Victory Stela of King Merenptah

You are standing before the Victory Stela of King Merenptah, a powerful testament to the might and political achievements of Egypt’s 19th Dynasty. Dating from around 1213–1203 BCE, this inscribed slab records the victories of King Merenptah, the son and successor of Ramses II. The stela marks one of the earliest recorded references to the Sea Peoples—an enigmatic group who challenged Egypt’s borders during this tumultuous era. The hieroglyphic inscriptions celebrate Merenptah’s decisive campaigns against the Libyan tribes and their allies who had ventured eastward into Egypt’s territories. The text vividly details Merenptah’s victories, proclaiming that he had “crushed the rebels” and forced them to flee, securing Egypt’s stability and reaffirming its dominance in the region. The stela’s language is typical of Egyptian royal inscriptions, blending both historical fact and divine legitimacy by invoking the support of the gods—particularly Amun-Ra—to sanctify the pharaoh’s triumph. Interestingly, this stela is also notable for its indirect mention of a foreign group later linked to early references of “Israel,” a detail that has sparked considerable scholarly debate and historical interest. The stela’s discovery in the 19th century further fueled Egyptological curiosity, as it offers an invaluable window into both Egypt’s military prowess and the complexities of its interactions with neighboring peoples. The stela you see here was originally discovered in Thebes (modern Luxor) in 1882. After being lost during one of the Nile floods, it was recovered and safely transferred to Cairo in 1927, where it now resides as a monument to the enduring might and political power of Egypt’s ancient kings.