Rameses is mentioned five times in the Bible, four times as one of the store-cities that the Israelites were forced to build for the pharaoh when they were slaves in Egypt and from which they began their exodus for the Promised Land under Moses (Exo 1:11; 12:37; Num 33:3, 5).
On the basis of stone structures found there, early archaeologsts once identified Rameses with either Tanis or Bubasts. It is now recognised that these stones had been reused from Qantir, the site now identified by most modern archaeologists as ancient Rameses. Rameses was the delta residence of pharaohs of the 19th and 20th Dynasty who ruled Egypt from roughly 1300-1180 BC.
The identity of the pharaoh associated with the building of this city and and of Israel's oppression is difficult to determine with certainty. Rameses II, who reigned from 1279-1212, is today believed by most historians as the most likely candidate. Ramesses II's mummy, discovered in Thebes, shows, however, that he died of a natural death.
Bust of Rameses II , now in
the British Museum.
Read Scriptures releveant to Rameses
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