1303 – 1292 BCE: Sety I (19th Dynasty, Part 3)

Guardian of Abydos.Dorothy Eady, Bulbul Abd el-Meguid, Omm Sety… A woman of three names, multiple lives, and a lifelong devotion to Egyptology. From the 1950s to 1981, Omm Sety was…

Sety at Abydos (Part 4).Finishing our tour of Sety’s Great Temple at Abydos, we explore a few more sanctuaries and facilities. Then, we discuss the monument overall. Sety invested huge…

Sety at Abydos (Part 3).The Osireion is an intriguing monument, one that attracts a huge amount of debate, discussion, and speculation. Its discovery was unexpected, its excavation was an enormous…

Sety at Abydos (Part 2).Having toured the first part of Sety’s Temple at Abydos, we continue our exploration. Today, we discuss one of the monument’s most famous features: a King…

Part 1.In the ancient city and necropolis of Abydos (Egyptian Abdju), pharaoh Sety I commissioned a magnificent temple. Today, this monument is one of the finest in the country, a…

Ramesses II: Prince of Egypt.When Sety I took power, his eldest son was probably 10—15 years old. Prince Ra-messes (“Born of Ra”) enjoyed a privileged upbringing. And by the time…

Sety I (Part 6b).Standards and Practices. The early 19th Dynasty army was a well-organised machine, with distinct units (the zA ‘company’) and officers (e.g., chai sereet, ‘Standard Bearers’). Papyrus archives…

Sety I (Part 6).Mesha, Menfat, Pedjet, Pecherer. By 1300 BCE, Egyptians had developed a sophisticated, well-organised military system. Distinct branches and types of troops (infantry, archers, auxiliaries, and more) marched…

Sety I (Part 5).Empires clash. Around 1300 BCE (approximately), Sety I records a battle against the Hittites. In the course of his northern wars, perhaps following the reconquest of Kadesh…

Amurru (Part 4).Reconquista. The land of Amurru, and its leaders, have been a noteworthy part of the story in recent decades. Since the reigns of Amunhotep III and Akhenaten, the…