Aidan Dodson
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9789774166334
- eISBN:
- 9781617976537
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774166334.003.0003
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
This chapter deals with the reign of Amenhotep III, covering his family relationships, government, monuments and foreign relations. This includes discussions of the ramifications of the family of his ...
More
This chapter deals with the reign of Amenhotep III, covering his family relationships, government, monuments and foreign relations. This includes discussions of the ramifications of the family of his Akhmim-based in-laws and the identities of the holders of the key sacerdotal and secular offices during the reign. There are also discussions of the reign's religious developments, in particular the implications of the innovations brought about at the time of the king's First Jubilee regarding the king's divinity and how this related to subsequent events. It also discusses the question of whether Amenhotep III and his successor Amenhotep IV ever ruled together; it concludes that they did not, although the latter had been formally nominated as crown prince in Year 30, following the death of the first heir, Thutmose B. The discussion of foreign affairs draws principally on the evidence of the Amarna Letters, together with the ‘Aegean’ statue base at Kom el-Hetan.Less
This chapter deals with the reign of Amenhotep III, covering his family relationships, government, monuments and foreign relations. This includes discussions of the ramifications of the family of his Akhmim-based in-laws and the identities of the holders of the key sacerdotal and secular offices during the reign. There are also discussions of the reign's religious developments, in particular the implications of the innovations brought about at the time of the king's First Jubilee regarding the king's divinity and how this related to subsequent events. It also discusses the question of whether Amenhotep III and his successor Amenhotep IV ever ruled together; it concludes that they did not, although the latter had been formally nominated as crown prince in Year 30, following the death of the first heir, Thutmose B. The discussion of foreign affairs draws principally on the evidence of the Amarna Letters, together with the ‘Aegean’ statue base at Kom el-Hetan.
Aidan Dodson
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9789774166334
- eISBN:
- 9781617976537
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774166334.001.0001
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
The latter part of the fifteenth century BC saw Egypt's political power reach its zenith, with an empire that stretched from beyond the Euphrates in the north to much of what is now Sudan in the ...
More
The latter part of the fifteenth century BC saw Egypt's political power reach its zenith, with an empire that stretched from beyond the Euphrates in the north to much of what is now Sudan in the south. The wealth that flowed into Egypt allowed its kings to commission some of the most stupendous temples of all time, some of the greatest dedicated to Amun-Re, King of the Gods. Yet a century later these temples lay derelict, the god's images, names, and titles all erased in an orgy of iconoclasm by Akhenaten, the devotee of a single sun-god. This book traces the history of Egypt from the death of the great warrior-king Thutmose III to the high point of Akhenaten's reign, when the known world brought gifts to his newly-built capital city of Amarna, in particular looking at the way in which the cult of the sun became increasingly important to even ‘orthodox’ kings, culminating in the transformation of Akhenaten's father, Amenhotep III, into a solar deity in his own right.Less
The latter part of the fifteenth century BC saw Egypt's political power reach its zenith, with an empire that stretched from beyond the Euphrates in the north to much of what is now Sudan in the south. The wealth that flowed into Egypt allowed its kings to commission some of the most stupendous temples of all time, some of the greatest dedicated to Amun-Re, King of the Gods. Yet a century later these temples lay derelict, the god's images, names, and titles all erased in an orgy of iconoclasm by Akhenaten, the devotee of a single sun-god. This book traces the history of Egypt from the death of the great warrior-king Thutmose III to the high point of Akhenaten's reign, when the known world brought gifts to his newly-built capital city of Amarna, in particular looking at the way in which the cult of the sun became increasingly important to even ‘orthodox’ kings, culminating in the transformation of Akhenaten's father, Amenhotep III, into a solar deity in his own right.
James K. Hoffmeier
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- March 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199792085
- eISBN:
- 9780190217693
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199792085.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion in the Ancient World, World Religions
This chapter introduces the earlier years of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), seeking to understand his early religious preferences. Why did he develop an aversion for Amun-Re, and how could this once ...
More
This chapter introduces the earlier years of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), seeking to understand his early religious preferences. Why did he develop an aversion for Amun-Re, and how could this once powerful god be so quickly demoted? The developments in Akhenaten’s religion are followed, as well as the changes that took place in or shortly after his first year in office. The old god, Re-Harakhty, initially became associated with the earliest expression of Aten, and his first didactic name is introduced no later than the king’s second year in power. Then slowly this falcon god was replaced by just the sun-disc and its rays, and this iconic representation of Aten would remain the official way of presenting Akhenaten’s god.Less
This chapter introduces the earlier years of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten), seeking to understand his early religious preferences. Why did he develop an aversion for Amun-Re, and how could this once powerful god be so quickly demoted? The developments in Akhenaten’s religion are followed, as well as the changes that took place in or shortly after his first year in office. The old god, Re-Harakhty, initially became associated with the earliest expression of Aten, and his first didactic name is introduced no later than the king’s second year in power. Then slowly this falcon god was replaced by just the sun-disc and its rays, and this iconic representation of Aten would remain the official way of presenting Akhenaten’s god.
Aidan Dodson
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9789774166334
- eISBN:
- 9781617976537
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774166334.003.0004
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Historical Archaeology
This chapter describes and discusses the first part of the reign of Amenhotep IV, down to his change of name to Akhenaten. This highlights the evolution of the way in which the king was depicted, and ...
More
This chapter describes and discusses the first part of the reign of Amenhotep IV, down to his change of name to Akhenaten. This highlights the evolution of the way in which the king was depicted, and how the god Aten moved from being merely a particular manifestation of Re-Horakhty to being a deity, with a unique mode of representation and universal dominion. In doing so, the king's building projects at Karnak are described and discussed, along with other memorials of this phase of the reign. There is also a treatment of the king's foreign policy, based on the Amarna Letters, and of his family relationships, before concluding with the first phase of the foundation of the new capital city at Tell el-Amarna (Akhet-Aten).Less
This chapter describes and discusses the first part of the reign of Amenhotep IV, down to his change of name to Akhenaten. This highlights the evolution of the way in which the king was depicted, and how the god Aten moved from being merely a particular manifestation of Re-Horakhty to being a deity, with a unique mode of representation and universal dominion. In doing so, the king's building projects at Karnak are described and discussed, along with other memorials of this phase of the reign. There is also a treatment of the king's foreign policy, based on the Amarna Letters, and of his family relationships, before concluding with the first phase of the foundation of the new capital city at Tell el-Amarna (Akhet-Aten).
Aidan Dodson
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9789774167164
- eISBN:
- 9781617977336
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- American University in Cairo Press
- DOI:
- 10.5743/cairo/9789774167164.003.0010
- Subject:
- History, Ancient History / Archaeology
This chapter looks at the several generations of Eighteenth-Dynasty kings whose histories were tied to “the Aten”—the sun god. The Aten has long been a designation of the physical body of the sun, ...
More
This chapter looks at the several generations of Eighteenth-Dynasty kings whose histories were tied to “the Aten”—the sun god. The Aten has long been a designation of the physical body of the sun, but during the Eighteenth Dynasty had begun to attain a separate divine status, until, under Amenhotep III, it had become a considerable deity in its own right. However, under Amenhotep IV (later, “Akhenaten”), the Aten was to become something far more: at first paramount, and then effectively sole god. In addition, the chapter also marks a different path in Akhenaten's legacy—the reign of Akhenaten's son, Tutankhamun (“Tutankhaten”), and the “counter-reformation” movement against Atenism.Less
This chapter looks at the several generations of Eighteenth-Dynasty kings whose histories were tied to “the Aten”—the sun god. The Aten has long been a designation of the physical body of the sun, but during the Eighteenth Dynasty had begun to attain a separate divine status, until, under Amenhotep III, it had become a considerable deity in its own right. However, under Amenhotep IV (later, “Akhenaten”), the Aten was to become something far more: at first paramount, and then effectively sole god. In addition, the chapter also marks a different path in Akhenaten's legacy—the reign of Akhenaten's son, Tutankhamun (“Tutankhaten”), and the “counter-reformation” movement against Atenism.
