The two 'store-cities' (arei miskenot — supply depots / garrison-granaries) the enslaved Israelites build for Pharaoh (Exodus 1:11), in the eastern Nile Delta. RAAMSES is the city later known as Pi-Ramesses, the Delta capital built up by Ramesses II (13th c.) near ancient Avaris (Tell el-Dab'a / Qantir) — which is why the name anchors the LATE date of the Exodus. On the EARLY date (see the Exodus-pharaoh entry), 'Raamses' is an updated place-name for a site that existed earlier, like 'Dan' for Laish. PITHOM (Egyptian Per-Atum, 'house of Atum') is usually located at Tell el-Retabeh or Tell el-Maskhuta in the Wadi Tumilat. Both guard Egypt's vulnerable northeastern frontier — the road Israel will later walk OUT.