Rameses II Bringer of war

[nevermore]

Rameses II Bringer of war

Fantasic game at the Victorian Outpost, lots of Ancients on display all 28mm, we decided to use a marsh and see what would happen between the Egyptian and Hittites, the marsh in the center became a massive pain in the backside for both sets of players, chariots on the left and right flanks charged each other supported by infantry.

Game was very even and went down to the last roll of the evening, Egyptian winning this one by the skin of the teeth.


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Rameses II is the son of Seti I who became an Egyptian Pharaoh in his 30th year of age. He ruled Egypt for about 67 years. He was believed to be the greatest and the most renowned pharaoh of Egypt. As the 3rd Egyptian pharaoh of the new kingdom, he ruled Egypt from 1279 BC to 1213 BC .


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Being the leader of a nation brings with it a responsibility to keep his land free from the danger of invasion.  It is an obligation of a Pharaoh to make use of his power to maintain the peace of his land during his supremacy.


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Rameses II most famous fight of conquest was the one with the Hittites of Kadesh. During his fifth year of being a Pharaoh, Rameses II battled in Syria against the Hittites and its alliance. The war continued for twenty years after the series of battles with the Hittites.


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In his second battle, Rameses II experienced difficulties during his attack on Athe, a city of Kadesha where he almost fell during the battle through deceit. It happened when he grouped his soldiers into four groups namely:


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Amun, Ra, Ptah and Setekh. Rameses II led the Amun division outside the city with the Ra division about a mile and a half behind. The Hittites however, hid waiting to ambush the Pharaoh's army. They first attacked the Ra division so that the Pharaoh wouldn't have it as reinforcement. Fortunately, the group managed to escape. The Hittites then attacked the Amun group and surrounded the Pharaoh. However, Ramses II managed to fight back in the combat and was able to pave the way out for him and his men after killing quite a large number of Hittites. 


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After that, the Pharaoh and his men camped to regroup the army. They then went into battle again for four hours until all of them were drained of energy.  Rameses II decided to pull his army out from the battle.


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It was a draw battle. After several years, Rameses II reached an agreement with the prince of the Hittites. It was settled that Egypt and the Hittites were not to invade or attack each other's land. They also formed an alliance to defend one another against common enemies and in subduing revolts in Syria. 13 years after the truce, Rameses II married the daughter of Manefrure's, the prince of Hittite, a daughter named Hattusilis.


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The Victorian Outpost is a new building created at the beginning of 2016, we can cater for almost any period and we now have the support of "Adrians Walls" and "Hovels Buildings" who have come on board.

Victorian Outpost has quickly become the number one wargaming place in town with its friendly welcome and fun place to visit, please pm myself to arrange a set time and date.


More photos on the website at http://www.victorian-steel.com/
Thanks Malc

[Emeraldlis]

That was a really enjoyable read , i like the picture you've selected of the battle of Kadesh, it's very atmospheric .I always like checking out your miniatures and all their shananigans! As usual your models look excellent , and it's not that hard to envisage these two sides engaging in battle ....clashing tooth and nail , and trying to win more glory for their respective gods , or in pharaoh's case , himself , as he viewed himself as a god on earth anyway !!! I'm a big fan of Egyptian history and culture , and seeing as Egypt at that time was the superpower of the world , I doubt pharaoh would have ever even considered that he could be defeated  :o He would probably have a major hissy fit if he could see his empire now !!! ;D  but it was great seeing you bring him back to life in your re-enactment   O0  thanks for the entertaining read  :)

[nevermore]

You are more than welcome Emeraldlis and thanks for the feedback O0

[bayonetbrant]

so there was a giant battle in a multi-year war just so Ramses could get a date?!

[nevermore]

so there was a giant battle in a multi-year war just so Ramses could get a date?!

Men will do anything for a date, even more so if you were a funny shape like a pharaoh (half man half god) guess thats keeping it in the family that gives you large hips and having epileptic fits, they did that generation after generation,they reckon the stone statues and wall paintings are the true shape of a pharoah.

[Emeraldlis]

Don't think that was the best way to get the inlaws onside ....... ;D And can you imagine the arguments , " what!?!? ........you won't do the dishes ?????......200 horse drawn chariots say you WILL !!!! " Lol

I saw an exhibition a few years ago in Dublin at the RDS , it was all replica exhibits of Tutankhamen and his funerary rites . And, WOW , it was amazing ! It was set up as though you were entering the tomb of his in Egypt  , they designed it so that you felt just as Carter must have felt as he first shone the candle through the seal of the tomb , and saw for the very first time all the treasures of the pharaoh that hadn't seen the light of day in thousands of years  :o  There was a solid gold coffin , made in gold to represent the splendour of the pharaohs body as he became a god at death . They had the replica of his mask , the workmanship was just incredible ! But what I found very touching was his throne , just a wooden seat really , but then I expect wood may have been an expensive commodity along the Nile , not many trees there I imagine . I know that wood from Lebanon was imported , the cedars  their were very much prized . But on the throne were carved images of himself and his wife .....his half sister ......ahem , keeping it in the family as you said nevermore , hahahahaha , but it was just a very touching scene of domestic bliss , it was quite moving .

[nevermore]

Hers a question, the throne was created from cedars from the Lebanon, am i right in saying that at one stage the Northern section of Africa was pretty green and full of life along the banks of the Nile and this is one of the reasons the Egyptian flourish throughout that time in history.

It did make me think about the throne being created from cedars - we see movies and presume Egyptian back then was sand and desert, when apparently it was not the case, they seem to think it was back then climate change was the downfall of the Egyptian, just thinking how would they know if the cedar was imported ? it could of been in the lands of the Pharoah and its people.

As for the details and the workmanship you saw, now that i would of loved to have seen, i visit the Manchester Museum as when i can as they have mummified bodies and alot of other artifacts, and its like you said its touching and moving because its has that WOW ! affect being only feet or inches before your very eyes.

Egyptian race is incredible and very advance for its time and there is things we don't even understand now how on earth they did it.

[Barthheart]

Lebanon, in the time of the Pharaoh, was home to some of the best forests for making ships and other wooden structures. Centuries of cutting and wars denuded the country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cedars_of_God

[nevermore]

Thanks for that Barthheart, that put my question to bed. O0

[Barthheart]

Your welcome. It's pretty fascinating that even in ancient times they could get so carried away with a resource as to totally destroy it. I mean, to cut down ALL the trees in Lebanon that there are hard any there at all now. This also why the Lebanese flag has a giant cedar in the middle of it.

[nevermore]

Another thing i never knew Baethheart, you are pretty good at this.  O0