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NARRATOR: On the border with Ancient Nubia,
Ramses built another massive monument, the mountain
temple of Abu Simbel.
Colleen has come here searching for clues about how
Ramses's military skill contributed
to the success of his empire.
This is, like, the greatest hits of Ramses's victories.
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NARRATOR: Ramses consolidated his empire in the south
and pushed north to confront his powerful enemies, the Hittites.
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In temples all over Egypt, he recorded
his victory against the Hittites,
or so he wanted us to think.
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NARRATOR: Around 1300 BC, the Egyptians
fought their arch rivals, the Hittites,
at the fortress city of Kadesh in possibly the largest
chariot battle in history.
The light Egyptian chariots had the edge over the heavy Hittite
war machines.
Ramses recorded the victory as a massacre.
But in reality, it was more of a draw.
The two kings agreed a truce, resulting in the world's
first recorded peace treaty.
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It enabled the Egyptians to spend all of their resources
on peacetime pursuits, building massive constructions
like this, and usher in a golden age for Egypt.
NARRATOR: Instead of waging costly military campaigns,
Ramses built his success through a mastery of diplomacy.
But to win the hearts of his citizens,
he still needed to depict himself as a mighty warrior.
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He's on his chariot alone, with the reins
tied behind his back so that he's free to shoot his bow.
We know that this is a little bit of propaganda
because even the hieroglyphic tax says
that his shield-bearer Mena was riding in the chariot with him.
NARRATOR: Ramses was a master of ancient public relations,
happy to bend the truth to promote an image which
would appeal to his people.
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In the temple's inner sanctum, Colleen
discovers another secret of Ramses's success.
Here, by placing his statue between the greatest gods
of Egypt, Ramses used a clever trick of the light
to engineer his own divinity.
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Twice a year, the sun rays reach all the way
through the temple, illuminating these figures in the sanctuary.
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NARRATOR: Colleen believes Ramses used
this solar alignment to convey a powerful message,
that he was the living embodiment of the Sun God.
Truly, here at Abu Simbel, Ramses II is not just a king,
he is a god.
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