Ancient Historical Fiction with Dr. Colleen Darnell
My guest today is Dr. Colleen Darnell, who will speak to us about New Kingdom literature (featuring rulers like Ramesses, Thutmose III, Seqenenra, and more). It’s a fun discussion, ranging from the calamitous death of Seqenenra Tao, to the triumphs of Thutmose III and Ramesses II, to the divine glamour of chariots, and how pharaohs became literary "heroes." Dr. Colleen Darnell's website: https://www.colleendarnell.com/ Online classes about ancient Egyptian history and culture: https://www.colleendarnell.com/classes Dr. Colleen Darnell at Academia.edu: https://yale.academia.edu/ColleenManassaDarnell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
26 Sep 20251h 1min
216b: Kadesh, the ROCK Musical (Preview)
Heavy Metal Hittites. This is a preview of my "rock musical" version of Kadesh. Full version available at patreon.com/c/egyptpodcast. Song produced by Hermanubis (aka Luke Chaos https://chaosmusick.bandcamp.com/). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
19 Sep 20253min
216: How Ramesses Described Kadesh
The war of the words. Following his strategic defeat at Kadesh, Ramesses set about putting his version of the story into wide circulation. Today, art and texts of this conflict survive at the temples of Abu Simbel, Karnak, Luxor, Abydos, and the Ramesseum. Among those texts, we have the “Literary Record” or “Kadesh Poem.” A lengthy, dramatised version of the events, painting Ramesses as the great hero. In this episode, I introduce the Literary Record and then read it in full, with musical accompaniment by Jeffrey Goodman. LIVESTREAM about "The Art of Kadesh" on Sunday 14 September. To join, simply subscribe to my YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@ancientegypthist. The Livestream will be Sunday September 14 at 16:30 (UK time). This translates to: Berlin, Germany Sun, 14 Sep 2025 at 17:30 CEST London, United Kingdom Sun, 14 Sep 2025 at 16:30 BST New York, USA Sun, 14 Sep 2025 at 11:30 EDT Los Angeles, USA Sun, 14 Sep 2025 at 08:30 PDT Check other timezones here https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html?iso=20250914T153000&p1=37&p2=136&p3=179&p4=137 To learn more about the “Battle of Kadesh” narrative as a piece of literary/historical storytelling, see: Brand, P. J. (2023). Ramesses II: Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh. Lockwood Press. https://www.lockwoodpress.com/product-page/ramesses-ii-egypt-s-ultimate-pharaoh-paper Manassa, C. (2013). Imagining the Past: Historical Fiction in New Kingdom Egypt. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199982226.003.0003 Spalinger, A. J. (2021). The Books Behind the Masks: Sources of Warfare Leadership in Ancient Egypt. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004466111 More music by Jeffrey Goodman www.jeffreygoodman.com and on Spotify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
12 Sep 202536min
Kadesh: What Was It Good For? with Prof. Peter Brand
Why is the Battle of Kadesh so famous, compared to other ancient conflicts? What can we take away from Ramesses' account in terms of "truth" vs "rhetoric." And what did it all up to, really? Prof. Peter Brand returns to discuss the battle in great detail, from the blow-by-blow moments to the larger strategic and political context. Along the way, we learn why Ramesses is like Rambo, and take a whimsical visit to medieval Bohemia... I'll be doing a livestream about the "Art of Kadesh" on Sun 07 September (UK time). See it at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ancientegypthist Prof. Peter Brand’s book Ramesses II: Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh is available now through Lockwood Press and all good retailers. Other articles and publications by Prof. Peter Brand at Academia.edu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
5 Sep 20251h 35min
215: Ramesses II Taking Hands, Healing Wounds
Who won? In the aftermath of battle, Ramesses and Muwattalli withdrew from Kadesh. We discuss the short- and long-term fallout and consider the "score card" for the respective armies. Then, we spend time with the wounded soldiers, using the Edwin Smith Papyrus to understand diagnoses and treatments used by ancient Egyptian physicians (swnw). Finally, we explore a curious hypothesis, suggesting that Ramesses practiced a form of "decimation" on his troops... Kadesh LIVESTREAM Sunday 07 September (UK time) on “The Art of Kadesh” via our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ancientegypthist Want more medicine? My interview with Dr. Bob Brier is available at https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mOg7BanFze6F4DYbSWT4K and my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/h8I6M7-czYA The Edwin Smith Papyrus: Breasted, J. H. (1930). The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus (Vols. 1–2) free online: https://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015027232282; For a modern medical approach, see Sanchez, G. M., & Meltzer, E. S. (2012). The Edwin Smith Papyrus: Updated Translation of the Trauma Treatise and Modern Medical Commentaries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 Aug 202546min
214: Ramesses II The Battle of Kadesh
In June of 1287 BCE (approximately), one of antiquity’s great conflicts unfolded in southern Syria. Meeting near Kadesh (Qidsha), the armies of Egypt and Hatti fought each other in a spectacular engagement. The events of that battle are recorded, somewhat grandiosely, by Ramesses II in temple art and extended hieroglyph narratives. With those as our foundation, we explore the most dramatic day in the young pharaoh’s life. CHAPTERS 0:00 - Prologue 5:45 - Part 1: A Red Dawn 23:46 - Part 2: Sekhet Pay 42:20 - Part 3: Sutech and Ba'al 1:01:31 - Part 4: Doubling Down 1:21:56 - Part 5: White, Black, Red 1:48:58 - Part 6: Wrapping Up == The History of Egypt Podcast: Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/BHC6MGDBC6SXU. We have merch! Browse our designs at Dashery by TeePublic https://egyptpodcast.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
15 Aug 20251h 59min
213: Ramesses II Seven Nation Army
Ramesses, Muwattalli, and the Trojans(?). In June of 1287 BCE, the Great Kings of Hatti and Egypt were on the verge of a major confrontation. Ramesses, marching across Sinai and into Canaan, made careful preparations for his assault on Kadesh. Alas, even the best-planned campaign could not be hidden from a watchful enemy. In Hatti, Muwattalli II sent calls to his vassals, summoning them to fight. The Hittite army, and its allies, is a remarkably well-documented force... For the Kikkuli Text of horse training, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kikkuli and https://collections.britishart.yale.edu/catalog/orbis:9782188. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
8 Aug 202550min
212: Ramesses II The Arsenal of Pharaohcracy
Preparing for Kadesh. In 1287 BCE (late in his fifth regnal year) King Ramesses II departed Egypt on campaign. His target? The city of Kadesh / Qidsha in southern Syria. The Kadesh campaign is famous, as one of history’s “great battles.” Today, we “set the scene,” and explore the preparations for this war. We have a surprisingly detailed picture of this, thanks to inscriptions, art, and excavations. From a new royal city, Pi-Ramesses, to the enormous scale of the army, to the diplomatic manouevres (and espionage) that would accompany this campaign… the preparations for Kadesh are almost as elaborate as the battle itself. Learn more at the Qantir-Piramesse archaeological project: https://qantir-piramesse.de/home/ort/ Digital reconstruction of Pi-Ramesses, incl. its stables, at Artefacts Berlin: https://www.artefacts-berlin.de/portfolio-item/the-reconstruction-of-pi-ramesse/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1 Aug 202532min
