The Hittites had long been making incursions into Egypt and had caused considerable trouble for the Pharaoh Tutmoses III. Ramesses II resolved to take lasting measures against the Hittites and drive them from his borders. A central advantage to be achieved in this campaign was the capture of the city of Kadesh, a great center of commerce at the time, which was held by the Hittites. Ramesses marched from Egypt at the head of over 20,000 men divided into four divisions. He led the Amun division himself with the Re, Ptah, and Set divisions
