Final answer:
Ramesses the Great was known for a lack of compassion towards enemies, evidenced by brutal war trophies, and he had a tendency to exaggerate military successes. His reign was also marked by the economic strain of continual warfare and grand construction projects, as well as social and political instability following his predecessor's religious upheaval.
Step-by-step explanation:
Negative Aspects of Ramesses the Great's Reign
Ramesses II, also known as Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt and is known for his military campaigns and monumental constructions. However, his reign did hold some less favorable aspects. The brutality exemplified by him and his son Merneptah against their enemies was severe; the desecration of bodies by collecting genitalia or hands as trophies is a chilling testament to their lack of compassion towards the vanquished. Such practices were seen as praiseworthy in context, but from a modern perspective, they are seen as barbaric.
Moreover, Ramesses' grand claims of victory, such as the one after the failed attempt to retake Qadesh from the Hittites, reveals a tendency to distort the truth for the sake of maintaining a formidable reputation. These propagandistic practices, along with the heavy toll of continuous warfare and grandiose building projects, would have undoubtedly strained the state's resources and impacted the society.
Further into his reign, the aftermath of his predecessor Akhenaten's religious revolution may have also contributed to social and political instability, which posed additional challenges to Ramesses' rule. The pressures from external threats like the Hittites and internal economic issues, such as soaring grain prices and widespread tomb robbing due to unpaid workers, underscore the broader challenges faced by Ramesses the Great and the fragility of the apparent prosperity during his rule.