The Battle of Kadesh
- The geographic and historical context of the Battle of Kadesh in the reign of Rameses II, including the nature of the Egyptian empire, Hittite expansion, the location of the battle on the Orontes river, and the causes and course of the battle
The nature of the sources most relevant to these interpretations and representations, for example the reliefs of the battle in the Abu Simbel temple, inscriptions including the ‘Poem’ and the ‘Bulletin’, the references to the battle in Hittite texts, the Egyptian–Hittite peace treaty inscription; and the significance of the sources in the reconstruction of the battle
The different interpretations and representations of the Battle of Kadesh (from the ancient past, to the more recent past, to today), including the portrayal of the battle by Rameses II as a decisive Egyptian victory, and more recent portrayals of the battle as a stalemate
The historical context of the interpretations and representations of the Battle of Kadesh and why these have changed, for example the importance of the warrior pharaoh ideal in Rameses II’s depiction of events
The reliability and contestability of the interpretations and representations of the Battle of Kadesh, including the role of Rameses II in the battle; and the significance of source selection, omission, emphasis and gaps in evidence