For turning the Egyptian kingdom into its golden era, Ramesses II is often regarded as the most powerful pharaoh and the greatest of the 19th Dynasty. With a total of 66 years of reign from 1279 to 1213 BC, Ramesses II was one of the reigning pharaohs of Egypt. He became known and remembered for his triumph at the Battle of Kadesh in 1274 BC. Although outnumbered, he initiated a counterattack that drove the Hittite Empire away.
Some also know Ramesses II as the “ruler of rulers”, “the Great Ancestor”, and Ramesses the Great. As he ruled the nation for over 30 years, he was transformed into an Egyptian god and constructed the capital city of Pi-Ramesses. Engrossed with architecture, he constructed colossal temples, monuments, and statues of himself throughout Egypt.
Ramesses II’s family wasn’t of royal origin. However because of his grandfather, the commoner family made its way to the ranks of royalty. At a young age, Ramesses II joined his father on military campaigns to gain experience of war and acquire leadership skills.
Some believe that Ramesses II is the father of more than 100 children and over 200 wives and concubines with Queen Nefertari, known as the Royal Wife, as his favorite.
Ramesses II on Egyptian Banknotes
The theme of most Egyptian paper bills is inspired by the country’s ancient history and Ramesses II is one of the featured along with King Tutankhamun and Cleopatra. On the reverse of this Egypt 50 Piastres note from 2017, a granite statue of the pharaoh. Along with a carved figure of him fighting in a battle and his name in a cartouche. Also on the reverse are papyrus flowers and a prow of a reed boat. Meanwhile, the other side of the note features the Al-Azhar mosque in Cairo.
More About Egyptian Banknotes
Generally, Egyptian pound banknote have Arabic and English text. The Arabic side highlighting Islamic structure while the English side mostly depicts ancient designs of temples, statues, and figures. Furthermore, the size of the banknote corresponds to the denomination which means, the smaller the value, the smaller the size.
