Ramesses II Inscription, 1279-1212 BCE

A hieroglyphic inscription mentioning Pharaoh Ramesses II was found at Jaffa in the 1950’s. The inscription is part of the remains of a gateway which may have led to a pharaonic granary. Amarna Letter EA 294 mentions an Egyptian granary in Jaffa during the eighteenth dynasty.

Ramesses II (also called Ramesses the Great) is often identified as the pharaoh of the Exodus. He ruled for 67 years and was married to the famous queen Nefertiti. Ramesses II is famous for his many battles, especially in Asia Minor and against the Hittites.

In his fifth year, Ramessess II fought the famous Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites. Although the Egyptians were almost defeated, in the end neither side was able to claim victory. The details of the battle were recorded in two Egyptian sources, known as The Poem and The Bulletin. Eventually, Ramesses II signed a treaty with the Hittites and married their king’s daughter.

Ramesses II initiated an astonishing number of building projects, including many temples. He moved the capital to what had once been a small harbor town, renaming it Pi-Ramesse. The name Ramesses is mentioned in the Bible as a storehouse built by the Jewish slaves for Pharaoh-

So they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor; and they built garrison cities for Pharaoh- Pithom and Raamses. (Exodus 1-11)