The History of Egypt Podcast

Amurru (Part 4): Reconquista. The land of Amurru, and its leaders, have been a noteworthy part of the story in recent decades. Since the reigns of Amunhotep III and Akhenaten, the…

Sety I (Part 4): Catching Up with the Kadeshians. Around 1300 BCE (chronology uncertain), Sety led another campaign into the north. This time, the pharaoh of Egypt marched into Can…

Sety I (Part 3): The Great Hypostyle Hall of Karnak. In 1302 BCE (approximately) the pharaoh of Egypt Men-Ma’at-Ra Sety I commissioned a remarkable monument. A hall of columns, nea…

Sety I (Part 2): The First Campaign of Victory. In 1302 BCE, the pharaoh Men-Ma'at-Ra Sety I led a military expedition to the east. He attacked the Bedouin ("Shasu") in Sinai. Then…

Sety I (Part 1): A Repeat Appearance. In 1303 BCE, the old king Ramesses is dead after a brief reign. But now, for the first time in decades, a royal son is taking power. King Sety…

The new dynasty. When Paramessu became Ramesses I, his ascent marked a "break" in many ways. For historians studying this period, the evidence presents these pharaohs as a curious…

Ramesses I and Pharaoh's Palace(s). Dr. Peter Lacovara is an experienced archaeologist, museum curator, and specialist in the palaces of Egyptian pharaohs. Since the 1980s Dr. Laco…

The Mummy Movie Podcast is dedicated to the many (many) films in which ancient Egyptian mummies play a role. From the 1932 classic, to the 1999 remake, and dozens more in between,…

Ramesses I (Part 2): Family, Regime, Remains. In 1304 BCE, Ramesses I rules Egypt. The new royal family is an interesting group, and we have a surprisingly detailed idea of Ramesse…

Ramesses I (Part 1): Appearing in Splendour. In this episode, we repeat the career and rise of Paramessu (content recycled from episode #170). Then, we begin the reign of Ramesses…

Reflective and Prospective. In this episode, we take a moment to reflect on the outgoing 18th Dynasty (and its last scion, Horemheb). Then, we consider some of the major themes tha…

From hours 6-12, Ra continues his journey. The great serpent Apep returns, bringing an army of his followers. The sun god deals with those who have died in horrible ways. The journ…

In the dark of the night, Ra took a journey through the Duat (underworld). His voyage was fraught with danger, but he also made many friends along the way. In the Book of Gates, th…

The Death and Legacy of Horemheb (c.1305 BCE). Horemheb's reign ended after some 27-years of rule, though this is debated fiercely among historians. His latter-day achievements inc…

To Vile Carchemish. In Year 16, King Horemheb may have led a "campaign of victory" to the far north. An artefact identified in the 1970s, but lost for decades, testifies to these e…

Horemheb's favourite god. Throughout his life, Horemheb commissioned monuments and artefacts that honoured Djehuty (Thoth). As a courtier, then a King, Horemheb showed a certain fa…

Horemheb's Great Decree. Sometime during his reign, King Horemheb proclaimed a new set of laws. Taking aim at corruption and abuses-of-power (allegedly happening throughout Egypt),…

New Kingdom vs the World. This week we have an interview with Dr. Uroš Matić. Dr. Matić is a member of the Austrian Archaeological Institute, and takes a fascinating view of ancien…

The Mother is Sweet, Born of the Sun. In the second half of Horemheb’s reign, Egypt’s Queen died in childbirth. Subsequently, pharaoh chose one of his servants, Paramessu (Ramesses…

In the Valley of the Kings, Horemheb commissioned a magnificent tomb. Artistically innovative, it has one foot in the past and one in the future. This tomb introduced a new style o…