An Ancient Spindoctor | National Geographic

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this is not the Egypt of Khufu’s day the
Pharaoh is no longer beyond criticism
and Rama ceases failure to take Kadesh
could dangerously undermine his position
ramasees hatches a face-saving plan will
suited to this more critical era he
reaches for another weapon one even more
effective than chariots and the bronze
swords propaganda this is a wonderful
opportunity for Ramses to broadcast
something to his audience that will make
him the king that he will someday become
ramasees Commission’s a series of stone
reliefs to commemorate the Battle of
Kadesh on temple walls the length and
breadth of the kingdom was a part of
these of the heavy spin put on to the
onto the whole Kadesh campaign clearly
is to make sure that his image remains
what he wants it to be that of the
all-powerful all-conquering Pharaoh well
when he sets up his record of the Battle
of Kadesh Ramses proves that he’s the
greatest spin-doctor of the ancient
world the carvings tell the story not of
an inconclusive truth but a clear-cut
victory
ramasees is portrayed as the hero of the
hour who separated from his troops
stands alone against the hit item bush
he claims he wept and good but he didn’t
he’s not going to show what really
happened he’s going to show what he
wants to have happened so the image that
he has depicted there is one that shows
him routing the hittites pretty much
single-handedly leading the way sending
them fleeing trampling them under his
horses and chariots and really creating
a sense of Egypt and Ramses himself as
the personification of Egypt is the
ultimate
it’s a political masterstroke
ramasees has rewritten history and set
his version of events in stone for all
time
but the young Kings lifelong talent for
self-promotion has only just begun
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