Was Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Ramesses II Really That Great? Ramesses II is often counted among Ancient Egypt’s greatest pharaohs. He certainly saw himself that way: he spent most of his reign covering his kingdom in monuments dedicated to himself. The third ruler of the 19th Dynasty had an unusually long kingship, fathered hundreds of children and – if you believe his own press – was a mighty warrior who could hold his ground against an entire army. “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings,” wrote Percy Bysshe Shelley in his 1818 poem Ozymandias, adopting the name the Ancient Greeks used for Ramesses II.
“Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” Though Shelley’s poem is written as a cautionary tale – his Ozymandias’s mighty empire is long gone, and where it once was, “the lone and level sands stretch far away” – the memory of the real Ozymandias lives on. But does that mean he deserves the epithet of ‘the Great’ that was later bestowed on him? Ramesses II was born in c1303 BC to Seti’s consort Tuya. The virile builder Abu Simbel Ramesseum Abu Simbel. Ramses II | Biography, Achievements, & Facts | Britannica. Background and early years of reign Ramses’ family, of nonroyal origin, came to power some decades after the reign of the religious reformer Akhenaton (Amenhotep IV, 1353–36 bce) and set about restoring Egyptian power in Asia, which had declined under Akhenaton and his successor, Tutankhamen.
Ramses’ father, Seti I, subdued a number of rebellious princes in Palestine and southern Syria and 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, a strong fortress defended by the river, which became the key to their southern frontier. During his reign Seti gave the crown prince Ramses, the future Ramses II, a special status as regent. Get unlimited access to all of Britannica’s trusted content. Ramses II as the Builder of Monuments. Throughout his life, Ramses II went on to build various monuments and thus his legacy of being a builder in Ancient Egypt and Nubia was born.
Ramses II constructed monuments such as Abu Simbel, the mortuary temple Ramesseum, Pi-Ramesses in the Delta, and most notably completed the Temple at Karnak. On many already built temples and existing statues he had his own cartouche inscribed to ensure that his name lived on. The inscriptions were deeply carved into the structures to ensure that they could not be easily destroyed or removed by succeeding empires. In addition, Ramses II had an abundance of colossal statues erected which depicted him as pharaoh. It was more statues than any other pharaoh before him had erected. It is important to note that many of the monuments from previous pharaohs were destroyed and the materials were used to build things that represented Ramses II, his dynasty, and his god-like status. To our surprise, in 1987, the tomb KV5 was discovered.
Ancient Egyptian Biography for Kids: Ramses II. History >> Biography >> Ancient Egypt for Kids Ramses II Colossus by Than217 Occupation: Pharaoh of Egypt Born: 1303 BC Died: 1213 BC Reign: 1279 BC to 1213 BC (66 years) Best known for: The greatest pharaoh of Ancient EgyptBiography: Early Life Ramses II was born around 1303 BC in Ancient Egypt. Ramses grew up in the royal court of Egypt. Prince of Egypt At the age of fifteen, Ramses was the Prince of Egypt.
As prince, Ramses joined his father in his military campaigns. Becoming Pharaoh When Ramses was 25 years old his father died. Military Leader During his reign as pharaoh, Ramses II led the Egyptian army against several enemies including the Hittites, Syrians, Libyans, and Nubians. Perhaps the most famous battle during Ramses' rule was the Battle of Kadesh.
Later, Ramses would establish one of the first major peace treaties in history with the Hittites. Building Ramses II is also known as a great builder. Abu Simbel Temple by Than217 Death and Tomb Ramses II died around the age of 90. Abu Simbel. Abu Simbel is an ancient temple complex, originally cut into a solid rock cliff, in southern Egypt and located at the second cataract of the Nile River. The two temples which comprise the site were created during the reign of Ramesses II (c. 1279 - c. 1213 BCE) either between 1264 - 1244 BCE or 1244-1224 BCE. The discrepancy in the dates is due to differing interpretations of the life of Ramesses II by modern day scholars. It is certain, based upon the extensive artwork throughout the interior of the Great Temple, that the structures were created, at least in part, to celebrate Ramesses' victory over the Hittites at the Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BCE.
To some scholars, this indicates a probable date of 1264 BCE for the initial construction as the victory would have been fresh in the memory of the people. The Great Temple stands 98 feet (30 metres) high with four seated colossi depicting Ramesses II flanking the entrance. The Two Temples Present a lively account in both reliefs and text. The Great Temple of Ramesses II. The Abu Simbel Temple is an enormous rock temple complex located on Egypt’s border with Sudan. The two temples of this complex were built in the 13th century BC during the reign of the powerful Ramesses II . While this temple complex is known today as the Abu Simbel Temple, it was referred to in the past as the “Temple of Ramesses, Beloved by Amun.” During the 1960s, the Aswan High Dam reservoir was built, which resulted in the creation of Lake Nasser . This threatened the existence of the Abu Simbel Temple, and it was completely relocated in 1968. The entrance into the Great Temple of Abu Simbel, with four statues of Ramesses II. ( auimeesri /Adobe Stock) The Creation of the Great Temple of Abu Simbel The Abu Simbel Temple consists of two huge temples (the Great Temple and the Small Temple) that were carved into the mountainside.
According to some scholars, work on the Abu Simbel Temple began around 1264 BC. Nefertari’s temple at Abu Simbel. ( matiplanas /Adobe Stock) Lost in the Sands. Abu Simbel | History Of The Temples Of Ramses II. While the pyramids of Giza are perhaps the most recognizable artifacts of the ancient Egyptian world, following closely behind are the Abu Simbel temples in Southern Egypt, commissioned over 3,000 years ago by Pharaoh Ramses II. Location The Temples at Abu Simbel are located in Southern Egypt, at the second cataract of the Nile, close to the Sudanese border.
Ramses II chose the site because it was already sacred to Hathor, goddess of motherhood, joy and love. This act strengthened his divinity in the eyes of the ancient Egyptians. It encouraged them to believe that he, too, was a god. © Héctor de Pereda - The two temples at Abu Simbel History The history of the Abu Simbel temples begins with the twenty year effort to build these impressive structures, along with four other rock temples built in Nubia during the reign of Ramses II.
Many scholars believe that the two temples of Abu Simbel were an act of ego, pride and love on the side of Ramses II. The Great Temple Layout The Small Temple. The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel. Abu Simbel Temples is a UNESCO world heritage site and an outstanding archaeological area contains such magnificent monuments as the Temples of Ramses II and Nefertari. In 1257 BCE, Pharaoh Ramses II (1279-13 BCE) had two temples carved out of solid rock at a site on the west bank of the Nile south of Aswan in the land of Nubia and known today as Abu Simbel. Long before Ramses II, the site had been sacred to Hathor of Absek. The temple built by Ramses, however, was dedicated to the sun gods Amon-Re and Re-Horakhte. Because of their remote location near the Sudanese border in sourthern Egypt, the temples were unknown until their rediscovery in 1813. They were first explored in 1817 by the Egyptologist Giovanni Battista Belzoni. With the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s, the temples were threatened with submersion under the rising waters of the reservoir (Lake Nassar).
Ramesses II. Ramesses II (1279-1213 BCE, alternative spellings: Ramses, Rameses) was known to the Egyptians as Userma’atre’setepenre, which means 'Keeper of Harmony and Balance, Strong in Right, Elect of Ra’. He is also known also as Ozymandias and as Ramesses the Great. He was the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty (1292-1186 BCE) who claimed to have won a decisive victory over the Hittites at The Battle of Kadesh and used this event to enhance his reputation as a great warrior.
In reality, the battle was more of a draw than a decisive victory for either side but resulted in the world's first known peace treaty in 1258 BCE. Although he is regularly associated with the pharaoh from the biblical Book of Exodus there is no historical or archaeological evidence for this whatsoever.
Ramesses lived to be ninety-six years old, had over 200 wives and concubines, ninety-six sons and sixty daughters, most of whom he outlived. Early Life and campaigns The Battle of Kadesh Queen Nefertari & Later Life Legacy. Ramses II—facts and information. What makes a king mighty? Ramses II (ca 1303–ca 1213 B.C.) recognized that diplomacy and an exhaustive public relations campaign could mitigate any military shortcomings.
His celebrated building accomplishments, including the marvels at Karnak and Abu Simbel, reflected his vision of a great nation and of himself as the “ruler of rulers.” He erected more monuments and statues—and sired more children—than any other pharaoh. As a result, he has long been regarded by Egyptians as Ramses the Great and his 66-year reign is considered to be the height of Egypt’s power and glory. It was Ramses II’s grandfather—Ramses I—who had elevated their commoner family to the ranks of royalty through his military prowess. Ramses II’s father, Seti I, secured the nation’s wealth by opening mines and quarries. Ramses II led his forces to recapture Kadesh, but he was duped by spies into thinking the Hittites were far from the Egyptian camp.
Abu Simbel, monumental temple Prince Khaemwaset.