Warrior. Husband. King. Statesman. Father. God
Ramesses II ruled over Ancient Egypt for six decades. As a general he fought campaigns against the Hittites, Syrians and the Sherden pirates; as king he built extravagantly and his monuments were to be found in every corner of the Egyptian empire; he was husband to beautiful Nefertari and father to scores of children. He presided over an era of peace and prosperity the like of which was enjoyed by no other Egyptian king. Subsequent pharaohs even took his name, hoping to emulate his achievements.
Yet Ramesses eventually became a victim of that very success. With his death his reputation and fame spread farther and grew in stature until the real Ramesses was buried beneath a mountain of exaggeration, misattribution and confusion as the facts of his life became embroiled in the myths and tales which surround the Ancient Egyptians.
Archaeologist Joyce Tyldesley delves deeply into the past to recover the true story behind Egypt's greatest pharaoh. Combining archaeological evidence with historical fact, she explores the life and times of Ramesses, delicately sifting the truth from the myths. What emerges is a vivid portrait of a time, a place and a remarkable man.
