The History of Egypt

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/@historyegyptpodcast The lecture should last approx. 60 minutes, with time at the end for questions etc. Hope to see you there! Timezone conversions: Los Angeles, USA: Sat, 20 Dec 2025 at 11:30 PST Chicago, USA: Sat, 20 Dec 2025 at 13:30 CST New York, USA: Sat, 20 Dec 2025 at 14:30 EST London, United Kingdom: Sat, 20 Dec 2025 at 19:30 GMT Cairo, Egypt: Sat, 20 Dec 2025 at 21:30 EET Seoul, South Korea: Sun, 21 Dec 2025 at 04:30 KST Auckland, New Zealand: Sun, 21 Dec 2025 at 08:30 NZDT Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, Beloved of Ptah," from the Grand Egyptian Museum. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 shuttled back-and-forth between these kingdoms, delivering the goods: the Egyptian royal messenger Netjerwymes aka Pirikhnawa gets a look in... Logo image: Hititte drinking vessel in the shape of a fist. Silver, 15th--13th Centuries BCE. Boston Museum of Fine Arts https://collections.mfa.org/objects/322343/drinking-vessel-in-the-shape-of-a-fist Music: Luke Chaos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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, we're in good hands. Tour costs, details, and sign-up form at https://www.ancient.co.uk/holiday/roaming-with-ramesses/ Password ROAMING Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Brand's book Ramesses II, Egypt's UIltimate Pharaoh via Lockwood Press and all good retailers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices