WHO WAS RAMSES II?
The sun's rays illuminate statues (pictured) inside the Great Temple at Abu Simbel in Egypt twice a year
Ramses II lived from 1279 BC to 1213 BC.
The pharaoh was known to Egyptians as Userma'atre'setepenre, meaning 'keeper of Harmony and Balance, Strong in Right, Elect of Ra', according to the Ancient History Encyclopedia.
Ramses II was the 19th Dynasty's third pharaoh, who reportedly declared a decisive victory at The Battle of Kadesh over the Hittites.
Ramses II supposedly flaunted the result of this battle to elevate his reputation.
However, the battle ended in somewhat of a tie, and was not exactly a win for either party.
In fact, it resulted in the earliest known peace treaty, composed in 1258 BCE.
Ramses II is commonly linked to the pharaoh depicted in the book of Exodus in the Bible.
But there is no archaeological or historical evidence associating the two figures.
Ramses II fathered more than 100 children before his death in 1213 BC - more than any other pharaoh.
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