The History of Egypt

Recorded May 2024. A name more famous than its owners. The Cleopatras of Egypt (all seven of them) were remarkably influential women and rulers. Frequently taking up power and responsibilities far beyond their more famous husbands (the Ptolemies), the seven Cleopatras of Egypt (and even more in the wider Hellenistic world) are worthy of greater attention and respect. In this interview, Prof. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones of Cardiff University introduces these figures and his new book The Cleopatras: Forgotten Queens of Egypt. Author details: Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, The Cleopatras, 2024. Available in hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook (read by the author). See Headline Publishing and all good retailers. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones at Cardiff University and Academia.edu. Rulers discussed in this episode: Cleopatra I Syra: Wikipedia. Cleopatra III: Wikipedia. Cleopatra Thea of the Seleukid Empire: Wikipedia. Cleopatra VI Tryphaena: Wikipedia. Cleopatra VII Thea Philopator: Wikipedia. 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. Music by Michael Levy www.ancientlyre.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Temple of Sety I at Abydos, an out-of-the-way corridor preserves a unique image. The King of Egypt, and his eldest son, wrangle and subdue a bull. This scene appears simple, at first glance. But it has a wealth of deeper symbolism and meanings. In this episode, we explore the idea of Bulls as images of power and violence, and their relationship with gods like Osiris and Seth… Episode logo: Ramesses and the Bull, by artist Brenna Baines (commissioned by The History of Egypt Podcast). Full version available on my Patreon (link below). The Bull Hall photos by Heidi Kontkanen at Flickr.com. The Bull Hall in Peter Brand, Monuments of Sety I (2000) available free online. 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. Music and interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net. Sound effects purchased from Pond5. Select Bibliography: M. Abuel-Yazid, ‘Architecture of the Slaughterhouse of the Seti Temple at Abydos’, in I. Regulski (ed.), Abydos: The Sacred Land at the Western Horizon (2019), 7—24. L. Baqué, ‘“On that Day When the Long-Horned Bull was Lassoed...” (PT [254] 286). A Scene in the “Corridor of the Bull” of the Cenotaph of Sethos I in Abydos: An Iconologic Approach’, Studien zur Altägyptischen Kultur 30 (2002), 43—51. P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000). Available free online. R. H. Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt (2003). J. M. Galán, ‘Bullfight Scenes in Ancient Egyptian Tombs’, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology 80 (1994), 81—96. See website for complete reference list. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember “Going Forth by Day”? It’s back! In song form. Many creative projects have explored themes around the Egyptian underworld. But in 2023, the Czech band Nemuer has taken a novel approach. Their album, Book of Going Forth by Day is based on original funerary papyri; and for the pronunciation of the Egyptian language, they consulted with Egyptologist Dr. Christian de Vartavan. This gives us an opportunity to explore excerpts from the Book of the Dead from a new perspective and connect more deeply with the ancient language.The podcast has covered the Book of the Dead previously, but it may be time to revisit it. Would you like me to produce more episodes diving into this text? Let me know in the comments.Episode details: Nemuer, Going Forth by Day (2023). Available on Spotify and Bandcamp. Christian de Vartavan, Vocalised Dictionary of Ancient Egyptian (2022). Available in Open Access. The History of Egypt Podcast Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Access expanded materials and support the History of Egypt Podcast at www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast.  Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Warrior, protector, murderer. By 1300 BCE, the Egyptian god Seth had become a complex and multi-faceted deity. Chaotic and destructive, but not "evil," Seth played an important role in the gods' realm and our own. This legend developed and evolved over centuries, from the earliest religious literature to the imperial age. In this episode, we explore Seth's role, appearances, and descriptions in the Pyramid Texts, Coffin Texts, Book of the Dead, Amduat, and Book of Gates. And we try to get to grips with a god who was (quite literally) two-faced...Episode details: Date: c. 2400 - 1300 BCE (Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms up to the reign of Sety I). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.  Music intro and outro by Michael Levy. Music interludes by Luke Chaos and Keith Zizza. Logo image: The hybrid deity Herfy ("Two-Face"), combining the powers of Horus and Seth. Hour 10 of the Book of Gates, from the tomb of Tausret in the Valley of the Kings (Line drawing by Dominic Perry, based on photo by Erik Hornung). General studies: Erik Hornung, The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Afterlife (1999) at Internet Archive. John Darnell and Colleen Manassa Darnell, The Ancient Egyptian Netherworld Books at JSTOR.org and the Society of Biblical Literature. Pyramid Texts in English translation and Egyptian hieroglyphs (Pyramid Texts Online by Vincent Brown). Coffin Texts in English translation by Raymond Faulkner (1973—1978): Volume I, Volume III. I have been unable to find a copy of Volume II online; if you are aware of one, please let me know. Egyptian Hieroglyphs available in Open Access via the University of Chicago. Book of the Dead in English translation by Raymond Faulkner (1982 edition) at Internet Archive. Edited volume of scholarly articles available at The University of Chicago (2017, edited by Foy Scalf). Additional English translation, transliteration, and commentary by Stephen Quirke (2013). The Amduat (Book of the Hidden Chamber) in English translation, transliteration, and Egyptian hieroglyphs by Erik Hornung (2007). The Book of Gates in English translation, transliteration, and Egyptian hieroglyphs by Erik Hornung (2013). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Identity crisis. Seth (aka Sutekh / Setekh / Suty) is a complicated deity. A master of storms, winds, deserts and seas, Seth dominates foreigners and the world outside Egypt. However, he is also treacherous, violent, and aggressive; a god who slew his own brother and tried to seize the throne for himself. As a result, Seth has a complicated relationship with the Egyptian kingship. Part defender and source of legitimacy, but also a threat to the stable order of the world (ma’at). Most kings navigated this relationship fairly easily. But then, most kings weren’t named after the god himself. As a pharaoh of Egypt, a living Horus, and the son of Osiris, King Sety I had to work hard to reconcile his personal identity with his divine. The results are visible on his monuments… Date: Reign of Sety I (c.1300 BCE). Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Music intro, outro, and interludes: Michael Levy. Music interludes: Keith Zizza and Luke Chaos. Logo image: A Seth-headed-Sphinx, on an obelisk of Sety I, originally from Heliopolis but now in Alexandria (Line drawing by Dominic Perry, based on a photo by Heidi Kontkanen). Select Bibliography: J. P. Allen, The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts (2nd edn, 2015). P. J. Brand, The Monuments of Seti I: Epigraphic, Historical and Art Historical Analysis (2000). E. Cruz-Uribe, ‘The Father of Ramses I: OI 11456’, Journal of Near Eastern Studies 37 (1978), 237—244. E. Cruz-Uribe, ‘Stḫ ꜥꜣ pḥty “Seth, God of Power and Might”’, Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 45 (2009), 201—26. A. el-Sawi, ‘Some Variations of Writing of the Names of Sety I at Abydos’, Annales du Services des Antiquités de l’Egypte 70 Supplement (1987), 53—63. J. G. Griffith, The Conflict of Horus and Seth from Egyptian and Classical Sources (1960). C. A. Hope, ‘Reconstructing the Image of Seth, Lord of the Oasis, in his Temple at Mut el-Kharab in Dakhleh Oasis’, Rich and Great: Studies in Honour of Anthony J. Spalinger on the Occasion of his 70th Feast of Thoth (2016), 123—145. K. A. Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions Translated and Annotated: Translations Volume I: Ramesses I, Sethos I and Contemporaries (Second Publication edn, 2017). W. M. F. Petrie and J. E. Quibell, Naqada and Ballas 1895 (1896). D. Schorsch and M. T. Wypyski, ‘Seth, “Figure of Mystery”’, Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 45 (2009), 177—200. D. Stewart, ‘The Myth of Osiris in the Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, Monash University (2014). I. R. Taylor, ‘Deconstructing the Iconography of Seth’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Birmingham (2016). H. te Velde, ‘The Egyptian God Seth as a Trickster’, Journal of the American Research Center in Egypt 7 (1968), 37—40. H. te Velde, Seth, God of Confusion (1967). H. te Velde, ‘Seth’, in D. B. Redford (ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, 3 (2001), 269—271. P. J. Turner, ‘Seth – A Misrepresented God in the Ancient Egyptian Pantheon?’, Unpublished PhD. Thesis, The University of Manchester (2012). R. H. Wilkinson, The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt (2003). H. E. Winlock, The Temple of Ramesses I at Abydos (1937). ‘Stèle Cintrée E26017’, Musée du Louvre, <https://collections.louvre.fr/ark:/53355/cl010004210> accessed 2.2.2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blade of Frontiers (not Wyll). In September 2024, the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities announced new discoveries including a sword inscribed with the names of Ramesses II, King of Egypt. In this episode, we discuss the weapon and its origins, as well as the larger significance of the fortress in which this discovery occurred. Who did the sword belong to? What was this fortress guarding against?Egyptian swords in museum collections: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/545558 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA5425 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA52850 https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/Y_EA36769 The Egyptian army and fortifications: Video lecture series, "Perspectives on the Ramesside Military System" on YouTube. The Old Kingdom (c.2500—2200 BCE): Spotify and Website. Grave of the Unknown Warriors (c.2000 BCE): Spotify. The Army of Sety I (c.1300 BCE), Part 1: Spotify. The Army of Sety I (c.1300 BCE), Part 2: Spotify. The New Kingdom (c.1500—1150 BCE): Spotify and YouTube. Ian Shaw, Ancient Egyptian Warfare (Oxford, 2019). C. Vogel, The Fortifications of Ancient Egypt 3000-1780 BC (Botley, 2010). E. F. Morris, The Architecture of Imperialism: Military Bases and the Evolution of Foreign Policy in Egypt’s New Kingdom (Leiden, 2005). B. McDermott, Warfare in Ancient Egypt (Stroud, 2004). