Ramesses II
19th Dynasty pharaoh, 'Ramesses the Great'
- Reigned
- 1279–1213 BCE
- Dynasty
- 19th, 3rd king
- Battles
- Kadesh, against the Hittites
- Built
- Abu Simbel; Ramesseum
- Children
- More than 100
The long-reigning pharaoh who fought at Kadesh, built Abu Simbel, and whose reign produced the Turin King List.
What is Ramesses II known for?
Ramesses II ruled Egypt from 1279 to 1213 BCE, the second-longest reign in Egyptian history. He fought the Hittites at Kadesh and later concluded one of the earliest known peace treaties with them. He built on a vast scale, including the temples of Abu Simbel and his memorial temple, the Ramesseum, and fathered more than a hundred children. His mummy survives.
Several documents discussed on this site come from his reign. The Turin King List, the papyrus that lists divine rulers before Menes, was written around 1250 BCE. His son Khaemwaset restored ancient pyramids. And at Abydos his titles were recarved over those of his father Seti I, creating the overlapping glyphs called the 'Abydos helicopter'.
He is often proposed as the pharaoh of the Exodus, but there is no Egyptian record that confirms this.
The Turin King List dates from his reign, and his recarved titles at Abydos explain the 'helicopter' glyphs.
Mentioned on these pages
- Rabbit holeThoth
- Rabbit holeTurin King List
- Rabbit holeUnas
- PersonGaston Maspero
- PersonKhaemwaset
- PersonSeti I
- PlaceAbydos
- PlaceCoptos
- PlaceHattusa
- PlaceMuseo Egizio (Turin)
Sources
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 'Ramses II'Reference
- Wikipedia, 'Ramesses II'Reference
Pictures on profile pages are drawn placeholders, not likenesses. Public-domain portraits and photographs will replace them.