Latest / Ramses the Great: Egypt's Most Powerful Pharaoh — Fexingo History / Ramses the Great's 67-Year Reign What Made It Last
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- Lucas: Luna, we've talked a lot about Ramses the Great's individual achievements — the buildings, the battles, the diplomacy. But one thing that always stands out to me about this guy is just how long he was in charge. His reign of 67 years is one of the longest in all of ancient history, second only to Pepi II of the Old Kingdom. Luna: Sixty-seven years — that's insane. How do you even hold it together that long? Lucas: Right. And it's not just about living long — he had to actually stay in power. A lot of pharaohs before him, like Hatshepsut or Akhenaten, had much shorter reigns or faced serious opposition. Ramses managed to keep the throne for nearly seven decades, and he didn't just coast. He was actively ruling, leading campaigns, building monuments, fathering over a hundred children. Lucas: To understand why, you have to look at how he set himself up from the very beginning. His father Seti I had already restored Egypt's power after the turmoil of the Amarna Period, and Ramses was trained from a young age to take over. He even served as co-regent for a few years, so when Seti died, the transition was smooth. Luna: A co-regency. So he had some on-the-job training before he was fully in charge. Lucas: Exactly. By the time he became sole ruler around 1279 BCE, he was already experienced in statecraft and military command. And he hit the ground running. Within his first few years, he launched a campaign against the Sherden pirates — these were Sea Peoples raiders — and decisively defeated them, even incorporating some into his own army. Lucas: But the defining event of his early reign was the Battle of Kadesh in his fifth year. We've covered the propaganda angle in episode 89, but what's relevant here is how he turned a near-disaster — he was nearly captured, his army was caught off guard — into a personal victory narrative. He presented himself as a lone hero saved by Amun-Re, and that story became the foundation of his divine image. Luna: So he used the battle to build his legend, even though it wasn't a clear win. Lucas: Precisely. The Poem of Pentaur, inscribed on temple walls at the Ramesseum, Luxor, and Abu Simbel, was essentially Ramses's own epic. It reinforced his reputation as a warrior pharaoh and a favorite of the gods. That kind of propaganda helped secure loyalty from his officials and the priesthood. Lucas: But military glory alone doesn't sustain a 67-year reign. Ramses also understood the importance of economics. The Nile flood, Hapi, was the lifeblood of Egypt, and he invested heavily in agriculture. He built granaries, improved irrigation, and controlled the food supply. That meant he could feed his people and also have surplus to fund his ambitious building program. Luna: Speaking of building — he basically reconstructed half of Egypt. Lucas: He did. His new capital Per-Ramesses in the Delta was a showcase of wealth and power, with temples to Seth, Amun, Ptah, and Re. He also expanded existing temples like Karnak and Luxor, and built the rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel. All of this created jobs for thousands of workers, from stonecutters at Gebel el-Silsila to artists at Deir el-Medina. It was a massive economic engine. Lucas: And it wasn't just about propaganda. These temples were also administrative centers. They collected taxes, stored grain, and managed land. By placing loyal officials in key positions, Ramses kept control over the provinces. He also appointed his sons to high offices — Khaemwaset as High Priest of Ptah in Memphis, and later Merenptah as his successor. Luna: Speaking of, that's something that's always fascinated me — how did he manage succession with so many children? I'd imagine there was plenty of room for conflict. Lucas: It's true, he had over a hundred children, but he was very deliberate about grooming a successor. His firstborn, Crown Prince Ramses, died around year 40, so he then elevated Khaemwaset, but Khaemwaset died too, maybe around year 50. Eventually Merenptah, his 13th son, became the heir. Ramses lived so long that he outlived many of his sons. That's both a testament to his own longevity and a tragedy for his family. Lucas: On the diplomatic front, his peace treaty with the Hittites in year 21, after years of conflict, was a masterstroke. It secured Egypt's northern border, allowed for the marriage to the Hittite princess Maathorneferure, and opened up trade. No major wars for the remaining 45 years of his reign. That stability let him focus on internal development. Luna: No wars for 45 years — that must have saved a lot of money and lives. Lucas: Absolutely. And it meant he could redirect resources to building and to the cult of the gods. His reign was a period of immense prosperity. Egypt controlled territory from the Euphrates in Syria down to the fourth cataract of the Nile in Nubia. The gold mines of Kush, managed by his viceroy Setau, kept the treasury full. Luna: It really seems like he had a plan for everything. But what about when he got old? I mean, he lived into his 90s. Did his grip on power slip at all? Lucas: That's a great question. By his final decade, he was probably less active physically, but his bureaucracy was so well-oiled that it kept running. His son Merenptah effectively served as co-regent in the last years, handling day-to-day affairs. And Ramses's image remained potent — he was seen as a living god. The priests and officials had every incentive to keep the system stable. Lucas: Quick honest thing — this kind of deep dive into how power actually works is exactly why we love making this show. And a handful of listeners already chip in monthly through buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo, which literally funds the research and production. It keeps us ad-free and lets us spend time on details like the co-regency or Viceroy Setau. Luna: Yeah, it really makes a difference. We get to go deeper because of that support. Lucas: So, back to the old pharaoh. When Ramses finally died around 1213 BCE, after 67 years on the throne, he was buried in KV7 in the Valley of the Kings. But his legacy didn't end there. His mummy was later moved to the Deir el-Bahri cache to protect it from tomb robbers, and today it's one of the best-preserved royal mummies we have. Luna: And yet, within a few generations after his death, Egypt's power started to decline. The 20th Dynasty wasn't as stable. Lucas: True. Merenptah had to deal with invasions from the Sea Peoples and Libyans, and the economic strains that Ramses's massive building projects had created. Some scholars argue that Ramses's long reign actually left Egypt overextended — too many monuments, too much bureaucracy, a system that was hard to maintain without a strong leader. But for 67 years, he held it together remarkably well. Lucas: What I find most impressive is his ability to adapt. He started as a warrior pharaoh, became a diplomat, then a builder and administrator. He reinvented himself as circumstances required. That flexibility, combined with shrewd propaganda and a robust economy, is what made his reign last. Luna: So it wasn't just luck or good genes. It was intentional statecraft. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a lesson that applies well beyond ancient Egypt. So next time you're wondering how to sustain something over the long haul, you might think of old Ramses — build your base, manage your resources, and never stop telling your story. Luna: That's a good note to end on. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. Until next time.