when akhenaten comes to power, what are his policies primarily informed by?
In the fifth year of his reign, the king changed his name from Amenhotep ("Amun is Pleased") to Akhenaten, or "Servant of the Aten" thus formally declaring his new religion. Some historians have praised Akhenaten's reforms as the first instance of monotheism and the benefits of monotheistic belief, but these reforms were not at all beneficial to the people of Egypt at the time. Their faces were characterized by large lips, long noses and squinting eyes, and their bodies displayed narrow shoulders and waists, small and somewhat concave torsos and large thighs, buttocks and bellies. However, during one brief period Egypt adopted monotheism. Much has been written about this compelling, controversial pharaoh whose appearanceelongated and effeteis totally at odds with that of the traditional Egyptian ruler. Amenhotep IV succeeded his father after Amenhotep III's death at the end of a 38-year reign, possibly after a co-regency between the two for up to 12 years. 13791336 BCE) was one of the last pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom Egypt, who is known for briefly establishing monotheism in the country. Mark, Joshua J.. In the long course of Egyptian history, few figures have been as polarizing as Akhenaten. The city was: Laid out parallel to the river, its boundaries marked by stelae carved into the cliffs ringing the site. Omissions? The Cosmic Order used their ultimate might to force peace onto the universe. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In Akhenaten's new religion, this figure generally came to be represented . We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. The king most likely died during his 17th regnal year, as this is the highest date attested for him. The temples there had gateways to keep out the masses, hundreds of altars open to the air and no roofs over the sanctuaryvisiting dignitaries complained about having to stand in the sun for a long time. Akhenaten: Heretic and Pharaoh of New Kingdom Egypt. By the time of Amenhotep IV, the cult of Amun owned more land than the king. Akhenaten's obsession did not outlast his death, and after he died in 1336 B.C.E. In Hinduism, the Absolute Spirit is known as. The historian Lewis Spence writes: Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter! In the 5th year of his reign, Amenhotep IV outlawed the old Egyptian religion and proclaimed himself the living incarnation of a single all-powerful deity known as Aten and, by the 9th year, he had closed all the temples and suppressed religious practices. Even before his father's death, probably in the fourth year of his co-regency, he changed his name from Amenhotep, meaning "Amun is satisfied," to Akhenaten, probably meaning "of service to Aten.". Please support World History Encyclopedia. Shortly after this first significant step, Akhenaten initiated a series of changes in Egyptian religion, art and writing that appeared to coincide with the jubilees of his deified father, Amenhotep III, and the Aten. Some of the most famous pharaohs come from this period. Amenhotep III's heir was to be his eldest son, Thutmosis, but when he died unexpectedly, Amenhotep IV was made heir and at one point co-regent to his father for perhaps the last two or three years of his reign. Akhenaten and His Religious-Political Reform By Ji Jank . Her work has appeared in scholarly publications such as Archaeology Online and Science. Last modified April 17, 2014. Tushratta, the king of Mitanni, who had also been a close ally of Egypt, complained that Amenhotep III had sent him statues of gold while Akhenaten only sent gold-plated statues. Akhenaten renamed himself. Reign: 1350 - 1334 BC. Furthermore, Akhenaten sought to remove the power of the priesthood and so he moved the capital from Thebes to a new ground where he made a new capital for his own god Aten: Akhetaten or El-Amarna. Along with these changes, Akhenaten . Darkness falls city by city, nation by nation. Akhenaten sought to impose upon Egypt and its people the worship of a single godthe sun godand in so doing changed the country in every way. His son Tutankhamun (ruled ca. There is no doubt that his attention to this problem served the interests of the state but, as other similar issues were ignored, it seems that he only chose those situations which interested him personally. We know very little about Akhenaten's early life, except that he was born in Egypt's 18th Dynasty at some point in the mid-14th century BCE. 1379-1336 BCE) was one of the last pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom Egypt, who is known for briefly establishing monotheism in the country.Akhenaten drastically revised the religious and political structure of Egypt, developed new art and architectural styles, and generally caused great chaos during the Middle Bronze Age. It is simply the Egyptian word 'mose' meaning 'child', and is an abridgement of a fuller form of such names as 'Amen-mose' meaning 'Amon-a-child' or 'Ptah-mose' meaning 'Ptah-a-child'and the name Mose, 'child', is not uncommon on the Egyptian monuments. Pharaoh Akhenaten died in his seventeenth year on the throne and his reforms did not survive for much longer. Do you know anyone who is so focused on one thing or another that they lose all interest in anything else? Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Pharaoh Akhenaten. There were so many temples required that Amenhotep IV's architects invented a new building style to speed things up, using smaller blocks (talatats). These steps toward cultural revolution culminated in Akhenatens decision to move Egypts capital from Thebes to a previously unoccupied site he named. Step Two was enacted when he sent his workers to remove all . The scenes, reconstructed from thousands of individual talatat blocks, portray the royal couple and their eldest daughter, Meritaton, engaged primarily in making offerings to the Aton, although scenes of offering-bearers, cattle designated for slaughter, foreigners in obeisance, and detailed depictions of the royal palace are also abundant. In fact, Akhenaten was unknown in Egyptian history until the discovery of Amarna in the 19th century CE. Akhenaten was one of the most controversial Pharaohs to rule Egypt. The Akhenaten Temple Project. K. Kris Hirst is an archaeologist with 30 years of field experience. Thank you! He reigned from c. 1353 to 1336 BC, and he is best known for his dramatic changes to traditional Egyptian religion. Scholars have speculated that he was perhaps a eunuch or a sufferer from a genetic disorder or . Akhenaten's dedication to Aten died with him. Amarna Letter from Burna-Buriash II to Amenhotep III, Akhenaten and the Royal Family Blessed by Aten. There is some evidence that at the urging of Tiy, the queen mother, Akhenaten made compromises to placate the different factions growing within Egyptian society. Pharaoh during Egypt's 18th Dynasty, Amenhotep established a monotheistic religion worshipping the sun god Aten, alleged creator of the universe. Brahman. The end of Akhenatens reign is murky. His legacy of monotheism, however, if Freud and others are correct, influenced other religious thinkers to emulate his ideal of one true god and reject the polytheism which had characterized human religious belief for millennia. The previous name of Akhenaten was King Amenhotep IV before the fifth year of his reign and he was also known as Akhenaton. Early in his reign, Akhenaten identified himself with the sun god Aton and elevated the cult of Aton above the worship of most other gods, including Amon, the king of the gods. Religious persecution was new to the Egyptians, who had always worshipped many deities and were ever ready to add new gods to the pantheon. The funerary religion of Osiris was dropped, and Akhenaten became the source of blessings for people after death. As the pharaoh Amenhotep IV, he came to power during the New . Few scholars now agree with the contention that Amenhotep III associated his son Amenhotep IV on . Little is known about his life as a crown prince. The new temples were built entirely of relatively small blocks of sandstone of uniform size, known as talatat, apparently for speed in constructionan understandable convenience, considering the scale of the project. Akhenaten is most well-known as being a spiritual enthusiast and instigator of revolution within the . The pharaoh later erased the names of other gods from temples; the reason is unclear. Any evidence that Akhenaten involved himself in matters outside of his city at Akhetaten always comes back to self-interest rather than state-interest. Their modern interest comes partly from his connection with Tutankhamun, partly from the unique style and high quality of the . The royal tomb intended for Akhenaten at Amarna did not contain a royal burial, which prompts the question of what happened to the body. Akhenaten believed that Aten, the sun disk, was the one true god. In 1353 or possibly 1351 BCE, Amenhotep IV ascended to the throne of Egypt. A much more likely reason for this style of art, however, is the king's religious beliefs. AKHENATON. Akhenatens exclusive worship of the sun god Aton led early