
Podcast

Amunhotep II (Part 5): How to Make Friends and Rule the Nile Valley. The pharaoh Amunhotep II has a reputation for cronyism: he put his childhood friends into positions of power, a…

Interlude: A Royal Journey Through the Underworld. Rulers of the 18th Dynasty decorated their tombs with lavish images of the underworld, which we know as the Duat. These scenes, a…

The Book of the Dead might be the most famous piece of writing from ancient Egypt. It is also one of the most misunderstood... This episode is as an introduction to the Book of t…

Amunhotep II (Part 4): Servant of Great Gods. Before he became king, Amunhotep II made a promise to embellish and restore monuments on the Giza Plateau. Once Pharaoh, he fulfilled…

Amunhotep II (Part 3): Slavery and the Bible. In 1435 BCE, King Amunhotep II led a devastating war in Syria. He took thousands of captives and transported them to Egypt by force. O…

Amunhotep II (Part 2): The Pharaoh's Aide. In 1440 BCE, a servant of Pharaoh inscribed his tomb with a remarkable text detailing every aspect of his job. What was life like, for on…

Amunhotep II (Part 1): The Sportsman King. From 1459 to 1440 BCE, the prince Amunhotep II enjoyed a privileged upbringing. Once he ascended to power, he displayed his prowess to al…

Thutmose III (Part 10): The End of a Mighty Reign. From 1450 to 1441, Thutmose lived out the last nine years of his reign. He commanded one last expedition; oversaw building projec…

Thutmose III (Part 9): Home and Propaganda. From 1455-1450 BCE, Thutmose spent much of his time involved in domestic affairs. Unfortunately, this involved some very harsh policies…

Thutmose III (Part 8): The Final Campaigns. After 20+ years of near-annual campaigning, Thutmose III finally came to the end of his military career. We explore the last ten years o…

Thutmose III (Part 7): Diplomatic Marriage. After the brilliant campaign of year 33, Thutmose enjoys a period of peace and plenty. Foreign powers seek accommodation with the Egypti…

Personal correspondence is an exciting find for Egyptologists. It's even more wonderful when the letters come together to form a cohesive group, all related to one person. Come mee…

Thutmose III (Part 6): The Sed-Festival. Three years before the Mitanni Campaign (Episode 70), Thutmose celebrated his first jubilee. To do that, he needed a new monument, a few go…

New Year Festivities. Welcome to a new series detailing the Egyptians' religious year, the major events and the gods they celebrated. Month number one was called "Tekh," and it her…

Thutmose's Greatest Campaign. In 1462 BCE, approximately, King Men-kheperu-Re Thutmose III led his most daring campaign. He travelled far from Egypt to attack the heartland of Egyp…

Interlude: During the reign of Thutmose III, evidence for Mediterranean peoples becomes much more visible. Visitors from Crete (Keftiu), Cyprus (Alashiya), and Byblos (Kupna / Gubl…

In the reign of Thutmose III, the Egyptian general Djehuty led a siege at Joppa (Yappho / Yafa, in modern Tel Aviv). The enemy were resisting all attempts to break in. Until Djehut…

Submissions and Settlements. After his victory at Megiddo, King Thutmose III began to organise his new conquests. The lands of Canaan and Syria were transformed, as the Egyptians b…

A royal drama. In this episode, we replay the "official account" of Thutmose III's great victory at Megiddo. Drawing on the King's own proclamations, and using the voices of some o…

Armageddon. Around 1473 BCE, Thutmose III faced a rebellion, when enemies in Canaan gathered to oppose him. The King of Egypt had a choice: destroy his foes, or risk losing the emp…
