Akhenaten

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Relief depicting Akhenaton and Nefertiti with three of their daughters under the rays of Aton 01 (cropped)

Spaziergang im Garten Amarna Berlin

Berlin Neues Museum - relief du prince Thoutmosis

Akenatón Berlín 05

Akhenaten (around 1353–1336 BC), also known as Amenhotep IV, was a pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC. He is especially noted for abandoning traditional Egyptian polytheism and introducing worship centered around the Aten, which is sometimes described as monotheistic or henotheistic. His reign represents one of the most radical and significant changes in the religious and political landscape of ancient Egypt.

Early Life

Akhenaten was born Amenhotep, a name meaning "Amun is Satisfied." He was the son of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, a couple who presided over Egypt at the height of its wealth, power, and artistic achievement. Little is known about his early life, but upon ascending to the throne, he initially followed the religious traditions established by his predecessors.

Reign and Religious Reform

Early in his reign, Akhenaten, still known as Amenhotep IV, began to promote the worship of the Aten, the sun disk, which led to the Atenist revolution. He changed his name to Akhenaten, meaning "Effective for Aten," to reflect his close association with the new religious ideology. The pharaoh moved the religious capital from Thebes to a new city he founded, Akhetaten (modern-day Amarna), dedicated exclusively to the Aten. This move not only physically distanced his new religion from the traditional cults but also significantly weakened the power of the priesthood of Amun, who had amassed considerable wealth and influence in Thebes.

Akhenaten's religious reforms included the cessation of traditional worship and the defacing of Amun's images, which alienated many of his subjects. The Atenist religion was characterized by a more personal and direct relationship between the individual and the divine, as depicted in the art and inscriptions of the time, which showed a departure from the idealized and formal representations of earlier periods to a more realistic and intimate portrayal of the royal family.

Art and Culture

The Amarna Period, named after Akhenaten's capital, is marked by a significant shift in Egyptian art and culture. Art from this period is distinct for its realistic portrayal of figures, including the royal family, in a manner not seen in the rigid stylistic conventions of traditional Egyptian art. This period also saw changes in the language, with the introduction of a more expressive and fluid form of writing.

Death and Legacy

The circumstances of Akhenaten's death remain unclear, and his successor, Smenkhkare, briefly ruled before the throne passed to Tutankhamun, who restored the traditional gods and moved the capital back to Thebes. Akhenaten's city, Akhetaten, was abandoned and his name was omitted from the official list of kings, an act of damnatio memoriae.

Akhenaten's legacy is complex; he is often seen as a visionary for his attempt to introduce monotheism, but also as a heretic who upended the religious traditions of his time. His reign is a subject of fascination for historians and Egyptologists, offering insights into the power of religion in ancient Egyptian society and the pharaoh's role as intermediary between the gods and the people.

See Also

• Amarna Period
• Nefertiti, Akhenaten's Great Royal Wife
• Atenism
• Monotheism in ancient Egypt

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