Ramses the Great

Ramses II : Military Leader and Master Builder

​The pharaoh Ramses II (RAM-seez) ruled from about 1290 to 1224 B.C.E., during the New Kingdom. Called Ramses the Great, he is one of the most famous pharaohs. He reigned for more than 60 years, longer than almost any other pharaoh. He is best known for his military leadership and for building numerous monuments.

Multiple Choice

Ramses ruled from 1290 to 1224 BCE. Approximately how many year was his reign ?

• 60 years
• 70 years
• 50 years
• 66 years

Multiple Choice

Ramses is best know for building monuments and his ..........?

• fortresses
• tombs
• military leadership

• palaces

​Ramses used his power to excess. He had over 100 wives and more than 100 children. Never shy about his importance, he had hundreds of statues of himself erected throughout Egypt, some of which stood over 60 feet high.

​Ramses II

Multiple Choice

Another word for someone who is self important is .......

• incompetent

• insolar

• attentive

• arrogant

From a young age, Ramses was a fearless soldier, fighting alongside his father in various battles. At the age of ten, Ramses became a captain in the Egyptian army.

Ramses tried to defend an Egyptian empire that extended north into Canaan. His most famous military campaigns were against the Hittite Empire in Anatolia (present-day Turkey). The Hittites constantly threatened Egypt's northern borders. In his best known battle, Ramses reached a standoff with the Hittites, even though he was greatly outnumbered.

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Ramses II

Multiple Choice

Based on the previous slide, which group was Ramses biggest rivals ?

• The Hittites

• The Persians

• The Romans

• The Americans

​Ramses II

Ramses was also a peacemaker. He and the Hittites signed the world's first peace treaty, which lasted until the Hittite Empire collapsed around 1190 B.C.E.

One of Ramses's greatest projects was the temple complex at Abu Simbel. The main temple was carved into the side of a cliff that was on a bank of the Nile River. A smaller temple honored his favorite wife, Nefertari.

Multiple Choice

Ramses came together with the Hittites to complete the world's first ........?

• peace treaty
• cultural exchange
• trade agreement
• military alliance

Multiple Choice

Part of the complex at Abu Simbel was a smaller temple built to honor Ramses favorite wife.

Her name was .........?

• Cleopatra

• Hatshepsut

• Nefertari

• Nefertiti

Four giant statues of a seated Ramses framed the entrance to the main temple. The figures were carved right out of the rock face of the cliff and are among the finest examples of the artistic skill of Egyptian sculptors.

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​Ramses II

Poll

Which of these things would have been more difficult four thousand years ago ?

• Carving beautiful, giant sculptures out of a cliff

• Making a pyramid

• Having Pharaoh Metzger as your leader

The inside of the temple was also remarkable. Visitors passed through three large rooms, called halls, to reach the temple's main room. This room's altar contained statues of Ramses and three Egyptian gods. The temple was assembled so that, twice a year, the sun aligned with the entrance, allowing beams of sunlight to shine down the halls and illuminate the statues.

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​Ramses II

Multiple Choice

Planning and constructing an elaborate temple would be an example of this job. People still have this occupation today in 2025 CE.

• Interior Designer
• Architect
• Civil Engineer
• Merchant

​Ramses II

Ramses demanded more temples and monuments built than any other pharaoh in history. When he died, he was buried in the tomb that he had ordered workers to construct solely for him. His mummy is one of the best-preserved bodies ever found.

Multiple Choice

The Egyptian process for preserving the Pharaoh's body for the afterlife is called ........?

• embalming
• preservation
• entombment
• mummification