Ramses II: Pharaoh of Egypt
This long-lived monarch was renowned for his monument building and may well have been the Pharaoh featured in the Book of Exodus
Ramses II (an alternative spelling is Ramesses) ruled Egypt for 66 years in the 13th century BC, making him the longest-reigning of all of Egypt’s pharaohs.
Ramses was not royal by birth (which was probably in 1303 BC). His father was a general who became Pharaoh Seti I when the incumbent pharaoh died without leaving an heir. Ramses inherited the throne on his father’s death in 1279 BC.
Ramses is noted for his military campaigns, primarily against the Hittites, and for his building programme. As a general, his feats may have been exaggerated by the scribes of his time, but he certainly appears to have reversed earlier territorial losses and to have extended the Egyptian Empire into Canaan. His capture of Canaanite princes, who were then taken as prisoners to Egypt, may have been the origin of the story told in the Book of Exodus of the slavery of the Israelites and their escape led by Moses.
It is as a builder of cities and monuments that Ramses is most renowned. He built a new capital city named Pi Ramesse Aa-nakhta, which translates as “House of Ramses Great of Victories”, although little can be seen of this…