Akhetaten, ANCIENT EGYPT: ca. 1353 – 1322 BC
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THEME: The reign of Akhenaten
Akhenaten ruled after his father, Amenhotep III (or Amenhotep the Magnificent), considered by many as one of the most successful pharaohs due to his expansive and stable empire. During his reign, the cult of Amun and its priests amassed more land, wealth, and influence, seating themselves at Karnak, a temple complex larger than the Vatican. It is with Amenhotep III that whispers of challenging this powerful priesthood began. He is evidenced to have aligned himself with Aten, a sun god/disc with no human form or myths. Pharaonic inscriptions included ‘Aten’, and statues of Amenhotep III were made from quartzite, special due to its glowing, golden luminance when positioned to catch the sun’s light. These whispers would turn to roars under the rule of his son, Amenhotep IV.
At war with Amun?
Amenhotep IV began his rule as expected. A few temples to Aten were erected, but beyond this, the usual rhythms were followed. Then in the fifth year of his rule, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten (meaning ‘effective for the Aten’) and began what is now coined by many as a revolution. He abandoned the Amun-dominated city of Thebes, building an entirely new capital centred on a radical belief system. This city would be featured as the birthplace of the new and only god, Aten, the new heart of Egypt with a completely different rhythm.
Akhetaten (modern Amarna) was built