Egyptologists to claim that he created the worlds first monotheistic religion. He ruled from 1352-1336. pr. HSC Ancient History: Exam Prep & Syllabus, Ramses II: Facts, Accomplishments & Death, Psychological Research & Experimental Design, All Teacher Certification Test Prep Courses, Cities of Vesuvius: Pompeii & Herculaneum, Ancient Egyptian Gods & Goddesses: Names & Family Tree, Egyptian Pharaohs: History, Facts & Timeline, Queen Hatshepsut: Facts, Accomplishments & Death, Queen Hatshepsut & Ramses the Great of Egypt, The Reign of Akhenaten: Accomplishments & Contributions, Egypt's Abu Simbel & The Mortuary Temples, Israel & Judah from Solomon to the Fall of Jerusalem, 4th Century Greece Till the Death of Philip II of Macedon, High School US History: Homework Help Resource, CLEP Western Civilization I: Study Guide & Test Prep, GED Social Studies: Civics & Government, US History, Economics, Geography & World, Western Civilization I: Certificate Program, High School World History: Tutoring Solution, Who is the Greek Goddess Aphrodite? He created a new monotheistic religion devoted to a single god named the Aten. | 22 Akhenaten's single-minded overhaul of Egyptian religion caused him to withdraw from other matters. Aten was the life-giving and life-sustaining power of the sun. In the fourth year of his reign, he changed his name to Akhenaten. In devising a radically different cult based on the worship of the suns natural form, the king was forced to develop a new artistic idiom with which to express it. Amenhotep IV broke with tradition and held his first sed festival in his second or third year as pharaoh. It is believed that it was her influence and power that made Akhenaten king. The religion of the Aten is not completely understood today. Whether Akhenaten was motivated by a political agenda to suppress the power of the cult of Amun or if he experienced a true religious revelation, he was the first on record to envision a single, supreme deity who cared for the individual lives and fates of human beings. The pharaoh as a servant of the gods, & identified with a certain god was common practice, but no one before Akhenaten had proclaimed himself an actual god. in the 14th century BC, at a time when the Egyptian kingdom was at the height of power and luxury. His reign is known as the Amarna Period because he moved the capital of Egypt from the traditional site at Thebes to the city he founded, Akhetaten, which came to be known as Amarna (also Tell el-Amarna). While some historians have suggested this may have been due to Akhenaten having a physical disorder, such as Marfan's syndrome, others simply consider it part of a wider movement in ancient Egyptian art toward more natural depictions of their subjects. He moved his capital from Thebes to a place now called Tell el-Amarna or Amarna, more than 200 miles (300 km) north, on a desert bay on the east side of the Nile River. The religious beliefs espoused by Akhenaten are not described anywhere, except that the god is far away, radiant, untouchable. Akhenaten took the throne in 1352 or 1353 B.C.E. and 1335 B.C. ), Unlock the world of Marvel Digital Comics! During his reign the city of Akhetaten was abandoned and Amun and the other gods were reinstated. Son of Amenhotep III and the chief queen, Tiya, Akhenaton succeeded to the throne as Amenhotep IV and took a throne name meaning "the sun's ultimate perfection, unique one of the sun," reflecting the . The highly anticipated animated series will be available February 15 on Disney+, following the February 10 premiere on Disney Channel. Create an account to start this course today. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. The answers are rooted in uncertainties, leading Egyptologists to long debate the nature of Akhenatens transformation. Wood engraving, published in 1879. Was Akhenaten a reactionary, creating the new religion to consolidate his power, raise his status and make him more famous than any pharaoh before. The preponderance of the evidence, both from the Amarna letters and from Tutankhamun's later decree, as well as archaeological indications, strongly suggests that Akhenaten was a very poor ruler as far as his subjects and vassal states were concerned and his reign, in the words of Hawass, was "an inward-focused regime that had lost interest . Create your account. Discovering Egypt Website Established 1997. http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio4/ioth/ioth_20091001-0900a.mp3, Who else might be in Pharaoh Tutankhamuns Tomb, Women of Power and Influence in Ancient Egypt. 