Ramesses the Great was a superb self-promoter
The Egyptian pharaoh got his title by declaring it was so, as a new biography shows
Unlike Alexander or Frederick, Ramesses the Great did not earn his sobriquet through feats of arms. His most famous military engagement—the battle of Kadesh in 1274BC—ended in a bloody draw. Making the best of a murky situation, his propagandists celebrated his personal courage, but they could not conceal how close he had come to disaster. Ramesses had walked into a trap set by Hittite spies, who deceived him into believing their main force was many miles away.
This article appeared in the Culture section of the print edition under the headline “Larger than life”
Culture June 3rd 2023
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