Share
Fan of History
What's New In History - Ramses II, Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh
A discussion with Professor Peter Brand about his latest book, Ramses II, Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh.
Ramesses II was the most magnificent and iconic pharaoh in Egyptian history. His reign was the longest, the most “monumental” in buildings and artwork, the most innovative in diplomacy, and even the most procreative, with over one hundred royal offspring! Drawing on the latest research, Peter J. Brand digs deep into Egyptian culture and archeology, revealing the mindset and motivations of Ramesses II. We find what his grand monuments reveal, and equally what they conceal. On the international scene, we peruse the diplomatic letters—often surprising, sometimes amusing—between Pharaoh and the kings of Babylon, Assyria, and the Hittite Empire.
About the Author:
Dr. Peter J. Brand (PhD University of Toronto, 1998) is an ancient historian and Egyptologist specializing in history and culture of ancient Egypt during its imperial age (ca. 1550–1100 BCE). He is author of The Monuments of Seti I and their Historical Significance: Epigraphic, Historical and Art-Historical Analysis (Brill, 2000), and has written numerous articles on Egyptian kingship, monumental art and construction, history, popular religion, warfare, and diplomacy during the late Eighteenth Dynasty and Ramesside period. Ramesses II, Egypt’s Ultimate Pharaoh is his fourth book. Since 2001, Brand has served as director of the Karnak Hypostyle Hall Project, which is recording, conserving, and interpreting hundreds of scenes and hieroglyphic texts carved on the walls and columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall. The project uses cutting-edge technology to model and reveal the inscriptions on this forest of 134 giant columns. Brand has appeared in over twenty documentaries for the History Channel, Discovery, and National Geographic.
https://www.lockwoodpress.com/product-page/ramesses-ii-egypt-s-ultimate-pharaoh-paper
https://www.isdistribution.com/BookDetail.aspx?aId=143310
Scholarly articles and books
https://memphis.academia.edu/PeterBrand
Project recording inscriptions of Ramesses II and his time at Karnak Temple in Egypt
https://www.memphis.edu/hypostyle/
https://twitter.com/PeterBrandEgypt
Youtube talks about Tutankhamun & Pharaoh's gold
https://www.youtube.com/@arcetn9553
This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.
If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory
Contact information: http://facebook.com/fanofhistory
https://twitter.com/danhorning
https://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/
Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse. Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020
More episodes
View all episodes
228. 500s BC part 11: When Coins Took Over the World
37:09|How did little metal disks became power, propaganda, and paychecks?Could you buy a round of drinks with a coin in 500BC?Well that depends! Some places maybe yes and some places maybe a goat would be better. In this episode, Bernie talks with Leo from Classical Numismatics about the early days of coinage—how it started in Lydia around 650 BC, spread to the Greek world, and why these early coins weren’t just money—they were power, propaganda, and prestige.Please rate us (highly) on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyLeo's Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@ClassicalNumismaticsGreat Playlists - I recommend starting with ANCIENT GREEK COINShttps://www.youtube.com/@ClassicalNumismatics/playlistshttps://www.kinzercoins.com/HELP SUPPORT OUR SHOW!https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryIf you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory or https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryTo easily share this episode with friends and family use this link https://pod.fo/e/35a649This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.Contact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020What´s New In History - A Slice of PIE
33:38|Before Greek, Latin, or Sanskrit, there was PIE: Proto-Indo-European. Bernie and Garry Stevens unpack the new book PROTO, focusing on the Anatolian branch—especially the Hittites—and what their strange, early divergence tells us about migrations, language, and identity in the ancient world. Come for the ancient words; stay for the PIE.Use this link to share with your friends, family, and social media! https://pod.fo/e/3556deThis is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020227. 506 BC - The Clash at Boju: Sun Tzu’s Moment
41:54|It’s 506 BCE. The armies of Wu and Chu have finally met at Boju after years of rising tension, personal vendettas, and political ambition. In this episode, we break down the strategies, leadership, and terrain behind one of the most dramatic military clashes of the Spring and Autumn period. With Sun Tzu in the field and kings on the line, the fate of states hangs in the balance. chewWill Chu finally find a friend or is Wu too much for Chu?Find out in this dramatic episode!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.Use this link to share with your friends, family, and social media! https://pod.fo/e/351125If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020226. 506 BC The Battle of Boju (500s BC part 9)
