Ramesses II(1302 av. J.-C. — 1212 av. J.-C.)
Ramesses II
Égypte antique
8 min read
Ramesses II is one of the greatest pharaohs of ancient Egypt, who reigned for 66 years in the 13th century BC. He is famous for his colossal monuments, including the temples of Abu Simbel, and for the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites.
Frequently asked questions
Key Facts
- A 66-year reign (c. 1279–1213 BC), one of the longest in pharaonic history
- Battle of Kadesh (1274 BC) against the Hittites, the first major military confrontation documented in history
- Construction of the Abu Simbel temples and numerous monuments across Egypt (temples, colossal statues)
- Signing of a peace treaty with the Hittite king Hattusili III (c. 1259 BC)
- Numerous military campaigns in Nubia and the Near East to expand the Egyptian empire
Works & Achievements
Two rock-cut temples carved into the Nubian sandstone cliff: the great temple dedicated to the deified Ramesses II and the gods Amun, Ra, and Ptah, and the small temple dedicated to Queen Nefertari. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
A colossal funerary temple on the west bank of the Nile at Thebes, decorated with scenes from the Battle of Kadesh. It also housed storehouses and granaries that supplied the entire Theban region.
Begun by Seti I and completed by Ramesses II, this 5,000 m² hall with its 134 papyrus columns is the largest columned hall ever built in the ancient world.
The earliest known international peace treaty in history, inscribed in Akkadian on silver tablets and carved on the walls of Karnak and the Ramesseum. A copy is displayed at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Ramesses II greatly expanded the Luxor Temple, adding a monumental pylon, a colonnade, and six colossal statues of himself. He also erected two obelisks in front of the pylon — one of which now stands in the Place de la Concorde in Paris.
A long epic poem recounting the Battle of Kadesh from Ramesses II's perspective, carved on the walls of numerous temples (Abu Simbel, Karnak, Luxor, Abydos). It is considered one of the earliest epic literary texts in history.
Anecdotes
At the Battle of Kadesh (around 1274 BC), Ramesses II found himself nearly surrounded by the Hittite army after his troops had been scattered. According to Egyptian inscriptions, he charged alone against thousands of enemies, calling upon the god Amun for protection. This episode, which he had carved onto numerous temples, is one of the earliest heroic narratives in history.
Ramesses II lived to approximately 90 years old — an exceptional age in the ancient world. He outlived about a dozen of his eldest sons and fathered over a hundred children with his many wives and concubines. His mummy, discovered in 1881, shows that he suffered from severe arthritis and dental problems in his later years.
To stamp his reign across Egypt, Ramesses II erected colossal statues of himself throughout the country and even had his name carved over the monuments of his predecessors, effectively claiming their works as his own. This practice, known as 'monument usurpation,' earned him a reputation for eternity chiseled in stone.
The peace treaty signed between Ramesses II and Hittite king Hattusili III around 1259 BC is the oldest known international treaty to have survived. Written in Akkadian on silver tablets, it established a defensive alliance, a prisoner exchange, and mutual assistance in the event of invasion. A copy is on display at the UN headquarters in New York.
In 1976, the mummy of Ramesses II was sent to France for restoration and treatment of a fungal infection. It traveled with an Egyptian diplomatic passport listing 'king' as his occupation, and was welcomed at Le Bourget airport with the full military honors reserved for heads of state.
Primary Sources
"His Majesty charged at full gallop and plunged into the mass of the Hittite enemy, alone, with no other beside him. His Majesty looked behind him: he was surrounded by two thousand five hundred chariots."
"Ramesses, great king of Egypt, and Hattusili, great king of the land of the Hittites, have concluded a treaty of eternal alliance to establish peace and brotherhood between them forever."
"I have built for you a dwelling hewn from the mountain of Nubia, in rock as solid as the horizon of the sky. My statues stand there like mountains, for eternity."
"The king of Egypt, great king, mighty king, has written to me, saying: 'Between you and me, let there be friendship, peace, and brotherhood forever.'"
"Ramesses II, son of Seti I, reigned sixty-seven years, one month, and eleven days over the Two Lands of Egypt."
Key Places
Site of the two cliff-carved temples commissioned by Ramesses II, including the Great Temple with its four 20-meter colossi. This architectural masterpiece was saved from the waters of Lake Nasser in 1968 through an international UNESCO rescue operation.
Capital city built by Ramesses II in the eastern Nile Delta, near the site of ancient Avaris. This royal city, now buried beneath farmland, housed the royal palace, temples, and arsenals.
The mortuary temple of Ramesses II on the west bank of the Nile, opposite Luxor. Its imposing ruins — including a shattered colossus that inspired Shelley's poem 'Ozymandias' — stand as testament to the grandeur of his reign.
Site of the famous Battle of 1274 BC against the Hittites, on the banks of the Orontes River. This Hittite fortress city was the prize of a confrontation that led to the first negotiated peace treaty in recorded history.
The vast temple complex at Thebes where Ramesses II built the Great Hypostyle Hall, featuring 134 colossal columns. It is the largest religious complex of the ancient world, dedicated primarily to the god Amun.
Liens externes & ressources
Références
Œuvres
Temples d'Abou Simbel
Vers 1264-1244 av. J.-C.
Ramesseum (temple funéraire de Thèbes)
Vers 1270-1250 av. J.-C.
Grande salle hypostyle de Karnak
Vers 1290-1278 av. J.-C.
Traité de Qadesh (avec Hattushili III)
Vers 1259 av. J.-C.
Temple de Louxor (agrandissement et décoration)
Vers 1279-1213 av. J.-C.
Poème de Pentaour (inscriptions de Qadesh)
Vers 1274-1258 av. J.-C.
