Podcast
The History of Egypt Podcast
Episodes — page 14
88: Oasis Queens of Dynasty 18Ladies of the Lake. Before she became queen of Egypt, the lady Tia'a spent her days at the royal harem of the Faiyum. This was a mysterious institution, devoted to serving queens,…
87: Comforts of PowerThutmose IV (Part 2): The Entire Reign at Once. For ten years, maybe more, Thutmose IV ruled Egypt. It was a successful reign and the treasures that emerge from this period are tes…
86: Thutmose IV, Doing God's WorkThutmose IV (Part 1): Old Enemies Become New Friends. 1418 - 1416 BCE. The new pharaoh spends his first two years involved in political reprisals and military actions. He removes r…
85: The Dream Stela of Thutmose IVA Clash of Princes. In 1418 BCE, Egypt momentarily lacks a pharaoh. Two sons of the crown go head to head, in a duel to be the next ruler. Who wins? Only the Sphinx knows... Websit…
84b: The Royal Mummy Cache in Amunhotep's TombAround 1440 BCE, Egyptians were carving the burial monument of Amunhotep II in the Valley of the Kings. In 1898 CE, a group of excavators were uncovering the edifice once more. In…
84: Amunhotep II, The Bald FalconAmunhotep II (Part 6): Finding an Heir. Around 1420 BCE, Amunhotep II comes to the end of his days. We explore his family life, what we know about the man himself, and try to get a…
83: Amunhotep II & The Brat PackAmunhotep 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…
82: The Amduat (Underworld of the Pharaohs)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…
81: The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead (An Introduction)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 the…
- 80: Amunhotep II, The Great Sphinx, and War Gods of Canaan
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…
- 79: Let My People Go (Was Amunhotep II the Pharaoh of the Exodus?)
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…
78: The Duties of the VizierAmunhotep 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…
77: Amunhotep II, Lean and SwiftAmunhotep 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…
76: Thutmose III, 54 Years of SplendourThutmose 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…
75: Thutmose Triumphant (The Erasure of Hatshepsut) Updated 2025Thutmose 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…
74: Thutmose III, War StoriesThutmose 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…
73: Thutmose III, Three Foreign WivesThutmose 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…
72: Daily Life in Ancient Egypt (Letters to Ahmose)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…
71: Thutmose III, 32 and 30Thutmose 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…
The Divine Calendar of Ancient EgyptNew 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…
