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Why were scenes of warfare common on the walls of New Kingdom temples?

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Ancient Egyptian illustration from the Book of the Dead showing Anubis weighing the soul of the scribe Ani, with gods seated above and hieroglyphic text throughout. — Egyptian art and architecture Anubis weighing the soul of the scribe Ani, from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, c. 1275 bce.

In New Kingdom temples, scenes of warfare were common on outer walls because they served as powerful expressions of royal ideology and the pharaoh’s divine role as the preserver of maat (the god-given order).123

These ostentatious, large-scale compositions functioned as a visual reinforcement of the king’s duty to protect Egypt and maintain stability against chaos. By depicting the pharaoh in triumphant battle—such as Ramses II at the Battle of Kadesh or Ramses III against the Sea Peoples—the artwork emphasized his strength, his ability to trample enemies, and his status as a mediator between the gods and the world of men.4123

While the inner, more private areas of these temples were typically reserved for ritual and religious scenes, the outer walls utilized military imagery to project the pharaoh's supreme power and his success in defending the state. These depictions were not merely historical records but were intended to magically ensure the memory of royal deeds and the perpetuation of the king's divine authority.2341