The History of Egypt

A Father Begs His Son to Return Home.Late in the New Kingdom (c.1250 BCE), an Egyptian father wrote a letter to his son. The son had gone to sea, sailing on a ship; he had not sent any word of his wellbeing. Worried, the father writes a letter, begging his son to return home.The letter is possibly based off real events, for it involves people who were genuine figures in their community. The father, Menna, and the son Pay-Iry were inhabitants of the village of Deir el-Medina (Set-Ma'at, the Place of Truth). They lived around 1250 BCE, approximately, and this may be a record of their real relationship. Translations by John L. Foster, Ancient Egyptian Literature: An Anthology (Amazon) Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Twitter: @EgyptianPodcast Instagram: @EgyptPodcast Facebook: @EgyptPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A former pupil goes off the rails and gets lost in drink; his teacher tries to bring him back.After completing his education, a young scribe might take a job in a temple, government office, or work team. But this time, the student went off into some wayward behaviours. Writing a stern letter, a schoolmaster tries to bring his former pupil back to sobriety and good living. Translations by John L. Foster, Ancient Egyptian Literature: An Anthology (Amazon) Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Twitter: @EgyptianPodcast Instagram: @EgyptPodcast Facebook: @EgyptPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate 100 episodes, I took your questions on all things ancient Egypt.Pictures on topics (particularly Egyptian revival architecture of the 1800s) at the website www.egyptianhistorypodcast.comIf you didn't hear your question, I have sent out written responses. Some questions covered material already in the show, or on topics that don't have enough evidence to discuss in detail.Thanks for submitting! Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Princess Becomes Queen, a Prince Becomes Heir. In 1370 BCE, the same year as the Sed-Festival, pharaoh Amunhotep III made two interesting decisions. He made his eldest daughter his wife, and named his eldest (surviving) son as heir to the throne. In a short side-episode, we explore these events and their significance... Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.  Music by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.com. Select bibliography: Aidan Dodson, Amarna Sunrise, 2014. Aidan Dodson, “On the Alleged “Amenhotep III/IV Coregency” Graffito at Meidum,” Göttinger Miszellen, 2009. Peter F. Dorman, “The Long Coregency Revisited: Architectural and Iconographic Conundra in the Tomb of Kheruef,” Causing His Name To Live Studies in Egyptian Epigraphy and History in Memory of William J. Murnane, 2009. Arielle P. Kozloff, Amenhotep III: Egypt’s Radiant Pharaoh, 2012. Arielle P. Kozloff and Betsy M. Bryan, Egypt’s Dazzling Sun: Amenhotep III and His World, 1992. William J. Murnane, Ancient Egyptian Coregencies, 1977. David O’Connor and Eric Cline (eds.) Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign, 2001. Lana Troy, Patterns of Queenship in Ancient Egyptian Myth and History, 1986. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amunhotep III (Part 10): The Sed Festival, As Told by Kheruef Who Witnessed It.In regnal year 30, Amunhotep III celebrated the first of his sed-festivals. This was a spectacular event, with a number of rituals and performances celebrating the King's reign, and renewing his authority on earth. Some of these rites were truly arcane, hearkening back to the very earliest days of the Egyptian kingdom.In this special episode, we explore the festival from beginning to end as it is recorded in the tomb of Kheruef, a royal official who witnessed the celebration...Episode divided into four chapters:Chapter One at 03:28Chapter Two at 20:44Chapter Three at 33:20Chapter Four at 52:20Epilogue at 1:06:14 Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.  Music by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.com Music by Jeffrey Goodman www.jeffreygoodmanmusic.com/ Music by Derek and Brandon Feichter https://dbfiechter.bandcamp.com/ Select Bibliography: C.J. Bleeker, Egyptian Festivals, 1968 (Google Books). Epigraphic Survey, The Tomb of Kheruef: Theban Tomb 192, 1980 (Oriental Institute). Eric Cline and David O’Connor, Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign, 1998 (Amazon). Aidan Dodson, Amarna Sunrise, 2014 (Amazon). Henri Frankfort, Kingship and Ritual, 1978 (Oriental Institute). Erik Hornung, Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: the One and the Many, 1996 (Amazon). Arielle P. Kozloff, Amenhotep III: Egypt’s Radiant Pharaoh, 2012 (Amazon). Arielle P. Kozloff and Betsy M. Bryan, Egypt’s Dazzling Sun: Amenhotep III and His World, 1992. Donald B. Redford, Akhenaten: The Heretic King, 1984 (Amazon). Music by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.com Music by Jeffrey Goodman www.jeffreygoodmanmusic.com/ Music by Derek and Brandon Feichter https://dbfiechter.bandcamp.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amunhotep III (Part 9): The Dark Years.Between 1380 and 1370 BCE, Egypt may have suffered an outbreak of disease. In this decade, at least four royal family members died, and the political situation was irrevocably changed. It wasn't all bad, though: around 1380, Queen Tiy went through the difficulties of childbirth and offered a new son to the lineage... Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.  Select Bibliography: James P. Allen, The Art of Medicine in Ancient Egypt, 2005. Anne Austin, “Contending with illness in ancient Egypt: A textual and osteological study of health care at Deir el-Medina,” unpublished PhD Thesis (2014) (online) Eric Cline and David O’Connor, Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign, 1998 (Amazon). Theodore M. Davis The Tomb of Iouiya and Touiyou, 2000 (reprint). Aidan Dodson, Amarna Sunrise, 2014 (Amazon). Aidan Dodson, “Crown Prince Djhutmose and the Royal Sons of the Eighteenth Dynasty,” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (1990). Hans Goedicke, “The Canaanite Illness,” Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur (1984). Erik Hornung, Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: the One and the Many, 1996 (Amazon). Arielle P. Kozloff, Amenhotep III: Egypt’s Radiant Pharaoh, 2012 (Amazon). Arielle P. Kozloff and Betsy M. Bryan, Egypt’s Dazzling Sun: Amenhotep III and His World, 1992. Kathleen Kuckens, “The Children of Amarna: Disease and Famine in the Time of Akhenaten,” unpublished MA Thesis ( (online) Eva Panagiotakopulu, “Pharaonic Egypt and the Origins of Plague,” Journal of Biogeography (2004). James Quibell, The Tomb of Yuaa and Thuiu, 1908 (archive.org). Donald B. Redford, Akhenaten: The Heretic King, 1984 (Amazon). Josef Wegner, “Tradition and Innovation: the Middle Kingdom,” Egyptian Archaeology, 2010. