LIFE AS A PHARAOH

They ruled over ancient Egypt and were immortalised by their tombs and statues, but what was life really like at the top?

- EMMA SLATTERY WILLIAMS

One of the most important distinctions between O the pharaohs of ancient Egypt and other rulers throughout history is that the pharaohs were revered as gods, and this meant they were treated as such. The pharaoh was truly believed to be an incarnation of the god Horus, and they were therefore seen as a spiritual link between the ordinary Egyptian people and their deities.

Thus, from the moment they became pharaoh, their rule was celebrated with great fanfare, with the festivities celebrating their coronation lasting for an entire year. After the pharaoh had attended the burial of their predecessor, there would be elaborate feasts, offerings to the gods, and grand processions down the River Nile.

A further celebration would eventually occur around the 30th year of their rule (assuming they made it that far), known as the Sed festival. This would commemorate the continued rule of the pharaoh and renew both the spiritual and physical energy of their reign. The pharaoh would normally wear an animal tail attached to their kilt during the festivities, and would have to run laps to prove their fitness to rule. After the first Sed festival, the celebrations would be repeated every three years or so.

Of course, to ensure that their dynasty flourished, pharaohs would be expected to marry, and this would often be to a close relative in order to keep the royal bloodline pure. The pharaoh could have multiple wives, but only one would be the 'great wife' or queen consort, and it was the children of this spouse that would take precedence as heirs. Having plenty of partners sometimes led to pharaohs having a startlingly high number of offspring: Ramesses II (r1279-1213 BC), for example, is believed to have had at least eight official wives and fathered more than 100 children.