 2025 • 50 mins
Ramesses, Muwattalli, and the Trojans(?). In June of 1287 BCE, the Great Kings of Hatti and Egypt were on the verge of a major confrontation. Ramesses, marching across Sinai and into Canaan, made careful preparations for his assault on Kadesh. Alas, even the best-planned campaign could not be hidden from a watchful enemy. In Hatti, Muwattalli II sent calls to his vassals, summoning them to fight. The Hittite army, and its allies, i...
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