history
'The Donald Trump of ancient Egypt': Ramses II’s ego is on full display in new exhibition
A collection of 3,000-year-old artefacts at Battersea power station gives Egypt’s most ambitious, self-aggrandising pharaoh a chance to emerge from Tutankhamun’s shadow
TL;DR
- Ramses II, Egypt's ambitious pharaoh, is the subject of a new exhibition in London.
- He ruled for 66 years, fathered over 100 children, and engaged in significant military and building projects.
- Ramses II is compared to Donald Trump for his self-aggrandizing tendencies, exemplified by the statues at Abu Simbel.
- His artistic style deliberately departed from realism to enhance his image and power, influenced by the need to re-establish traditional Egyptian values after Akhenaten's rule.
- His reign involved international conflicts, including the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites, and he negotiated a peace treaty.
- References in the Book of Exodus suggest he was the pharaoh who held the Israelites captive.
- The colossus of Ramses II in the British Museum inspired Shelley's poem 'Ozymandias,' a commentary on the ephemeral nature of power and ambition.
- The exhibition aims to highlight Ramses II's historical significance, contrasting with the greater popular fame of Tutankhamun due to his intact tomb.