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        "DON'T MESS WITH EGYPT"

That's pretty much what these statues were saying to anyone with intentions of invading from the south. And the south was not the only border that Egypt had to guard. There were the ancient Libyans to the west and to the northeast there were the Hittites who controlled what is now Turkey and were gradually extending their influence into Syria and Canaan - and were threatening Egypt.

Rameses battled them and at some point, realizing it was a no-win situation and was becoming an untenable drain on Egypt's economy and military he signed a peace treaty with them. The earliest recorded peace treaty in history.

Rameses, with the false beard you see on so many pharaohs, is on the left in this photo. Next to him is Nefertari, his wife. Their many children stand around their feet.