Pi-Ramesses

The new capital of Egypt, city of Ramesses the Great, center of northern power.

Overview

Pi-Ramesses ("House of Ramesses") is Pharaoh's gleaming new capital in the eastern Nile Delta. Built on the site of the older city of Avaris, it represents the height of New Kingdom ambition and power. Unlike ancient Memphis or distant Thebes, Pi-Ramesses sits close to Egypt's Asiatic territories, allowing the pharaoh to respond quickly to threats or opportunities in Canaan and beyond.

The city is vast, wealthy, and intimidating. Temples to the gods rise alongside the royal palace. Military barracks house chariot squadrons and infantry units ready for campaigns. Administrative buildings swarm with scribes managing the empire. Markets overflow with goods from across the known world.

For a Canaanite merchant from Ashkelon, Pi-Ramesses is both opportunity and danger—the heart of Egyptian power, where the greatest contracts might be won but where offending the wrong official could mean ruin.

The Royal Presence

Unlike other Egyptian cities, Pi-Ramesses frequently hosts Pharaoh himself. The palace complex dominates the city, and when Ramesses is in residence, the entire city revolves around royal activities—religious ceremonies, military reviews, audiences with foreign envoys, and administrative decisions.

Foreign merchants generally cannot approach Pharaoh directly, but those with exceptional goods or services might gain an audience through the right intermediaries. Palace officials wield immense power and expect appropriate deference (and gifts).

Military Center

Pi-Ramesses is headquarters for Egyptian military operations in Asia:

• Chariot squadrons - The pride of Egypt's army
• Infantry divisions - Named after the gods (Amun, Ra, Ptah, Set)
• Weapon workshops - Bronze working, bow making, armor
• Stables - Hundreds of horses for the chariot corps
• Training grounds - Constant military exercises

This military presence creates opportunities:

• Supply contracts for grain, wine, meat, leather
• Transport services for military cargo
• Information about upcoming campaigns
• Risk of military requisition of merchant ships

Administration

Pi-Ramesses is the northern administrative capital. Viziers, treasurers, and bureaucrats manage Egypt's empire from here:

• Tax collection for the Delta and Canaan
• Diplomatic correspondence with foreign powers
• Trade regulation and merchant licensing
• Legal disputes of significant importance

The bureaucracy here is even more elaborate than at Pelusium. Everything requires permits, documents, and fees. But unlike Pelusium's frontier character, Pi-Ramesses offers access to higher authorities—appeals are possible, important contracts can be negotiated, and those who navigate the system successfully can gain valuable official recognition.

Trade and Markets

The markets of Pi-Ramesses are spectacular:

Goods available:

• Everything that flows into Egypt—timber from Lebanon, copper from Cyprus, silver from Anatolia
• Egyptian products of the highest quality—royal linen, palace workshops' crafts
• Exotic imports from Nubia, Punt, and beyond
• Military surplus (sometimes)

Merchant opportunities:

• Sell to palace officials, military, temple estates
• Buy goods for export to Canaan and beyond
• Meet merchants from across the empire
• Establish relationships with powerful trading houses

Challenges:

• Intense competition from established Egyptian merchants
• High costs (everything is expensive in the capital)
• Need for connections to access the best opportunities
• Scrutiny from multiple official bodies

The Temples

Massive temples dominate Pi-Ramesses:

• Temple of Amun - Supremely powerful
• Temple of Ra - The sun god
• Temple of Ptah - Craftsmen's patron
• Temple of Set - Unusual prominence here

The temples are economic powers, controlling vast estates and engaging in trade. Temple officials can be valuable contacts—or dangerous enemies. Foreign merchants are expected to show respect and make appropriate offerings.

Foreign Quarter

Pi-Ramesses hosts merchants and diplomats from across the known world:

• Canaanite merchants - Large community, permanent trading houses
• Hittite diplomats - From the Hittite Empire, Egypt's rival-turned-ally
• Mycenaean Greeks - Pottery and oil traders
• Cypriot copper merchants - Major presence
• Nubian traders - From the south

The foreign quarter offers:

• Translators and guides
• Information networks
• Cultural middlemen who understand both Egyptian and foreign ways
• Shared warehouses and lodging

For an Ashkelon crew making their first visit, the foreign quarter is where you start—find other Canaanites, learn the local customs, and get advice before venturing into Egyptian parts of the city.

Getting to Pi-Ramesses

From Pelusium, Pi-Ramesses lies upriver (westward) in the Delta. The journey can be made:

• By ship - Sailing up the Nile branch (requires local pilot, fees, and permits)
• By land - Road along the river (tolls, checkpoints, risk of delay)
• By hired barge - Let Egyptian river sailors handle navigation

Most first-time merchants hire local transport from Pelusium rather than risk navigating Delta waterways themselves.

Strategic Importance

For a Canaanite merchant crew:

Opportunities:

• Access to the highest levels of Egyptian markets
• Contracts with palace, military, and temples
• Information about Egyptian intentions toward Canaan
• Prestige from successfully trading in the capital

Risks:

• Offending powerful officials
• Getting entangled in palace politics
• Spending more than you earn (the capital is expensive)
• Overreaching and failing publicly

When to go:

• After establishing yourself at Pelusium
• When you have quality goods worthy of the capital
• If you need higher authority to resolve a problem
• To seek major contracts or official recognition

Pi-Ramesses is not for a crew's first voyage. Master Pelusium first, build capital and connections, then attempt the capital when you're ready to play in the highest stakes game.

Current Events

Ramesses II is building monuments, consolidating power, and maintaining the peace treaty with the Hittite Empire. The city grows constantly—new construction, new temples, new administrative buildings. This creates demand for materials and labor, but also means constant change in who holds power and influence.

Merchants who prove valuable during building projects can gain lasting relationships. Those who fail to deliver when the palace needs something may be ruined.