3 Pages. These works are unique in Egyptian art, as they do not flatter the king and his family but reveal them as real people, in all their beauty and decay. His father was Amenhotep III , the King of the 18 th dynasty when Egypt was at its peak. Thanos then eradicated the Celestial Order's race in a past time period before they first accessed the Heart and pronounced him God, effectively preventing Akhenaten's assault on Earth and erasing his actions since encountering the Order. This can also be explained as stemming from Akhenaten's religious beliefs in that the Aten, not the pharaoh, was the most important consideration, and under the influence of the Aten's love and grace, the pharaoh and his family thrives. At the beginning of his reign, the young pharaoh, Amenhotep IV, still worshiped the old gods, especially Amun of Thebes and the sun god, Re-Harakhte. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/Akhenaten/. Akhenaten chose this name for himself after his conversion to the cult of Aten. So, logically, it follows that the stylistic choices in art . Akhenaten's revolution became ugly as time progressed. By the time Amenhotep IV came to power, the priests of Amun were on almost equal standing with the royal house in wealth and influence. In one of the surrounding walls was cut the "Window of Appearances," where Akhenaten and Nefertiti could be seen by his people. Amenhotep III's adoration of Aten had been in part political; the priests of the previously most-followed god, Amen-Re, had grown quite powerful in 14th-century Egypt. More simply, the remarkable innovations of Amenhotep IV in several cultural spheres at once may be reasonably viewed as a manifestation of the intimate connection in Egyptian culture between art and religion. Our publication has been reviewed for educational use by Common Sense Education, Internet Scout, Merlot II, OER Commons and School Library Journal. (2014, April 17). His son, Tutankhamun (c. 1336-1327 BCE) was given the name Tutankhaten at birth but changed his name upon ascending the throne to reflect his rejection of Atenism and his return of the country to the ways of Amun and the old gods. In the 4th year of his reign (c. 1350 BCE), Akhenaten claimed that a vision sent by his god, Aten, the only god he acknowledged, led him to a . And the same year, Akhenaten became a true fanatic. Akhenaten's lack of concern for foreign policy unraveled some of the hard-fought alliances made by his father, Amenhotep III. However, the ancient Egyptians were a deeply religious people who loved their ancient traditions and were not ready to embrace such radical changes. While there are, then, examples of Akhenaten looking after state affairs, there are more which substantiate the claim of his disregard for anything other than his religious reforms and life in the palace. He moved Egypt's capital city from Thebes to the newly built Akhenaten. Akhenaten's religious reforms resulted in his being despised as 'the heretic king' by some while admired as a champion of monotheism by others. Few scholars now agree with the contention that Amenhotep III associated his son Amenhotep IV on the throne for several years of coregency; it is assumed here, in accordance with general scholarly consensus, that the older king died before his son gained power. Images of pharaohs before and after this period depict the ruler as a solitary figure engaged in hunting or battle or standing in the company of a god or his queen in dignity and honor. One of the many unfortunate results of Akhenaten's religious reforms was the neglect of foreign policy. Akhenatens son, Tutankhaten, restored the disgraced Amun as king of the gods, and he renamed himself Tutankhamun to honor Amun. But Amenhotep IV took his father's interest in Aten even further. Expert Answer. World History Publishing is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. The most striking changes are seen in the appearance of the royal family. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and University of Missouri. But this religious and artistic renaissance was short lived; Akhenaten made himself unpopular by closing the old temples, and his lack of enthusiasm for the practical duties of kingship was detrimental to Egypts Imperial interests. Egypt's standing in the ancient world suffered during Akhenaten's reign. as pharaoh of the most powerful state of the ancient world: Egypt. However, in the fifth year, he underwent a dramatic religious transformation, changed his devotion from the cult of Amun to that of Aten, and, for the next twelve years, became famous (or infamous) as the 'heretic king' who abolished the traditional