Reconstruction of a painted fresco depicting a battle scene in ancient Egypt.

Reconstruction of a painted fresco depicting a battle scene in ancient Egypt. A Pharaoh defeats his enemies in a massive chariot led onslaught. The Battle of Kadesh or Battle of Qadesh took place between the forces of the Egyptian Empire under Ramesses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatalli II at the city of Kadesh on the Orontes River, just upstream of Lake Homs near the modern Syrian-Lebanese border. The battle is generally dated to 1274 BC in the conventional Egyptian chronology, and is the earliest battle in recorded history for which details of tactics and formations are known. It is believed to have been the largest chariot battle ever fought, involving over 5,000 chariots. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)