Long before the birth of Christ, a great nation arose on the banks of the Nile. For 3,000 years, Egypt stood at the forefront of human achievement, blending creativity and mysticism in a culture the likes of which had never been seen. And for all that time, the fate of the nation rested in the hands of its storied rulers: the pharaohs. The Great Pharaohs of Egypt uses expert interviews, computer re-creation, extensive location footage, and the latest archeological and scientific evidence to tell the story of these ancient kings. The Great Pharaohs of Egypt would be useful for classes on Ancient History, Egyptian History, Western Civilization, World Culture, Religion, and Anthropology. It is appropriate for middle school and high school.

Part 4

The greatest era of the New Kingdom began in 1279 B. C., when a dynamic, 25-Year old prince assumed the double-crown of Egypt. His name was Ramses II, but history would remember him as the Ramses the Great. The Great Pharaohs of Egypt concludes with an in-depth look at the 67-year reign of perhaps the greatest pharaoh of all. Ramses led foreign conquests and embarked on the most ambitious building program since the Great Pyramids, restoring ancient monuments and erecting countless new ones. The program concludes with the courageous life and tragic death of Cleopatra, the last pharaoh.

• acumen
• beguile
• cache
• depict
• entity
• exotic
• flux
• formidable
• gravity
• instigator
• mantle
• omnipotence
• perpetuate
• phallus
• sire
• usurp

1. Pharaoh Ramses II was known to his descendents as the Great Ancestor. Why was he called this? What made Ramses the Great, great?

2. Ramses II's father made sure his son received an education fit for a king. As a boy and a young man, his father taught him the art of warfare and politics. How did this preparation contribute to the successful reign of Ramses II?

3. What is the legend of Kadesh? How did this battle solidify Ramses II's reputation as a great warrior king?

4. Some of the most notable works of ancient Egyptian architecture and art were produced during the reign of Ramses II. What are some of these great achievements?

5. How did Ramses II's marriage to a Hittite princess serve to strengthen his peace treaty with the Hittites?

6. The last great dynasty of Egypt was the Ptolemy dynasty, but the Ptolemy pharaohs were not Egyptian. How did this foreign dynasty begin? What does the ascension of this dynasty to the throne of Egypt indicate about the changing military and political power of the ancient world?

7. Almost everyone is familiar with the name of Cleopatra, the last pharaoh. Why has history been so fascinated with this woman?

8. Marc Anthony, once a powerful general of Rome, died as an enemy of Rome. How and why did this man change from a hero to a villain to the Roman government and people?

9. Cleopatra committed suicide by allowing herself to be bitten by a poisonous snake. Why did she commit suicide?

1. Using modeling clay, create an Egyptian temple and decorate the inside.

2. Create a poster that depicts everyday life in ancient Egypt.

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Air Dates

• January 08, 2004
• August 31, 2004