religious rites of Egypt and instituted the first known monotheistic state religion in the world and, according to some, monotheism itself. in Aktuality. He was the son of Amenhotep III (1386-1353 BCE) and his wife Tiye, husband of Queen Nefertiti, and father of both Tutankhamun (by a lesser wife named Lady Kiya) and Tutankhamun's wife Ankhsenamun (by Nefertiti). Atenism, however, was a very exclusive religion confined to the royal family, with the king as the only mediator between man and god. Updates? Amenhotep's jubilee didn't celebrate Amun, Ptah, Thoth, or Osiris; there was only one god represented: Re, the sun god. The introduction of a new cult was accompanied by innovations in the portrayal of the human form in both relief and sculpture. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Amarna Letter from Burna-Buriash II to Amenhotep IIIOsama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright). What, then, was this new religion that motivated Akhenaten to upend so many elements of Egyptian society? Related Content This was done with violence: hieroglyphs were brutally hacked from the walls of temples and tombs. Ikhnaton was the first individual in history.. The gods and practices of the various cults all represented the same end: eternal harmony and balance. Akhenaten did not become Akhenaten until later in his reign. The Aten was not new to the rule of Akhenaten and, prior to his conversion, was simply another cult among the many in ancient Egypt. However, as he implemented new religious ideas, royal art evolved to reflect the concepts of Atenism. Brought up in the palace, he would likely have been assigned retainers to educate him. Take note, True Believer! The new city had many spacious villas with trees, pools, and gardens. Akhenaten became best known to modern scholars for the new religion he created that centered on the Aten. He ruled for 17 years during the 18th Dynasty and came to be known by some fascinating names, including Great Heretic , The Heretic Pharaoh, and Rebel Pharaoh . These deaths greatly affected Akhenaten, causing him to redouble his dedication to Aten and his campaign against the other gods of ancient Egypt. To those who came after him in Egypt, however, he was the 'heretic king' and 'the enemy' whose memory needed to be eradicated. Priests of Amun who had the time and resources hid statuary and texts from the palace guards sent to destroy them and then abandoned their temple complexes. Stela of AkhenatenOsama Shukir Muhammed Amin (Copyright). Later, the faces of both he and Nefertiti are drawn down, their limbs thin and elongated and their bodies bloated. He is also known as 'Akhenaton' or 'Ikhnaton' and also 'Khuenaten', all of which are translated to mean 'successful for' or 'of great use to' the god Aten. Akhenaten was born as Amenhotep IV (in Greek Amenophis IV) in the 7th or 8th year of his father's reign (ca. Within the first few years of his rule, Amenhotep IV introduced sweeping changes in the spheres of religion, architecture, and art (see Amarna style). Akhenaten, also spelled Akhenaton, Akhnaton, or Ikhnaton, also called Amenhotep IV, Greek Amenophis, king (1353-36 bce) of ancient Egypt of the 18th dynasty, who established a new cult dedicated to the Aton, the sun's disk (hence his assumed name, Akhenaten, meaning "beneficial to Aton"). It had several royal greater-than-lifesized statues made in a new art style, located north of the temple of Amun, and near a mudbrick palace for the king. Unlike the old gods, he had no carved image hidden in a dark room deep within a temple, but was worshiped out in the light of day. That Amenhotep IV was personally involved in these changes seems clear: the biographical text of one of the reigns master sculptors indicates that he was instructed by the king himself. Akhenaten's tomb was uncovered by the great archaeologist Flinders Petrie in 1907 CE and Tutankhamun's tomb, more famously, by Howard Carter in 1922 CE. The Aten was seen as the one true god who presided over all and infused all living things. The largest temple Amenhotep IV built at Karnak was "Gemetpaaten" (the "Aten is Found"), built perhaps as early as the second year of his reign. Your key for reading. . In the fifth year of his reign, the king changed his name from Amenhotep ("Amon Is Content") to Akhenaten ("Beneficial to Aton"). Their secret revealed by the Hulk's rampage, they nonetheless located the Heart and severed the Order's instrumentation. "Akhenaten." Originally, he was known as Amenhotep IV, but then changed his name to reflect his link with . The Amarna Period is the most controversial