Latest / Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History / Ramses the Great's Silver Diplomacy: The Peace of Year 21
Transcript
- Lucas: So we've talked a lot about Ramses the warrior, the builder, the father of a hundred children. But there's another side to him that doesn't get as much attention — the diplomat. And I think the treaty he signed with the Hittite king Hattusili III in Year 21 of his reign is one of the most remarkable documents of the ancient world. Luna: This is the one that's sometimes called the world's first peace treaty, right? Lucas: Exactly. And what's really interesting is that we have two versions — one carved into the walls of the Karnak temple and the Ramesseum, in Egyptian hieroglyphs, and another on a clay tablet in Akkadian, found at the Hittite capital Hattusa in modern Turkey. They're not identical, but they agree on the core terms. Lucas: The treaty itself was inscribed on a silver tablet that was sent from Hattusa to Egypt. Silver was a kind of diplomatic currency — it was precious, but also malleable, like the relationship itself. Both sides called each other 'brother' throughout the text. Luna: That 'brother' language — it's a formula, but it must have meant something real, otherwise why use it? Lucas: It was a diplomatic fiction, but a powerful one. The treaty says, 'Reamasesa, the great king of the land of Egypt, and Hattusili, the great king of the land of Hatti, are in a good peace and good brotherhood forever.' It's a pledge of non-aggression and mutual aid. Lucas: One of the most striking clauses is about extradition. If a fugitive, even a noble, fled from Hatti to Egypt, Ramses agreed to send them back. And vice versa. But there's a humane twist — the fugitive was not to be punished harshly. No harm to their eyes, mouth, or legs. Luna: That's surprisingly progressive. I wouldn't have expected that from a pharaoh who wasn't shy about crushing his enemies. Lucas: Right. And it suggests that both sides were serious about stability. The treaty also invokes the gods as witnesses — a thousand deities from Egypt and Hatti, including Amun-Re, Seth, Teshub, and the goddess Sausga. She was a Hittite goddess of war and healing, and the Egyptians happily included her. Lucas: The Egyptians even carved a version of the treaty at Karnak, showing the silver tablet being presented by the Hittite envoy. It's a public relations triumph — Ramses gets to look magnanimous while also reminding everyone that he'd 'won' at Kadesh years earlier. Luna: But the Hittite version tells a slightly different story, doesn't it? Lucas: It does. The Hittite tablet frames the treaty more as a mutual agreement after years of conflict, without the boastful tone. Both sides acknowledge the other as an equal great king. That was crucial — Hattusili needed legitimacy after his own coup, and Ramses needed a secure northern border. Lucas: The treaty was followed up by a marriage alliance. Ramses married a Hittite princess, Maathorneferure, whose name means 'she who sees Horus, the invisible beauty.' She arrived with a huge dowry, including gold, silver, and even a chariot team. Luna: So the treaty wasn't just a piece of paper — it was a living relationship, sealed with a wedding and ongoing correspondence. Lucas: Exactly. The Amarna letters show that kings regularly exchanged gifts — lapis lazuli, ebony, even exotic animals. It was a system of reciprocity. If a king sent a proper gift, the other was obliged to reciprocate, or risk losing face. Ramses was a master of this game. Lucas: There's a famous letter from Ramses to Hattusili where he complains about the quality of the silver sent — it's too crude, he says, like the silver from a conquered vassal, not a brother. It's a diplomatic jab, but also a test. Luna: He's basically saying, 'You call me brother, but your gifts say otherwise.' Lucas: Exactly. And Hattusili had to respond with better silver, or the whole relationship would be weakened. This was high-stakes diplomacy, conducted by professional envoys who traveled the royal road between the two empires. Luna: And all of this happened in the shadow of Kadesh, which wasn't really a decisive victory for either side. Lucas: No, it wasn't. Kadesh was a bloody draw, and both sides realized that another war would be ruinous. The treaty was a recognition of mutual exhaustion. But Ramses, being Ramses, spun it as a great Egyptian victory on his temple walls — and the treaty itself was carved there as proof of his success. Lucas: This is the kind of layered history that I think is so fascinating — it's not a simple story of a great king making peace. It's a story of propaganda, power, and pragmatism. And it laid the foundation for three decades of peace between Egypt and Hatti. Luna: It's amazing to think that we can still read the actual words of that treaty, almost 3,300 years later. Lucas: And that's something worth preserving. You know, if you've been coming along with us through these conversations — about North Africa and the ancient world — and you'd like to help keep this show ad-free and independent, we have a small request. You can support us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, but every bit helps us keep digging into these stories. Luna: Yeah, it really does make a difference. And we appreciate everyone who listens, whether you contribute or not. Lucas: So back to the treaty — one more detail that I love. The Egyptian version ends with a list of curses and blessings. If the Hittites break the treaty, may their gods destroy them. If they keep it, may their gods protect them. But the Hittite version has the same thing — a mirror image, with Egyptian gods invoked. It's symmetric diplomacy. Luna: A kind of mutual deterrence, written in stone. Lucas: Exactly. And it worked. The peace held for the rest of Ramses's reign and beyond. It's a testament to the power of negotiation over warfare, even in an era that glorified the battlefield. Luna: I'm glad we took a closer look at this side of Ramses. It rounds out the picture. Lucas: For next time, I was thinking about the royal tomb builders — the men who actually cut and decorated Ramses's tomb in the Valley of the Kings. They left us their own records, and their stories are just as compelling.