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interlude: Royal Children On the Rise.From 1385 to 1380, the prince of Egypt Thutmose was climbing up the ranks. From a lowly sem-priest to the chief of a great temple, Thutmose was a quickly rising star. His sister, Sit-Amun, also leaves a tantalizing trace of her life. We explore a non-royal funeral, the cult of the Apis Bull, and see how a prince of Egypt left some wonderful personal records, including those of his pet. Music by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.com Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Check out The History of Vikings Podcast at www.thehistoryofvikings.com Online Great Books is your personal, curated introduction to the world of classic literature and philosophy http://onlinegreatbooks.com/egy and use the special discount code EGY Select Bibliography: Kate Bosse-Griffiths, “The Memphite Stela of Merptah and Ptahmose,” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (1955). Katherine Griffis-Greenberg, The Coffin of the She-Cat of the Crown Prince Thutmose (2006) online. Eric Cline and David O’Connor, Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign, 1998 (Amazon). Theodore M. Davis The Tomb of Iouiya and Touiyou, 2000 (reprint). Aidan Dodson, Amarna Sunrise, 2014 (Amazon). Aidan Dodson, “Crown Prince Djhutmose and the Royal Sons of the Eighteenth Dynasty,” Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (1990). Arielle P. Kozloff, Amenhotep III: Egypt’s Radiant Pharaoh, 2012 (Amazon). Arielle P. Kozloff and Betsy M. Bryan, Egypt’s Dazzling Sun: Amenhotep III and His World, 1992. Donald B. Redford, Akhenaten: The Heretic King, 1984 (Amazon). James Quibell, The Tomb of Yuaa and Thuiu, 1908 (archive.org). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An interview with composer Jeffrey Goodman.Jeff Goodman has composed some wonderful pieces evoking the world of ancient Egypt. Taking inspiration from mythology, art and literature, he crafts lovely songs with a focus on authenticity in instrumentation. As part of the larger investigation of music, I invited him onto the show for a discussion about composition, ancient musicality, and how to evoke the past when we have no written notation left. This is the first time I've interviewed someone; it was an interesting experience! Jeffrey Goodman's website https://www.jeffreygoodmanmusic.com/tears-of-isis/ Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.  Select Bibliography: Leibovitch, “The Statuette of an Egyptian Harper and String-Instruments in Egyptian Statuary,” The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (1960). Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, 2006. Miriam Lichtheim, “The Songs of the Harpers,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies (1945). Lise Manniche, Music and Musicians in Ancient Egypt, 1992. William Kelly Simpson, The Literature of Ancient Egypt, 2003. Edward F. Wente, “Egyptian “Make Merry” Songs Reconsidered” Journal of Near Eastern Studies (1962). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Instruments, Musicians, and Songs.In this mini episode, we explore the traces of ancient Egyptian songs and music. Although the melodies and rhythms are lost, we still have lyrics, instruments and artwork detailing some of these arts. From this, we can understand how certain instruments were played, and what different artists tried to achieve. Plus, modern reconstructions can give us a hint at the soundscape of ancient Egypt.Musical Interludes (by permission): Flute: Erik the Flutemaker (Youtube) (Website) Sistrum: Tahya of HathorSystrum (Youtube) (Website) Harp: Michael Levy (Website) Prayer: Michael Atherton (Website) Drums: Jeffrey Goodman (Youtube) (Website) This is Part One; a second part (including an interview with composer Jeffrey Goodman) will follow soon. Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.  Select Bibliography: Leibovitch, “The Statuette of an Egyptian Harper and String-Instruments in Egyptian Statuary,” The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (1960). Miriam Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian Literature, 2006. Miriam Lichtheim, “The Songs of the Harpers,” Journal of Near Eastern Studies (1945). Lise Manniche, Music and Musicians in Ancient Egypt, 1992. William Kelly Simpson, The Literature of Ancient Egypt, 2003. Edward F. Wente, “Egyptian “Make Merry” Songs Reconsidered” Journal of Near Eastern Studies (1962). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interlude: Queen Tiy's Lucky Family.The family of Queen Tiy came from an interesting place, and led a fascinating life. Her mother and father - Tjuyu and Yuya - and her brother Anen enjoyed great privileges thanks to their family connections. In life, and in death, they left an enduring legacy... Music by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.com Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.  Select Bibliography: Eric Cline and David O’Connor, Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign, 1998. Theodore M. Davis The Tomb of Iouiya and Touiyou, 2000 (reprint). Aidan Dodson, Amarna Sunrise, 2014. Arielle P. Kozloff, Amenhotep III: Egypt’s Radiant Pharaoh, 2012. Arielle P. Kozloff and Betsy M. Bryan, Egypt’s Dazzling Sun: Amenhotep III and His World, 1992. Donald B. Redford, Akhenaten: The Heretic King, 1984. James Quibell, The Tomb of Yuaa and Thuiu, 1908 (archive.org). G. Elliot Smith, Egyptian Mummies, 1924. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices