Battle of Kadesh

The biased Egyptian version of the battle was recorded on numerous temples by Ramses, but a Hittite version excavated at Boghazköy has enabled a truer assessment of the battle

Muwatallis hid his army behind the city, now the tel Alex and Katie were reliving the history from.

In Syria. southwest of Ḥimṣ, on the Orontes River. Seeking to recapture the Hittite-held city of Kadesh in Syria, Ramses II invaded Syria with four divisions and an auxiliary force. Muwatallis gathered a large alliance among his vassal states and, hiding his army behind the city mound, sent out false reports that he was at Aleppo, farther north. Ramses, falling into the trap, hurried his army toward Kadesh, his units Set, Ptah, and Re and Amun, the royal unit Ramses was directing. Toward evening, the pharaoh was setting up the northern camp. The Hittites forded the river and, after routing the second division, stormed the Egyptian camp. His first division destroyed, Ramses was saved mostly by his auxiliary force that struck the attacking Hittites in the rear. Pushing the Hittites into the river, the mauled Egyptians retained the battlefield. The next day, after indecisive fighting, Ramses was compelled to withdraw his battered army; and, in the aftermath, the Hittites advanced south to the region of Damascus, halting the Egyptian resurgence into Syria.