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new year dawns, and it’s time to look back. Egyptology and archaeology had a great year in 2023, with numerous major discoveries, studies, and conservation projects reaching fruition. Here is a sample selection of some particularly significant finds… Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com. Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Chat with ancient Egypt enthusiasts at our Discord. Logo image: Statue discovered at Saqqara, 2023. Select Bibliography (in order of discussion): Luxor, new royal tomb: Press Release from Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Article by Dr. Piers Litherland in Egyptian Archaeology 63 (2023). Hear about the (brief) reign of Thutmose II on the podcast, episode 60 “Thutmosid Family Values.” Luxor, tomb re-openings: The tomb of Meru (Polish Centre for Mediterranean Archaeology). The tombs of Hurri and Djehuty (Proyecto Djehuty and Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities Press Release). Abydos, grave goods of Mer(et)-Neith: Press Release from the University of Vienna. Hear about the life and reign of Mer(et)-Neith on the podcast, episode 02 “Horus Takes Flight.” Abydos, temple of Ramesses II animal burials: Article by Dr. Sameh Iskander in Egyptian Archaeology 63 (2023). Saqqara, embalming workshops and Old Kingdom tomb: Press Release from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Saqqara, Gisr el-Mudir new finds: Press Release from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Saqqara, new temple for Hathor: Article by Ahmed Osman in Egyptian Archaeology 63 (2023). Abusir, tomb of the 27th Dynasty scribe Djehuty-em-hat: Press Release from the Czech Institute of Egyptology (Charles University). Cairo Museum, CT scans and 3d printing of Ptolemaic mummy: Press Release from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and open-access article at Frontiers in Medicine. Egyptology Newsletters and Websites: Mailing list by The Egyptologists’ Electronic Forum (Application Form). Updates from The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Facebook. Updates and news from Luxor Times on Facebook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1798, an army of soldiers and scientists invaded Egypt. At their head, the young general Napoleon Bonaparte. The French Expedition had an enormous impact on Egypt's political history, and Egyptology as a field of scholarly inquiry. Remarkable discoveries, and dedicated study, led to an explosion in knowledge about the ancient past. Today, William Clark of Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon joins me to discuss these momentous undertakings. And, of course, we talk about the new film "Napoleon," directed by Ridley Scott and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby.Links and details: William Clark's Grey History: The French Revolution & Napoleon podcast. Logo image - Maurice Orange, Napoleon at the Pyramids 1895. The Description of Egypt complete digital copy at Bibliotecha Alexandrina. The Description of Egypt complete digital copy at Library of Congress. 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. Select Bibliography: ‘Abd al-Rahman al- Jabarti’, Oxford Reference, https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100014918. E. Prusskaya, ‘Arab Chronicles as a Source for Studying Bonaparte’s Expedition to Egypt’, Napoleonica. LaRevue 24 (2015), 48–60. P. Mainterot, ‘France’, in A. Bednarski et al. (eds), A History of World Egyptology (Cambridge, 2020), 68–90. S. Ikram and A. Omar, ‘Egypt’, in A. Bednarski et al. (eds), A History of World Egyptology (Cambridge, 2020), 25–67. A. Bednarski et al. (eds), ‘The Prehistory of Egyptology’, A History of World Egyptology (Cambridge, 2020), 8–24. A. Bednarski et al. (eds), A History of World Egyptology (Cambridge, 2020). O. El Daly, Egyptology: The Missing Millennium – Ancient Egypt in Medieval Arabic Writings (2005). L. Greener, The Discovery of Egypt (1966). R. Asprey, The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte (2000). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've wanted a game like Total War: Pharaoh since childhood. Now it's here! Thanks to Creative Assembly, I've had the opportunity to explore the game and prepare some introductions to the history and major leaders. This is meant to be a "listen along while playing" experience, just like I used to do with Mike Duncan's History of Rome and the original Rome: Total War. I hope you enjoy! Chapters: Intro: 00:00. Merneptah: 05:30. Ramesses: 29:10. Amenmesse: 1:02:40. Sety: 1:19:30. Tausret: 1:40:45. Bay & Irsu: 2:07:35. Kurunta & Suppiluliuma: 2:32:07. Preview and purchase Total War: Pharaoh at https://pharaoh.totalwar.com/. Music in all episodes by Richard Beddow © Creative Assembly 2023. Support the History of Egypt Podcast via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast. Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sety I reigned (approx.) 1303--1292 BCE. In the first half of his reign, the King's followers achieved significant and splendid deeds. We explore these achievements in aggregate, and what they all mean for the Egyptian people. Plus, what 19th Dynasty "expansion" means for our story of pharaohs, ordinary people, and the gods...Logo image: Sety I, a painted panel from his tomb (Louvre Museum).Website: www.egyptianhistorypodcast.com.Support the show via Patreon www.patreon.com/egyptpodcast.Make a one-time donation via PayPal payments.Music by Jeffrey Goodman www.jeffreygoodman.com.Interludes by Keith Zizza www.keithzizza.net.Interludes by Luke Chaos www.chaosmusick.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices