Ramses II's Golden Age: Economy and Daily Life

Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History · Oct 13, 2026 · 10m · transcript

We often focus on the wars and monuments of Ramses II, but his reign was equally defined by an unprecedented economic boom. This episode explores how the pharaoh turned conquest into commerce, establishing trade routes that brought gold from Nubia and lapis lazuli from Afghanistan to the heart of Kemet. We examine the administrative machinery behind this prosperity, including the role of the Vizier and the complex bureaucracy of Deir el-Medina, where workers were paid in grain and beer rather than coin. You will hear about the famous strike at Deir el-Medina, one of history’s first recorded…