3.9.1
Who was Rameses II?
SkillBuilder discussion Using historical sources 1. Look at FIGURE2 .What features of the statue’s head, such as its expression and headdress,
SOURCE2 The head of the colossal statue of Rameses II at the Temple of Luxor in central Egypt.
reþect the power and divinity attributed to Rameses II?
2. How does the
craftsmanship and size of the statue compare to other statues from the same period in ancient Egypt? 3. What historical and cultural signiýcance does the statue hold, and how does it contribute to our understanding of Rameses II’s reign and legacy?
You have already encountered several rulers of ancient Egypt in this topic. They include Narmer, the ýrst pharaoh of both Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt; Khufu, for whom the Great Pyramid was built; and Tutankhamun, who became famous because his tomb was discovered with its contents untouched. However, many historians have regarded Rameses II, who ruled Egypt between ca. 1279 and1212 BCE, as the greatest of all pharaohs. Rameses II (sometimes spelled Ramses and Ramesses) was probably born around 1303 BCE. He was a son of King Seti I. Rameses was in his early twenties when he became Egypt’s ruler. He held that position for longer than any other pharaoh. Because of his military campaigns and building projects, including temples and cities, he became known as Rameses the Great. The warrior king Around 1278 BCE, Rameses’s navy defeated sea pirates attacking Egyptian ships in the Mediterranean. Leading an army of 100 000, Rameses became famous for battles against the Hittites and Nubians, repelling invasions, regaining territories and securing Egypt’s borders. 3.9.2 Fighting the Hittites For over 20 years, starting around 1277 BCE, Rameses led campaigns against the Hittites. In his ýrst campaign, he defeated Palestinian princes and captured Amurra, a vassal state of the Hittite Empire in Syria. The next year, his army attacked Kadesh, but the Hittites ambushed one division. Isolated, Rameses still defeated many Hittites (see SOURCE4 ). The battle ended in a stalemate , but Rameses claimed victory. Later campaigns led to captured Hittite territory, with a peace treaty around 1258 BCE.
TOPIC3 Ancient Egypt 111
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