Contents
Ramesses III
Fighting the Sea Peoples and building the mortuary temple at Medinet Habu.
Medinet Habu · Delta battle reliefs
- Born
- Unknown
- Birthplace
- Egypt
- Died
- Unknown
More people
Ramesses III
Ramesses III ruled during the upheavals of the Late Bronze Age. His monuments celebrate military victories, while records from his reign reveal shortages, striking workers and a palace assassination plot.
Early life
Royal parents
Son of Setnakhte and Tiy-Merenese.
New dynasty
His father established Egypt’s Twentieth Dynasty after a period of political disorder.
Career
- 12th century BCE
Accession
Succeeded Setnakhte as the second king of the Twentieth Dynasty.
- Reign year 8
Sea Peoples campaigns
Fought invading groups on land and in the Nile Delta.
- Reign year 29
Labour crisis
Royal tomb workers stopped work when food rations were delayed.
- Reign year 32
Assassination
Was killed in a palace conspiracy; Ramesses IV succeeded him.
Monuments & record
Medinet Habu
A fortified mortuary temple with extensive reliefs and inscriptions.
Delta battle reliefs
Royal accounts depict naval fighting against the Sea Peoples.
Karnak additions
Built a temple and other additions at the religious complex.
Beyond rule
Family conflict
A conspiracy associated with Queen Tiye sought to place her son on the throne.
Mummy examination
Modern CT scans found a severe throat wound consistent with his assassination.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗BMJ — examination of Ramesses III ↗Photo: Ancient Egyptian relief depicting Ramesses III; Asavaa. CC BY-SA 3.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
