Ramses the Greats Libyans: Migrants, Mercenaries, and the War for the Delta

Lucas and Luna explore Ramses the Great's long-running campaign against the Libyans, a threat that haunted Egypt's western border for decades. In this episode, they uncover who the Tjehenu and Tjemehu peoples really were — not a single nation, but a shifting coalition of tribes driven by drought and ambition. Lucas explains how Ramses turned the delta into a military zone, building a chain of forts and watchtowers that stretched from the Mediterranean to the Fayum. They discuss the Great Libyan War, a massive invasion that nearly broke through in Ramses's later years, and how the pharaoh's response — deportations, resettlement, and the creation of a Libyan mercenary corps — changed Egypt forever. Along the way, they touch on the archaeological evidence: the vivid battle reliefs at Medinet Habu, the inscribed 'year 11' stelae, and the surprising role of the Sherden sea peoples as Egyptian allies against the Libyans. This episode offers a fresh look at a frontier war that shaped the fate of the New Kingdom and foreshadowed the 'Sea Peoples' invasions yet to come. #RamsesII #LibyanWar #Tjehenu #Tjemehu #MedinetHabu #AncientEgypt #NorthAfrica #NewKingdom #Merenptah #Sherden #DeltaFortresses #LibyanTribes #BattleReliefs #Pharaoh #Warfare #History #FexingoHistory #AncientWarfare Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo