Saturday Lecture Series: Battle of Kadesh

Macquarie University’s Associate Professor Boyo Ockinga explores how Ramses II turned a military disaster at the Battle of Kadesh into a public relations triumph.

Five years into his reign, Ramses undertook his most ambitious military action, attempting to wrestle control of Kadesh from the Hittites. Listen to Associate Professor Boyo Ockinga as he unravels the complexities of one of the most famous battles in the ancient world and asks whether history is necessarily written by the victors.

Recorded live at the Australian Museum on 27 April 2024, as part of the Gateway to Egypt program series, created to support Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs exhibition.

After completing a DPhil in Egyptology at the University of Tübingen (Germany), Boyo Ockinga took up a position at Macquarie University in 1984 where he taught Ancient Egyptian language, religion and history. As an Honorary Associate Professor in the Dept. of History and Archaeology and member of the Australian Centre for Egyptology at Macquarie University, he now focuses on research, continuing projects in Egypt, excavating and publishing the inscriptions and iconography in tombs of the New Kingdom.

One of the tombs he is working on is that of Saroy, a high official of Ramesses II. He has published widely in the area of Egyptian Civilisation, in particular language and religion.

Russell Briggs is Chief Experience Officer at the Australian Museum (AM), beginning his tenure in September 2017. Russell leads the team responsible for permanent, temporary and touring exhibitions; education; public programs; visitor experience, front of house, and volunteers; digital; climate change; the Museum archives and library, and the extensive world collections held by the Museum.

Macquarie University is a Program Partner for the Australian Museum’s Gateway to Egypt program, part of the Ramses and the Gold of the Pharaohs exhibition.