The Battle of Kadesh between the Egyptian Empire under Ramsses II and the Hittite Empire under Muwatlli II is dated to 1274BCE making it the earliest recorded battle.

It took place in the city of Kadesh which is now in modern day Syria. There were c.20,000 Egyptian troops and c.23-50,000 Hittite troops. Though the Egyptian sources tell us that they won the battle, it seems to have been more of a stalemate, with a peace treaty in 1258BCE, which survives both on an Egyptian papyrus, as well as a stone tablet in Hattusa, the Hittite capital.