Ramesses II in hieroglyphs

third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty

Prenomen: Usermaatra setepenra

Also known as: Rameses II·Ramses II

Accession1279 BC

End of reign1213 BC

Duration66 years

Highest attested yearYear 67

Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great, reigned as Pharaoh of Egypt for 66 years, 2 months and 9 days, and chances are that you have seen the cartouche bearing his name. His long reign allowed him to become the most prolific builder of the kingdom – his name can be found almost everywhere a temple was built in Egypt, and the number of variants of his names is unparalleled.

A skilled military leader, he commissioned massive depictions of scenes from the Battle of Kadesh on impressive monuments erected throughout Egypt, including the massive temples at Abu Simbel, Ramesseum and Luxor.

Despite this, his name was not associated with these places until the decipherment of the hieroglyphs in the early 1820s, and was barely mentioned by the Greek historians of antiquity. Diodorus describes a huge temple at Thebes built by the King of Kings, Osymandyas, which is a Greek approximation of Usermaatra, the throne name of Ramesses II.

Titulary & Hieroglyphs

Ka nakht mery Ra

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-rꜤ

"The strong bull, beloved of Ra"

Place de la Concorde obelisk North right column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:H3

Ka nakht mery Ra

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-rꜤ

"The strong bull, beloved of Ra"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, West right column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht mery Ra

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-rꜤ

"The strong bull, beloved of Ra"

Luxor obelisk, West left column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII b

kA-nxt-mrj-ra ptpt-xAswt-nb(w)t xr-Tbwt.f

Ka nakht mery Ra petpet khasut nebut kher tjebutef

kꜢ-nḫt-mrꞽ-rꜤ ptpt-ḫꜢswt-nb(w)t ḫr-ṯbwt.f

"Strong bull, beloved of Ra, who has trampled all the foreign countries under his sandals"

Rhetorical stela (Tanis V, face C)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II 294:10
Petrie, Tanis, II, pl. III (81)

Ka nakht mery Maat

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull, beloved of Maat"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, North center column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht mery Maat

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull, beloved of Maat"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, West left column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht mery Maat

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull, beloved of Maat"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, South right column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht mery Maat

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull, beloved of Maat"

Mariette, Abydos, II, pl. 20a (1)

kA-nxt mrj-mAat nb-HAbw-sd-mj-jt.f-ptH-tATnn

Ka nakht mery Maat neb habu sed mi itef Ptah Tatenen

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-mꜢꜤt nb-ḥꜢbw-sd-mꞽ-ꞽt.f-ptḥ-tꜢṯnn

"The strong bull, beloved of Maat, possessor of Sed festivals like his father Ptah-Tatenen"

Blessing of Ptah, Karnak Pylon IX (west)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 259:2-4

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:H2

Ka nakht sa Amun

kꜢ-nḫt ꞽmn-zꜢ

"The strong bull, son of Amun"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, South left column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht sa Amun

kꜢ-nḫt ꞽmn-zꜢ

"The strong bull, son of Amun"

Luxor obelisk, North right column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII b

Ka nakht sa Atum

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ttm

"The strong bull, son of Atum"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 501:4

Ka nakht sa Atum

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ꞽtm

"The strong bull, son of Atum"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VII (44)

Ka nakht sa Atum

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ꞽtm

"The strong bull, son of Atum"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 424:3 (1)
PaM IV, 20 (163)
Petrie, Tanis, I, plate XI (60)

Ka nakht sa Tatenen

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ṯꜢ-tnn

"The strong bull, son of Tatenen"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 501:8

Ka nakht sa Ptah

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ptḥ

"The strong bull, son of Ptah"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VII (46)

Ka nakht sa Ptah

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ptḥ

"The strong bull, son of Ptah"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VI (43 B)

Ka nakht sa Ptah

kꜢ-nḫt zꜢ-ptḥ

"The strong bull, son of Ptah"

Petrie, Tanis, I, pl. IX (52), pl. VI (43 B)

Ka nakht user pehty

kꜢ-nḫt wsr-pḥty

"The strong bull, strong of might"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, North left column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht user pehty

kꜢ-nḫt wsr-pḥtꞽ

"The strong bull, strong of might"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VIII (50)

Ka nakht wer pehty

kꜢ-nḫt wr-pḥty

"The strong bull, great of might"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, West center column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht wer pehty

kꜢ-nḫt wr-pḥtꞽ

"The strong bull, great of might"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 424/3 (2)
PaM, IV, 20 (163)
Petrie, Tanis, I, plate XI (60)

Ka nakht mery user maat Ra

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 405 (152A)
Petrie Hyksos and Israelite cities, plates XXIX-XXX

Ka nakht mery user maat Ra

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ

Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 152g

Ka nakht mery Ptah

kꜢ-nḫt mrꞽ-ptḥ

"The strong bull, beloved of Ptah"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VII (45)

Ka nakht mek Kemet

kꜢ-nḫt mk-kmt

"The strong bull, protector of Egypt"

Mariette, Abydos, II, plate 20a (2)

Ka en sekhem Ra

kꜢ-n-sḫm-rꜤ

"The powerful bull of Ra"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VII (47)

Ka nakht wer habu sed mery tawy

kꜢ-nḫt wr-ḥꜢbw-sd mrꞽ-tꜢwꞽ

"The Strong bull, great of Sed festivals and beloved of the Two Lands"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, East right column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht wer hebu sed

kꜢ-nḫt wr-ḥb-sd-3

"The Strong bull, great of Sed festivals"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 501:3

Wer habu sed mi Tatenen

wr-ḥꜢbw(-sd)-mꞽ-tꜢtnn

"Great of Sed festivals like Tatenen"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions III, 111 (65)
University Museum of Philadelphia E 13566

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:H26

Ka nakht aha her khepeshef

kꜢ-nḫt wr-nḫtw ꜤḥꜢ-ḥr-ḫpš.f

"The strong bull, who has fought with his strong arm"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, East left column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht aha her khepeshef

kꜢ-nḫt ꜤḥꜢ-ḥr-ḫpš.f

"The strong bull, who has fought with his strong arm"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, South center column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht tjes tawy

kꜢ-nḫt ṯz-tꜢwꞽ

"The strong bull, who has governed the Two Lands"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 420:9

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:H20

Ka nakht sedj setjetu

kꜢ-nḫt sḏ-sṯtꞽw

"The strong bull, who shattered the Asiatics"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 605:15

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:H24

Ka nakht kheper netjer

kꜢ-nḫt ḫpr-r-nṯr

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VIII (50)

Ka nakht kheper sa netjer

kꜢ-nḫt ḫpr-sꜢ-nṯr

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 424:5 (1)
PaM, IV, 20 (163)

Ka nakht user Maat

kꜢ-nḫt wsr-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull, strong of Maat"

Mariette, Abydos, II, plate 20 g

Ka nakht user khepesh

kꜢ-nḫt wsr-ḫpš

"The strong bull, strong with sword"

Mariette, Abydos, II, plate 20 d (3)

Ka nakht user renput

kꜢ-nḫt wsr-rnpwt

"The strong bull, rich in years"

Mariette, Abydos, II, plate 20 b (2)

Ka nakht user renput Hefenu

kꜢ-nḫt wsr-rnpt ḥfnw

"The strong bull rich in immesureable years"

Mariette, Abydos, II, plate 19 d

Ka nakht aa remu

kꜢ-nḫt ꜤꜢꜤ-rm-3

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 501:7

Ka nakht hui ta neb

kꜢ-nḫt ḥwꞽ-tꜢ-nb

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 424:6 (2)
PaM, IV, 20 (163)

Ka nakht aa shefyt

kꜢ-nḫt ꜤꜢ-šfꞽt

"The strong bull, great of majesty"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 424/5 (2)
PaM, IV, 20 (163)

Ka nakht hai her Maat

kꜢ-nḫt hꜤꞽ-ḥr-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull, who rejoiced Maat"

Headless statue of Ramesses II (Cairo museum JE 36652, CG 42140)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 586:9

Ka nakht wetjes Maat

kꜢ-nḫt wṯz-mꜢꜤt

"The strong bull, who has upheld Maat"

Mariette, Abydos, II, plate 20 c (3)

Ka nakht em Ra sedjes tjetaw

kꜢ-nḫt m-rꜤ sḏ-sṯtꞽw

Place de la Concorde obelisk, East center column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII a

Ka nakht sekhem pehty

kꜢ-nḫt sḫm-pḥtꞽ-nḫt

"The strong bull, powerful of might"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 409:9

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:H9

Ka nakht men ib sekhem pehty

kꜢ-nḫt mn-ꞽb sḫm-pḥtꞽ

"The strong bull, decisive and mighty"

Luxor obelisk, West center column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII b

Ka nakht qa hedjet

kꜢ-nḫt ḳꜢꞽ-ḥḏt

"The strong bull, whose White Crown is high"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 424:6 (1)
PaM, IV, 20 (163)

Ka nakht seqa Waset

kꜢ-nḫt sḳꜢꞽ-wꜢst

"The strong bull, who has elevated Thebes"

Luxor obelisk, North center column
Rosellini, I Monumenti dell' Egitto e della Nubia, IV-1, plate CXVII b

Ka nakht seped abwy

kꜢ-nḫt spd-Ꜥbwꞽ

"The sharp-horned strong bull"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VII (45)

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:H17

Ka en heqau mery Amun

kꜢ-n-ḥḳꜢw mrꞽ-ꞽmn

"The strong bull of the rulers, beloved of Amun"

Petrie, Tanis, I, plate VIII (48)

Ka nakht waf khasut

kꜤ-nḫt wꜢf-ḫꜢswt

"Strong bull, who has subdued the foreign lands"

Abu Simbel blessing of Ptah stela
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 259:11

Mek Kemet waf khasut

mk-kmt wꜤf-ḫꜢswt

"Protector of Egypt who curbs foreign lands"

PASSIM

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:N1

Mek Kemet waf khasut Ra mes netjer gereg tawy

mk-kmt wꜤf-ḫꜢswt rꜤ-msꞽ-nṯrw grg-tꜢwꞽ

"Protector of Egypt, who has subdued foreign lands, Ra whom the gods have borne, the founder of the Two Lands"

PASSIM

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:N2

Mek Kemet, waf khasut

mk kmt wꜤf ḫꜢswt

"Protector of Egypt, who has subdued foreign lands"

Luxor obelisk, South face marginal
KRI II, 600:10

Shesep netjeren Khepri

šzp-nṯrꞽ-n-ḫprꞽ

"The divine image of Khepri"

Headless statue of Ramesses II (Cairo museum JE 36652, CG 42140)

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:N3

Wer shefit mek Kemet

wr-šfꞽy.t mk-kmt

"Great of majesty, the Protector of Egypt"

Luxor Obelisk (west face)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 599:5

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:N4

Hai her Maat mi Akhty

ḥꜤꞽ-ḥr-mꜢꜤt-mꞽ-Ꜣḫtꞽ

"Who has rejoiced in Maat like Horakhty"

Luxor Obelisk (south face)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 599:8

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:N6

smnx mnw m ipt-rsy(t) n it.f imn di sw Hr nst.f

Semenekh menu em Ipet-resyt en itef imen di su her nesetef

smnḫ mnw m ꞽpt-rsy(t) n ꞽt.f ꞽmn dꞽ sw ḥr nst.f

"Who has made monuments splendid in <abbr title="i.e. Luxor Temple">Ipet-Resyt</abbr> for his father Amun who put him on the throne"

Luxor pylon
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 605:11

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:N5

Aha en hehu, mai sekhem-ib

ꜤḥꜢ n ḥḥw mꜢꞽ sḫm-ꞽb

"Who has fought for millions, a stout-hearted lion"

Luxor obelisk, East face, center
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 602:15

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:N7

Aha her khepeshef, mek meshauef

ꜤḥꜢ ḥr ḫpš.f mk mšꜤw.f

"Who has fought with his strong arm, the protector of his armies"

Luxor pylon, east wing, north facade
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 605:15

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:N8

Sekher pehu su in pehwy ta

sḫr pḥw sw ꞽn pḥwy tꜢ

"Who has felled those who attacked him and who has captured the ends of the earth"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, South face, center
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 603:2

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:N9

User renput aa nehktu

wsr-rnpwt ꜤꜢ-nḫtw

"Rich in years, great in victories"

PASSIM

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:G1a

User renput aa nakhtu

wsr-rnpwt ꜤꜢ-nḫtw

"Rich in years, great in victories"

Mariette, Abydos, II, plate 5 below

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:G1b

User renput aa nakhtu

wsr-rnpwt ꜤꜢ-nḫtw

"Rich in years, great in victories"

Luxor pylon IV East wing, South face
KRI II 352:11

wsr-rnpwt aA-nsyt mi itmw ity ms nTrw sxpr tAwy

User renput, aa nesyt mi itemu, ity, mes netjeru, sekheper tawy

wsr-rnpwt ꜤꜢ-nsyt mꞽ ꞽtmw ꞽty ms nṯrw sḫpr tꜢwy

"Rich in years and great of kingship like Atum, the sovereign whom the gods fashioned, the one who has fostered the Two Lands"

Karnak Temple of Amun, girdle wall
KRI II 583:4

User khepesh mery tawy

wsr-ḫpš mrꞽ-tꜢwꞽ

"Strong of might, beloved of the Two Lands"

Luxor obelisk, south face
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 599:8

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:G3

User khepesh, mery tawy

wsr-ḫpš mry tꜢwy

"Strong of might, beloved of the Two Lands"

Luxor pylon IV East wing, South face (upper)
KRI 352:13

User khepesh

wsr-ḫpš

"Strong of might"

Derr temple, Nubia
KRI II, 740:6

Aa khepesh mery tawy

ꜤꜢ-ḫpš mrꞽ-tꜢwꞽ

"Great of effectiveness, beloved of the Two Lands"

Headless statue of Ramesses II (Cairo museum JE 36652, CG 42140)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 586:10

Beckerath, Handbuch: 152-153, 3:G2

Wekha mi imy Waset

wḫꜢ mꞽ-ꞽmꞽ-wꜢst

"A pillar, like the one who is in Thebes"

Luxor obelisk north center column
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 599:3

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:G4

Hehy akhut en mes su

ḥḥ-Ꜣḫwt-n-msꞽ-sw

"Who seeks benefits for the one who bore him"

Luxor pylon, west wing
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 605:12

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:G5

Sekhem khepesh der pedjut 9

sḫm-ḫpš dr-pḏt-9

"The powerful of arm, who has repelled the Nine Bows"

Luxor pylon, west wing
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 605:15-16

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:G6

Wer nakhtu her khaset nebet

wr-nḫtw-ḥr-ḫꜢst-nbt

"Great of victories in every foreign country"

Place de la Concorde obelisk, east center column
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 602:16

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:G7

Wer fawet sekhem pehty

wr-fꜢwt sḫm-pḥtꞽ

"Great of splendor and powerful of strength"

Luxor obelisk, east center column
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 603:2-3

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:G8

Waf khasut der beshtu

wꜢf-ḫꜢswt dr-bšṯw

"Who has subdued foreign countries and repelled the rebellious ones"

Luxor obelisk west center column
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 599:5-6

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:G9

Waf beshtu

wꜤf-bštw

"Who has subdued the rebellious ones"

Derr temple, Nubia
KRI II 740:2

User Maat Ra, setep en Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp.n-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful, chosen of Ra"

PASSIM

Saqqara King List 1·Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T9

User Maat Ra, setep en Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp-n-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful, chosen of Ra"

Abu Simbel

Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 159.185ff

User Maat Ra, setep en Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp-n-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful, chosen of Ra"

ASAE, 9, 75

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T10

User Maat Ra, setep en Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ stp-n-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful, chosen of Ra"

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T15·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 190

User Maat Ra, tit Ra

esr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ tꞽt-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful, the (very) image of Ra"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions I, 82:15

Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 175d

User Maat Ra, tit Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ tꞽt-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful, the (very) image of Ra"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions I, 85:2

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T5·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 175a

User Maat Ra, neb khepesh

"The justice of Ra is powerful, posessor of a strong arm/sword"

CG 42143

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T12

User Maat Ra, neb khepesh

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ nb-ḫpš

"The justice of Ra is powerful, posessor of a strong arm/sword"

CG 42142

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T13

User Maat Ra, heqa Waset

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ ḥḳꜢ-wꜢst

"The justice of Ra is powerful, ruler of Thebes"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions I, 89:14

Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 175a

User Maat Ra, iwa Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ ꞽwꜢ-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful, the heir of Ra"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions I, 90:10

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T7·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 175a

User Maat Ra, mery Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ mrꞽ-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful, beloved of Ra"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions I, 91:1

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T8·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 175a

User Maat Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful"

PaM, VII, 26
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 717 (F)

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T1·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 177

User Maat Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful"

PaM, VII, 16
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions II, 717 (E)

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T2·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 177a+e (top)

User Maat Ra

wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ

"The justice of Ra is powerful"

Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions I, 82 (B)

Beckerath, Handbuch: 154-155, 3:T4·Lepsius, Denkmäler III, 175d