38:00|It started with exiles, legendary assassinations, and a dream of revenge. This is the opening act of the Wu–Chu War, where the state of Wu punched far above its weight — and the state of Chu didn’t see it coming.When Chu underestimated its ambitious neighbor, all hell broke loose. In Part 1, we cover the rise of Wu, the backstory of King Helü and the legendary strategist Sun Tzu - author of "The Ancient Art of War" - and how one of the great underdog campaigns in ancient Chinese history began.Thank you to all the long time fans and Supporters of this podcast! We REALLY APPRECIATE you!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.Use this link to share with your friends, family, and social media! https://pod.fo/e/346ca3If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020225. 508 BC Greek Democracy part 4 (530s BC part 8)
38:40|In this "final" episode of our examination of ancient Greek democracy we compare it with the early Roman Republic which began "coincidentally" at the same time.This won't be the last time we refer to the structures of these political systems over the next few centuries so this episode is required listening for all Fan of History fans! (And well worth it)Thank you to all the long time fans and Supporters of this podcast! We REALLY APPRECIATE you!This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.Use this link to share with your friends, family, and social media! https://pod.fo/e/33dc13If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020What´s New In History: Sloths, Mastodons, and Armadillos the Size of Cars
19:01|New science is rewriting the story of Ice Age South America. Humans didn’t just live alongside the giants — they hunted them. Join me as we explore the lives, deaths, and legacies of the GIANT BEASTS that vanished 11,600 years ago.Please help support the show!https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryLinks to articles:https://phys.org/news/2025-10-early-humans-dined-giant-sloths.html?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx2615Mylodon - Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MylodonMegatherium - Wikipedia https://share.google/TUGQzoT3OYKGaatW7If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory or https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryThis is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.Use this link to share with friends, family, and social media!https://pod.fo/e/33983aContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020224. 508 BC Greek Democracy part 3 (500s BC part 7)
20:20|In this episode we talk about men that made up the fleet and army, how the courts worked (you would definitely get jury duty in this system!), and how you could be "dishonored" and thus lose your "civic honor".And you can you believe they wouldn't allow CRIMINALS to serve or lead in government?? This is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryCustom Printed Shirts in 3 days! Go to graveyardprinting.com and enter coupon code FANOFHISTORY2025 for 11% offContact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020What´s New In History: A Hydraulic Hoax?
20:09|We got a letter from a listener—an actual hydraulic engineer—calling SHENANIGANS! on the big clams of building the pyramids with water power as we explored in a recent episode. So we brought Garry back to dig in. Were the ancients really hoisting massive stones with water or is this all just a scholar's "pipe dream"? he he Join us as we test the waters of ancient engineering one more time.Original Article:https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/07/archaeologists-uncover-evidence-of-high-tech-machines-used-by-ancient-egyptians-to-build-the-pyramids-thousands-of-years-ahead-of-their-time/Link to studyhttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0306690Ancient Roman Sewer:Systemhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloaca_MaximaPlease rate us (highly) on Apple Podcasts and SpotifyBloopers:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XYO8CrbN3VbOM7PRhNrpWedZ2fyTLkTs/view?usp=sharingHELP SUPPORT OUR SHOW!https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryIf you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistory or https://buymeacoffee.com/whatsnewinhistoryThis is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.Contact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020223. 508 BC The Boule – 500 Random Guys and the Birth of Bureaucracy (500s BCs part 6)
45:59|Democracy wasn’t just showing up and voting in Athens—it needed infrastructure, and that’s where the Boule came in. This episode explores how 500 citizens, chosen at random, met daily to steer the Athenian state, draft proposals, and make democracy happen in real time. Sound impossible? It wasn’t. And it’s probably more sophisticated than you think.If you like what we do you can support the Fan of History project on https://www.patreon.com/fanofhistoryThis is a podcast by Dan Hörning and Bernie Maopolski.Contact information:E-mail: zimwaupodcast@gmail.comhttp://facebook.com/fanofhistoryhttps://twitter.com/danhorninghttps://www.instagram.com/dan_horning/Music: “Tudor Theme” by urmymuse.Used here under a commercial Creative Commons license. Find out more at http://ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/40020