Ramses II and the First Labor Strike in Egypt

Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History · Sep 15, 2026 · 10m · transcript

We often think of ancient Egypt as a land of eternal order, where the Pharaoh’s will was absolute and unchallenged. But in the late 12th century BCE, a group of stonecutters at Deir el-Medina took a stand that would shock historians for millennia. This episode explores the first recorded labor strike in human history, sparked by unpaid grain rations during Ramses II’s long reign. We dive into the Petition of Paneb, the role of the Vizier Pa-di-Aten, and how ordinary workers navigated the complex bureaucracy of the New Kingdom to demand their due. From the dusty quarries of Wadi Gabbanat…