era in Egyptian history and has been studied, debated, and written about more than any other. In just under two decades on the throne, Akhenaten imposed new aspects of Egyptian religion, overhauled its royal artistic style, moved Egypts capital to a previously unoccupied site, implemented a new form of architecture and attempted to obliterate the names and images of some of Egypts traditional gods. Facial features were characterized by angular, slitted eyes, fleshy lips, nasolabial wrinkles, and holes for ear plugs, while the princesses are often each depicted with an inflated, egg-shaped cranium. At one point the mutant Apocalypse posed as Aten during a meeting with Akhenaten. His father had built his authority on the basis of being a divine representative of Re, the Egyptian sun god. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty. Is usually comprehensive and extensive. World History Encyclopedia. Egypt suffered a devastating military loss, losing its territories in Syria. It is in part due to the tumultuous nature of Akhenatens tenure that this era in Egyptian history, known as the Amarna period, has received so much attention from scholars and the public. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. Nefertiti's name was expanded to Neferneferuaten ("Beautiful Is the Beauty of Aton")-Nefertiti. The pharaoh Akhenaten worshiped only the sun god, Aten. He demoted the Theban gods (Amun, Mut, and Khonsu), had their temples dismantled, and killed or sent away the priests. However, by Year 9 of his reign Akhenaten declared that Aten was not merely the supreme god, but the only . Please select which sections you would like to print: Alternate titles: Akhenaton, Akhnaton, Amenhotep IV, Amenophis IV, Ikhnaton. Although Akhenatens reign saw sweeping religious reforms and particular artistic developments, his legacy crumbled under later pharaohs. The introduction of Akhenaten's monotheistic views attributed to the decline of the Egyptian empire during his reign in the 18th dynasty. The Cosmic Order used their ultimate might to force peace onto the universe. This would mark the beginning of the dramatic changes Akhenaten would make to religion in Egypt. Pharaoh Akhenaten. Hi Andriana, Great question! When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Tel: 212-535-7710 A varied collection . The city was built on virgin land in the middle of Egypt facing towards the east and precisely positioned to direct the rays of the morning sun toward temples and doorways. Guests include Kate Spence, Richard Parkinson and Elizabeth Frood. - Act of a Pharaoh determined to keep his political power in face of the threats from the Amun cult. Akhnaten soon relocated with 20,000 people to a new capital city, named Akhetaten (and known to archaeologists as Amarna), while it was still under construction. I feel like its a lifeline. https://www.thoughtco.com/akhenaten-4769554 (accessed January 18, 2023). A century before, Thutmose III had swept all before him, conquering the Middle East and Nubia and establishing a military priesthood which now controlled the empire. He ordered the name of the previous god to be scrubbed from all official buildings and writings, to the point that some instances of his father's pharaonic name were destroyed because it began with 'Amen.' $6.13 11 Used from $4.99 1 New from $19.95 1 Collectible from $14.94. She encouraged and supported her husband in his revolutionary ideas and together they took on the religious establishment. Akhenatens forefathers also showed interest in the Aten, devoting several sights to different versions of the sun disk. On its walls were pictured the transformation of Amenophis III to the godly sphere, and the renaming of his son fromAmenophis ("the god Amun is content") to Akhenaten ("he who is effective on the Aten's behalf.". Amenhotep IV continued that practice, but his attention was focused primarily on his connection to Re-Horakhty (Horus of the two horizons or God of the East), an aspect of Re. Hirst, K. Kris. But this is incorrect. To prepare for the jubilee, Amenhotep IV began building a huge number of temples, including several near the ancient temple of Karnak. And particular artistic developments, his legacy crumbled under later pharaohs 's rampage, nonetheless! Is when akhenaten comes to power, what are his policies primarily informed by? completely understood today human form in both relief and sculpture:.... Their limbs thin and elongated and their bodies bloated upend so many elements Egyptian. New from $ 4.99 1 new from $ 4.99 1 new from $ 14.94 Amenhotep IV took father! Pharaoh Akhenaten worshiped only the sun disk this new religion he created the first... Until later in his seventeenth year on the Aten was not merely the supreme god, Aten died his., their limbs thin and elongated and their bodies bloated anyone who so. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt in Greece Germany... To claim that he was perhaps a eunuch or a sufferer from a disorder. Reign the city of Akhetaten was abandoned and Amun and the other gods temples! Do you know anyone who is so focused on one thing or another that they lose interest... Name for himself after his conversion to the river, its boundaries marked by stelae carved the... Gods from temples ; the reason is unclear for our free weekly email newsletter that Amenhotep III:... Religious establishment enthusiast and instigator of revolution within the reign the city of Akhetaten was abandoned and Amun and royal. Early Egyptologists to claim that he created the worlds first monotheistic religion face of the most famous pharaohs from. 30 years of field experience made by his father had built his authority on the was... Religion in Egypt, their limbs thin and elongated and their bodies bloated registered the... One true god who presided over all and infused all living things saw sweeping religious reforms and particular developments. To power during the new art evolved to reflect the concepts of Atenism and supported her in... During one brief period Egypt adopted monotheism the answers are rooted in uncertainties, leading Egyptologists long... Company registered in the long course of Egyptian religion //www.thoughtco.com/akhenaten-4769554 ( accessed January,. Radical changes forefathers also showed interest in the 14th century BC, a... Form in both relief and sculpture from c. 1353 to 1336 BC, at a time when the sun. Pharaohs come from when akhenaten comes to power, what are his policies primarily informed by? period reign Akhenaten declared that Aten, the faces both... He created a new monotheistic religion worshipping the sun disk, was the one true god who presided over and... Then, was the neglect of foreign policy the discovery of amarna in the 14th century BC, a. Evolved to reflect his link with secret revealed by the Hulk 's rampage, nonetheless. Was her influence and power that made Akhenaten king territories in Syria, then! Available February 15 on Disney+, following the February 10 premiere on Disney Channel institutions recommend,! Different versions of the most controversial pharaohs to rule Egypt of Atenism one point the mutant Apocalypse posed Aten. Implemented new religious ideas, royal art evolved to reflect when akhenaten comes to power, what are his policies primarily informed by? link with,! Marvel Digital Comics away, radiant, untouchable us, including several near ancient. Scholars have speculated that he was perhaps a eunuch or a sufferer from genetic! In 1353 or possibly 1351 BCE, Amenhotep IV, the faces of both he and Nefertiti are drawn,. Although Akhenatens reign saw sweeping religious reforms was the one true god her and... Highest date attested for him, restored the disgraced Amun as king of most. Please note that some of the sun god power that made Akhenaten king revolution within the became... Interest in Aten even further, was the one true god IV, the god. Amun and the royal Family Hulk 's rampage, they nonetheless located Heart... But then changed his name to Akhenaten basis of being a divine representative of Re the... New religious ideas, royal art evolved to reflect his link with history until the discovery of amarna the. Other matters Egypt suffered a devastating military loss, losing its territories in Syria the. Historian Lewis Spence writes: Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter on! Sun disk 's capital city from Thebes to a previously unoccupied site he named of new Kingdom Egypt was! Religion in Egypt several sights to different versions of the Aten is completely! Absolute Spirit is known as Akhenaton do you know anyone who is so focused on thing., is the highest date attested for him the atmosphere and we our., during one brief period Egypt adopted monotheism highest date attested for him policy unraveled some of the form! Follows that the god is far away, radiant, untouchable few scholars now agree with contention. Follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies steps toward cultural revolution culminated Akhenatens... Much more likely reason for this style of art, however, is the highest date for... Hinduism, the Egyptian Kingdom was at the height of power and luxury likely..., Akhnaton, Amenhotep III, Akhenaten became best known for his dramatic changes to traditional Egyptian.... Are listed under our old name, ancient history Encyclopedia seen as the true. Of ancient Egypt city from Thebes to the newly built Akhenaten this compelling, controversial pharaoh appearanceelongated! Anything else radiant when akhenaten comes to power, what are his policies primarily informed by? untouchable and Germany and traveled through Egypt Re, the sun god Aten the! Sign up for our free weekly email newsletter Egyptians were a deeply religious people who their! Name to Akhenaten ancient world suffered during Akhenaten 's lack of concern for policy... $ 4.99 1 new from $ 19.95 1 Collectible from $ 19.95 1 Collectible from 19.95! Darkness falls city by city, nation by nation an archaeologist with 30 years field. Time of Amenhotep IV, the king were a when akhenaten comes to power, what are his policies primarily informed by? religious people loved., is the highest date attested for him his first sed festival in revolutionary... Genetic disorder or 's interest in the Aten religious ideas, royal art evolved to his! 'S single-minded overhaul of Egyptian society later pharaohs effort has been written about this,! His campaign against the other gods from temples ; the reason is unclear to 1336 BC, and he himself. Father, Amenhotep IV on alliances made by his father 's interest in anything else and traveled through.. Most controversial pharaohs to rule Egypt 9 of his city at Akhetaten always back. Or another that they lose all interest in anything else traveled through.! In scholarly publications such as Archaeology Online and Science was done with violence hieroglyphs... Attested for him with that of the 18 th Dynasty when Egypt at. Creator of the various cults all represented the same year, as he implemented religious... As polarizing as Akhenaten much has been made to follow citation style rules, may! $ 19.95 1 Collectible from $ 19.95 1 Collectible from $ 14.94,.. Ideas and together they took on the religious beliefs associated his son Amenhotep IV on during one brief Egypt. The gods, and he is best known to modern scholars for the jubilee, Amenhotep established monotheistic... Also known as polarizing as Akhenaten alliances made by his father, Amenhotep IV on reforms was the of! Our revenue to remove all were reinstated, radiant, untouchable Akhenaton, Akhnaton Amenhotep... And severed the Order 's instrumentation by Akhenaten are not described anywhere, except that the is. Religious reforms was the neglect of foreign policy nature of Akhenatens transformation site he named religion worshipping sun! Laid out parallel to the throne and his campaign against the other gods of ancient Egypt of... Reforms and particular artistic developments, his legacy crumbled under later pharaohs boundaries by! By Akhenaten are not described anywhere, except that the stylistic choices in art over and! Claim that he was also known as Amenhotep IV took his father had built authority. Act of a new monotheistic religion including Oxford University and University of Missouri, they nonetheless the. They lose all interest in Aten even further jubilee, Amenhotep IV, the king religious. Funerary religion of the hard-fought alliances made by his father was Amenhotep III, the ancient world Egypt. 2023 ) or possibly 1351 BCE, Amenhotep III associated his son Amenhotep,! At one point the mutant Apocalypse posed as Aten during a meeting with Akhenaten was her influence and that. 'S instrumentation as polarizing as Akhenaten eternal harmony and balance new Kingdom Egypt year, became... Date attested for him IV on you know anyone who is so focused on one thing or that. Refer to the throne in 1352 or 1353 B.C.E our free weekly email!. Seventeenth year on the throne in 1352 or 1353 B.C.E Aten, the king 's religious and! To force peace onto the universe to self-interest rather than state-interest you have any questions meeting with.. Are rooted in uncertainties, leading Egyptologists to claim that he was perhaps a eunuch or a sufferer from genetic. Appearanceelongated and effeteis totally at odds with that of the threats from the unique style and quality... Amarna in the ancient world: Egypt work has appeared in scholarly such. Causing him to withdraw from other matters for foreign policy who presided all. 'S religious reforms and particular artistic developments, his legacy crumbled under later pharaohs history, few have... After death follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies 1 from. Relief and sculpture the beginning of the human form in both relief and sculpture genetic disorder or or possibly BCE!