Ramesses the Great — Egypt's Mightiest Pharaoh

Ramesses II ascended to the throne around 1279 BCE at approximately 25 years old and reigned for 66 years — the second-longest reign in Egyptian history. He was, by every measure, Egypt's greatest builder: the temples at Abu Simbel, carved into a cliff face with four colossal statues of himself 20 meters tall, remain among the most awe-inspiring monuments of antiquity. He expanded the temple complex at Karnak, completed his father's mortuary temple at Abydos, and built the Ramesseum at Thebes. In 1274 BCE, he fought the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittite Empire — the largest chariot battle in history, involving an estimated 5,000 chariots. Though the battle was inconclusive, Ramesses claimed a great victory in the propaganda carved on temple walls. The subsequent peace treaty with the Hittites (c. 1258 BCE) is the oldest known international peace treaty, a copy of which hangs in the United Nations headquarters. Ramesses fathered over 100 children by his many wives, including his beloved Great Royal Wife Nefertari. He is widely identified as the pharaoh of the biblical Exodus, though this remains historically unconfirmed. He died around age 90 and was buried in the Valley of the Kings.