Ramses the Great's Divine Kingship and the Sed Festival

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Ramses the Great's use of the Sed festival (heb-sed) to reinforce his divine kingship and extend his 67-year reign. They discuss how Ramses built jubilee chapels at Per-Ramesses and elsewhere, performed ritual runs to demonstrate vitality, and co-opted the festival's ancient origins from earlier pharaohs like Djoser and Sneferu. The conversation touches on the symbolism of the dual throne, the role of the goddess Weret Hekau, and how Ramses used the Sed festival to legitimize his rule in the face of the Hittite threat and internal challenges. The episode also examines the archaeological evidence for these celebrations, including inscriptions at the Ramesseum and Abu Simbel. Finally, a brief sidebar connects the Sed festival's emphasis on renewal to listener support that keeps the show ad-free. #RamsesII #SedFestival #HebSed #AncientEgypt #Pharaoh #DivineKingship #PerRamesses #Ramesseum #AbuSimbel #NewKingdom #19thDynasty #Kemet #Djoser #Sneferu #WeretHekau #JubileeChapel #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo