Tales of Kadesh Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ramses II

It appears the during the 18th Dynasty Egyptian power in the area around Kadesh was declining. In an effort to regain control of the strategically important land, the 19th (BC) century pharaohs began military campaigns. It appears that as crown prince, Ramses II fought in the area around the city of Kadesh, with his father, Seti I. An informal peace was established.

However, just a few years later, during the fifth year of the reign of Ramses, the long time vassal city ended its alliance with Egypt.

Answer: Hittite

The Hittites had long had diplomatic and trading relations with the Egyptians; during the 18th Dynasty there was even a plan for King Tutankhamun's widow to marry the son of the Hittite leader, Suppiluliumas. The marriage never took place, as the young man was murdered shortly after entering Egypt.

After the wars during the 19th Dynasty, however, Kadesh, an important trading city, defected from its Egyptian alliance, and the city found itself on land that was really claimed by both powers.

Answer: Syria

Some historians believed Syria was named as the result of Herodotus referring to Mesopotamia as "Assyria". It is thought that the name "Syria" came from the Greeks in the 600s BC, long after the conflict known as the Battle of Kadesh. With a long history, Syria has been an important trading area since the Neolithic Age in approximately 10,000 BC.

Answer: Chariot

Wishing to repeat his father's successful entry into the city of Kadesh years earlier, the pharaoh built a new capital in the Nile Delta, which was called Pi-Ramses. Establishing factories to manufacture weapons and chariots, it is estimated that "1,000 weapons in a week, about 250 chariots in two weeks, and 1,000 shields in a week and a half" were made.

After completing these preparations, pharaoh led an estimated force of 20,000 soldiers one thousand miles from Pi-Ramses to retake Kadesh. It is estimated that both sides had a combined total of 5,000-6,000 chariots.

Answer: Amun, Re, Ptah, and Set

Pharaoh made two mistakes at the beginning of the Battle of Kadesh. First, he moved his group, the Amun division, too quickly, and therefore put too much distance between his men and the rest of his army. Secondly, he believed a report from a couple of captured spies.

They told him that the opposing king had left the area, afraid of the Egyptian pharaoh. Actually the Egyptian army was attacked in its own camp, and had to fight their way out. According to pharaoh, he asked his protector god, Amun, for assistance, and he and just a handful of men were able to break through the enemy line and turn the tide of the battle.

Answer: Orontes

The Orontes River has its source in Lebanon, and flows through Syria and Turkey on its way to the Mediterranean Sea. It was the site of many ancient conflicts, including the Battle of Kadesh, and the Battle of Qarqar, between the armies of the Assyrians and the city of Damascus, and has been used as a boundary marker many times in its history. During the Battle of Kadesh, many of the men of Muwatalli II's army drowned in the river or were killed on the banks.

Their king had reinforcements in the city, but, for reasons unknown, did not deploy them.

Answer: Historians believe it was a draw.

Actually, both sides claimed victory. Egypt claimed to have defeated its enemy in battle; King Muwatalli II claimed to have won because he did not lose the city of Kadesh. Pharaoh and his army, unable to sustain a long siege, went back to Egypt. In later years his army would try once again to take more land in the area where border conflicts were common.

The truth of the matter is that after the Battle of Kadesh, Egypt seems to have never regained total control over the area.

Answer: Abu Simbel

It is believed that the purpose of building the temple, at least in part, was to celebrate the victory at the Battle of Kadesh. In addition, due to its location near Nubia, it must have also served to show their southern neighbors the power of Egypt! Engraved bas-reliefs in the vestibule of the temple of Abu Simbel tell the story of the Battle of Kadesh. Pharaoh is shown riding in his chariot, shooting arrows at his enemies, and taking prisoners.

Answer: First peace treaty.

Sixteen years after the battle, both sides once again were in direct conflict, although sources say the animosity between the two really had not ended with the Battle of Kadesh. Because Hattusilis III, the new king, was fearful of the growing power of the Assyrians, he did not want to spend time fighting the Egyptians. Pharaoh, on the other hand, realized that it would be nearly impossible to retake the land. Both rulers agreed on a peace treaty.

They would not fight against each other "forever".

Not only that, but if a third party threatened either, the other ally would step in and offer aid. This part of the agreement made the treaty the first recorded non-aggression pact and alliance.

Answer: True

There is more documentation for the Battle of Kadesh than any other ancient Middle Eastern battle. Unfortunately, it may be a bit inaccurate, since most of the information was written from the Egyptian point of view, although a few references to the battle have been found at Hattusa. Recorded in two documents, known as the "Poem" and "Bulletin", the battle was likely the largest chariot battle ever fought.