Pharaoh.SEPHARAOH.SE

Ramesses III

The second pharaoh of the Twentieth Dynasty
Prenomen: Usermaatra meryamun
Also known as: Rameses III · Ramses III
Accession 1186 BC
End of reign 1155 BC
Duration 31 years
Highest attested year Year 32
The 32 year reign of Ramesses III was marked by political, economic and military problems as foreign invaders flowed into the kingdom. He was murdered in the Harem conspiracy instigated by his second queen, Tiye, who wanted her son Pentawer to succeed Ramesses III instead of the designated prince. The plan failed, and is known to us thanks to the Judicial Papyrus of Turin.

He built the great temple of Medinet Habu clearly based on the mortuary temple of Ramesses II, the Ramesseum.

Titulary & Hieroglyphs

kA-nxt aA-nsyt
Ka nakht aa nesyt ★
kꜢ-nḫt ꜤꜢ-nsyt
"The great bull, great of kingship"
PASSIM
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H1
kA-nxt mAj-pHtj nxt-a nb-xpS XAq-sTtjw
A
Ka nakht mai pehty nakht a neb khepesh haq setetiu
kꜢ-nḫt mꜢꞽ-pḥtꞽ nḫt-Ꜥ nb-ḫpš ẖꜢḳ-sṯtꞽw
"The strong bull and powerful lion, strong-armed, the Lord of strength who has captured the Asiatics"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, I, plate 46 (1)
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H2
kA-nxt mnx-mnw sHtp-mb-r-Dr-m-nA(y).f-Axwt
B
Ka nakht menekh menu, sehotep neb-er-djer em nayef akhut
kꜢ-nḫt mnḫ-mnw sḥtp-mb-r-ḏr-m-nꜢ(y).f-Ꜣḫwt
"The strong bull, splendid of monuments, who has satisfied the Lord of All with his benefactions"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, VI, plate 391 (b)
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H3
kA-nxt swsx-kmt wsr-xpS nxt-a smA-THnw
C
Ka nakht sewesekh Kemet, user khepesh, nakht a sema tjehenu
kꜢ-nḫt swsḫ-kmt wsr-ḫpš nḫt-Ꜥ smꜢ-ṯḥnw
"The strong bull who has enlarged Egypt, the one powerful of sword and strong of arm who has slaughtered the Libyans"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, I, plate 27 (1)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions V, 20:14
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H4
kA-nxt-a dm-Hnwtj mn-jb wr-pHtj-Hr-bAwj-n-qn
D
Ka nakht-a dem henuty, men ib wer pehty her bawy en qenu
kꜢ-nḫt-Ꜥ dm-ḥnwtꞽ mn-ꞽb wr-pḥtꞽ-ḥr-bꜢwꞽ-n-ḳn
"The strong-armed bull who has sharpened (his) two horns, decisive and great of strength on the battlefield of bravery "
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, VI, plate 392 (c)
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H5
ka-pHtj sxm-hpS nxt-a nb-nrw-m-tAw-xAswt-fnxw-TmHw
E
Ka pehty, sekhem khepesh, nakht-a, neb neru em tau khasut Fenkhu Temehu
kꜤ-pḥtꞽ sḫm-hpš nḫt-Ꜥ nb-nrw-m-tꜢw-ḫꜢswt-fnḫw-ṯmḥw
"The powerful bull, potent of sword, strong-armed, lord of dread in the lowlands and the highlands of the Fenkhu-Asiatics and the Temehu-Libyans"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, II, plate 79 (1)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions V, 49:14
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H6
sxm-pHtj hd-Hfnw dx-nA-pHw-sw-dmD-(Xr)-Tbwj.f
F
Sekhem pehty, hed hefnu, dekh na pehu su, demedj (kher) tjebwyef
sḫm-pḥtꞽ hd-ḥfnw dḫ-nꜢ-pḥw-sw-dmḏ-(ẖr)-ṯbwꞽ.f
"Powerful of strength, who has attacked hundreds of thousands, overthrown those who have attacked him, and gathered (them) (under) his sandals"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, I, plate 33 (10)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions V, 30:14
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H7
aSA-mnw
G
Asha menu
ꜤšꜢ-mnw
"With many monuments"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, VI, plate 393 (g)
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H8
nb-HAbu-sd-mj-tATnn
H
Neb habu-sed mi Tatenen
nb-ḥꜢbu-sd-mꞽ-tꜢṯnn
"Possessor of Sed festivals like Tatenen"
Epigraphic Survey, The Excavation of Medinet Habu, III (OIP 54), plate 35 B
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H9
an-Hr-srx-mj-zA-Ast
I
An her serekh mi sa Aset
Ꜥn-ḥr-srḫ-mꞽ-zꜢ-Ꜣst
"Beautiful on the throne like the son of Isis"
Epigraphic Survey, The Excavation of Medinet Habu, III (OIP 54), plate 35 C
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H11
bjtj-wr-mnw wr-bjAwt mH-jptswt-hr-rn.f
J
Bity wer menu, wer biaut, meh Ipet-sut her renef
bꞽtꞽ-wr-mnw wr-bꞽꜢwt mḥ-ꞽptswt-hr-rn.f
"The reigning king, great of monuments and wonders, who has filled Karnak with his renown"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, III, plate 32 A
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:164-165, 2:H14
saA-xaw-mj-Axtj wbn.f-anx-rxyt
K
Saa khau mi akhty webenef, ankh Rekhyet
sꜤꜢ-ḫꜤw-mꞽ-Ꜣḫtꞽ wbn.f-Ꜥnḫ-rḫyt
"Who has magnified his appearances like the One of the Two Horizons when he rises, the life of the Rekhyet people"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, III, plate 32 A
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:H15
an-m-nsw-mj-jtm mrj.tw.f-Ab.tw.f-mj-Hm-n-ra
L
An en nesu mi Itemu, mer tuef abtuef mi hem en Ra
Ꜥn-m-nsw-mꞽ-ꞽtm mrꞽ.tw.f-Ꜣb.tw.f-mꞽ-ḥm-n-rꜤ
"Beautiful as king like Atum, he is loved and wished for like the majesty of Ra"
Epigraphic Survey, Reliefs and Inscriptions at Karnak, II, plate 122 (a)
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:H17
wr-Habw-sd-mj-tA-Tnn
Wer habu-sed mi Tatenen ★
wr-ḥꜤbw-sd-mꞽ-tꜢ-ṯnn
"Great of Sed festivals like Tatenen"
PASSIM
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:N1a
wr-Habw-sd-mj-tATnn
A
Wer habu-sed mi Tatenen
wr-ḥꜤbw-sd-mꞽ-tꜢṯnn
"Great of Sed festivals like Tatenen"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, I, plate 46 (bottom)
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:N1b
wsr-pHtj-mj-jt.f-mnTw sksk-pDt-dr-m-tA.sn
B
User pehty mi itef Mentju, seksek pedjut 9, der em tasen
wsr-pḥtꞽ-mꞽ-ꞽt.f-mnṯw sksk-pḏt-dr-m-tꜢ.sn
"Powerful of strength like his father Montu, who has annihilated the Nine Bows and repelled (them) in their (own) countries"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, I, plate 46 (1)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions V, 37:10-11
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:N2
jrj-mAat-n-psDt sHAb-rAw-pr-mj-kAw-ra-nb
C
Ir Maat en pesdjet, seheb rauper Ra neb
ꞽrꞽ-mꜢꜤt-n-psḏt sḥꜢb-rꜢw-pr-mꞽ-kꜢw-rꜤ-nb
"Who has accomplished Maat for the Ennead and made (their) temples festive daily"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, VI, plate 391 (b)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions V, 314:8-9
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:N3
wsr-rnpwt-mi-itm
User renput mi Itemu ★
wsr-rnpwt-mi-itm
"Rich in years like Atum"
PASSIM
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:G1a
an-Tl-m-mswt-nTrw-nTrwt qAb-aAbt.sn
A
An tjel em mesu netjeru netjeriut qab aabetsen
Ꜥn-ṯl-m-mswt-nṯrw-nṯrwt ḳꜢb-ꜤꜢbt.sn
"Beautiful and mighty, as the (very) progeny of gods and goddesses, who has doubled their offerings"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, VI, plate 391 (b)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions V, 314:9
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:G3
nTrj-m-prj.f-m-Xt swHt-jqrt-sbqt-n-HrAxtj
B
Netjeri em peref em khet suhet iqeret sebqet en Hor-akhty
nṯrꞽ-m-prꞽ.f-m-ẖt swḥt-ꞽḳrt-sbḳt-n-ḥrꜢḫtꞽ
"Divine as soon as he emerged from the womb, the excellent and precious egg of Harakhty"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, I, plate 46 (1-2)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions V, 37:11
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:G2
qnw nb-xpSwj jrj-tAS-r-mrj.f-m-sA-xftjw.f
C
Qen neb khepesh ir tash er meref emsa kheftiuf
ḳnw nb-ḫpšwꞽ ꞽrꞽ-tꜢš-r-mrꞽ.f-m-sꜢ-ḫftꞽw.f
"The brave one, possessor of a strong arm, who has made (his) border as he wished, behind his enemies"
Epigraphic Survey, Medinet Habu, I, plate 27 (2)
Kitchen, Ramesside Inscriptions V, 20:15–16
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:G4
wsr-mAat-ra mri-imn
User Maat Ra, mery Amun ★
wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ mri-imn
"Strong is the Maat of Ra, beloved of Amun"
PASSIM
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:T1
wsr-mAat-ra mrj-jmn
User Maat Ra, mery Amun
wsr-mꜢꜤt-rꜤ mrꞽ-ꞽmn
"Strong is the Maat of Ra, beloved of Amun"
PASSIM
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:T2
ra-msj-sw HqA-jwnw
Ramessu heqa Iunu
rꜤ-msꞽ-sw ḥḳꜢ-ꞽwnw
"Ramesses, ruler of Heliopolis"
PASSIM
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:E1
ra-msi-sw HqA-iwnw
A
Ramessu heqa Iunu
rꜤ-msi-sw ḥḳꜢ-iwnw
"Ramesses, ruler of Heliopolis"
PASSIM
Beckerath, “Handbuch”:166-167, 2:E2
ra-msj-sw HqA-jwnw
B
Ramessu heqa Iunu ★
rꜤ-msꞽ-sw ḥḳꜢ-ꞽwnw
"Ramesses, ruler of Heliopolis"
PASSIM

Sources of antiquity

Author Greek Transcription Reign
Herodotus  121.1 Pαμψινιτον Rhampsinitus –
Diodorus  1.62.5 Pεμφις Rhemphis –

References