HIS TOPIC 2 RAMSES II
BACK TO HIS REIGN
In order to have a convenient base for campaigns in Asia, Ramses built for himself a full-scale residence city called Per Ramessu ("House of Ramses"; biblical Raamses), which was famous for its beautiful layout, with gardens, orchards, and pleasant waters. Each of its four quarters had its own presiding deity: Amon in the west, Seth in the south, the royal cobra goddess, Wadjet, in the north, and, significantly, the Syrian goddess Astarte in the east.
THE GREAT THINGS HE DID
One measure of Egypt's prosperity is the amount of temple building the kings could afford to carry out, and on that basis the reign of Ramses II is the most notable in Egyptian history, even making allowance for its great length. It was that, combined with his prowess in war as depicted in the temples, that led the Egyptologists of the 19th century to dub him "the Great," and that, in effect, is how his subjects and posterity viewed him; to them he was the king par excellence. Nine kings of the 20th dynasty (1190-1075 bce) called themselves by his name; even in the period of decline that followed, it was an honour to be able to claim descent from him, and his subjects called him by the affectionate abbreviation Sese.
RAMSES THE GREAT!!
Ramses II, Ramses also spelled Ramesses or Rameses, byname Ramses the Great (flourished 13th century bce), third king of the 19th dynasty (1292-1190 bce) of ancient Egypt, whose reign (1279-13 bce) was the second longest in Egyptian history. In addition to his wars with the Hittites and Libyans, he is known for his extensive building programs and for the many colossal statues of him found all over Egypt. Colossal statue of Ramses II, carved from limestone, that once adorned the great temple of Ptah in Memphis, Egypt. Ramses II making an offering, Beit al-Wali Temple, Egypt. Ramses II making an offering to Horus, at Abu Simbel, now located in Aswān muḥāfaẓah (governorate), southern Egypt. Colossal statue of Ramses II, carved from limestone, that once adorned the great temple of Ptah in ... boonsom—iStock/Thinkstock Ramses II making an offering, Beit al-Wali Temple, Egypt. Dennis Jarvis (CC-BY-2.0) (A Britannica Publishing Partner) Ramses II making an offering to Horus, at Abu Simbel, now located in Aswān ... Dennis Jarvis (CC-BY-2.0) (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
EARLY HIS OF HIM
Ramses' father, Seti I. Waged war on the Hittites of Anatolia in order to recover those provinces in the north that during the recent troubles had passed from Egyptian to Hittite control. Seti achieved some success against the Hittites at first, but his gains were only temporary, for at the end of his reign the enemy was firmly established on the Orontes River at Kadesh. During his reign Seti gave the crown prince Ramses, the future Ramses II, a special status as regent. Seti provided him with a kingly household and harem, and the young prince accompanied his father on his campaigns, so that when he came to sole rule he already had experience of kingship and of war. It is noteworthy that Ramses was designated as successor at an unusually young age.
HITTIE BATTLE
The main expedition set out. Its objective was the Hittite stronghold at Kadesh. THEY FOUGHT OVER CONTOL OF SYRIA. Ramses detached a special task force to march up the valley of the Eleutherus River (Al-Nahr Al-Kabīr) to rejoin the main army at Kadesh. The main force then resumed its march to the Orontes, the army being organized in four divisions, each consisting of about 5,000 men. The army passed through a wood to emerge on the plain in front of the city. Two captured Hittite spies gave Ramses the false information that the main Hittite army was at Aleppo, some distance to the north. It was not until the army had arrived at the camp before Kadash site, set up camp, related that Ramses learned that *the main Hittite army was in fact concealed behind the city*. The Hittites struck with a force of 2,500 chariots, with three men to a chariot as against the Egyptian two. The leading Egyptian divisions, taken entirely by surprise, broke and fled in disorder, leaving Ramses and his 5,000 men entirely surrounded by the enemy and fighting desperately. The result of the battle was a tactical victory for the Egyptians, in that they remained masters of the stricken field, but a strategic defeat in that they did not and could not take Kadesh. Neither army was in a fit state to continue action the next day, so an truce was made and the Egyptians returned home. The Battle of Kadesh is one of the very few from pharaonic times of which there are real details,This may be because of the king's pride in his stand against great odds; pictures and accounts of the campaign, both an official record and a long poem on the subject, were carved on temple walls in Egypt and Nubia, and the poem still exists on papyrus.
