Ancient Egypt

Christian Jacq is a French Egyptologist and author of fifty books about ancient Egypt. Acquiring several of his books, it seems suitable to review them together as they make a more coherent story taken together.

The Lady of Abu Simbel (TLAS), and Under the Western Acacia (UTWA), are the last two books in a five part "Ramses" series. They describe the final decades of Ramses reign (1303-1213 B.C.). TLAS opens in the middle of the protracted battles with the Hittites. Ramses, with his lion, Invincible, and his army, attacks some rebellious Canaanites and brings them back into the Egyptian fold. There are multiple battles throughout the book, plots, domestic and foreign, to unseat Ramses, but he is always prepared. Moses is presented as a leader of the Hebrews who is rather zealous and unreasonable. The story of the plagues is retold as a failed public relations attempt to spin natural phenomena:

“Aaron stretched out his staff and declared loudly, 'Since Pharaoh still refuses to allow the Hebrews to leave Egypt, here, after the water that changed into blood, is the second plague Yahveh inflicts on the oppressor: Frogs, thousands of frogs, millions of frogs, which will go everywhere, into the workshops, the houses, the bedchambers of the wealthy!”...

“Satau smiled. Neither he nor Kha would have to do anything to combat this plague. Aaron should have consulted Moses before uttering a curse which wouldn't frighten a single Egyptian. At this time of year, the frogs' proliferation was quite normal – in fact, the people considered it a good omen. In hieroglyphs, the sign of the frog served to indicate the figure 'a hundred thousand', that is, an almost incalculable number, proportional to the abundance brought by the Nile flood.” (pg. 299)

This reinterpretation of the Hebrew story is quite interesting and made me wonder whether there is good reason to believe that this was in fact the Egyptian perspective on events.

However, Jacq's portrayal of Ramses not just as the representative of the Gods, but as a God, with no human failings quickly makes any historical accuracy questionable. Ramses is although not monogomous only capable of loving one woman. IN UTWA Ramses states that, “The Royal Children – those are simply honorary titles” (pg. 24). Yes, although Ramses had two wives, and a harem, he only had three children, and all those historical records documenting his progeny actually refer to the official titles bestowed on them rather than to any genetic relationship. Ramses only love was Nefertari, who dies at the conclusion of TLAS.

A second point of difficulty in the book is the slavery issue. In UTWA Ramses travels to Tyre, Phoenicia and attempts to end slavery:

“This is the real reason for my journey. No Tyrian who wishes to trade with Egypt must traffic in slaves.

The Phoenician was shocked, and it was all he could do to be keep calm and not protest vigorously. 'Majesty,' he said, 'slavery is a law of nature. Trading societies have always practiced it.'

'There's no slavery in Egypt,' said Ramses. 'Human beings are the gods' flock and no individual has the right to treat another as an object without a soul, or as merchandise.'

Narish had never heard such wild talk. If the speaker had not been the Pharaoh of Egypt, he would have thought him a madman.

'Weren't your prisoners of war reduced to slavery, Majesty?'

'They were sentenced to hard labour for periods that varied according to the seriousness of the accusations made against them. When they were freed they could do as they pleased. Most of them remained in Egypt, and many of them founded families.'....

[Ramses] 'Do you think the pyramids and the temples could have been built by gangs of slaves?' (pg. 290)

Reading this exchange was for me quite strange. Logically the answer to the question is that only slavery would enable the building of the pyramids. No people in their right minds would willingly do that kind of work. Whether the Egyptians call it slavery or indentured servitude is irrelevant.

A third book, The War of the Crowns, is the middle book in the “Queen of Freedom” series. The queen in this case is Ahotep (1560-1530 B.C.), who lived well before Ramses. This was a slightly more interesting book, in that Ahotep, although Godlike, is in a much more difficult position and there appears to be some doubt as to her success, and the survival of Egypt. The enemy at this time were the Hyksos. The Egyptian empire had been reduced to a shadow of itself. The Hyksos have horses and the Egyptians do not. Despite the inequality in strength and infrastructure the Egyptians manage to triumph due to their superior gods and righteousness.

If you like to read about ancient Egypt and learn about the history of the ancient kingdoms that existed these are probably worth reading. Unfortunately, though Jacq has a degree in Egyptology his books seem to be heavy on imagination and light on reality. A little less fancifulness and more reality would improve the books. Perhaps Jacq chose to write this way in fear of alienating people with modern ethics? But to make the ethical systems of the ancient Egyptians resemble that of modern Western Europeans so closely just makes the reader skeptical of the entire proposed world.