Egypt in the time of Akhenaten Cover Image

EGIPTUL ÎN TIMPUL DOMNIEI LUI AMENOPHIS AL IV-LEA AKHENATON
Egypt in the time of Akhenaten

Author(s): Alina-Daniela Bîzgă
Subject(s): Ancient World
Published by: Universitatea »Dunarea de Jos« din Galati -Facultatea de Istorie, Teologie și Filosofie
Keywords: Keywords: Amarna; Akhenaten; New Kingdom; Aten; heretic pharaoh

Summary/Abstract: Simple minded fool, mad man or a visionary of his time? Pharaoh Akhenaten managed in his relatively short reign of only 17 years as sole ruler of the New Kingdom of Egypt to change the entire religious outline of the Egyptian people. He is well known for abandoning the traditional Egyptian polytheism and introducing worship centered on the Aten. Not only did he start the first counter-religion in history but surpassed his contemporaries through his entirely different vision on religion, art and life itself. The heretic king, as some historians may call him, tried to transfigure a society unwilling to leave behind old traditions. In consequence, the cartouches of the heretical 18th dynasty pharaoh were mutilated by his successors. As an Egyptian, pharaoh and powerful god, the actions that took part after his death would have been perceived as a curse, a damnation of the pharaohs soul and the impossibility for him to ascend to heaven and take his place among the gods. The Amarna period, as the reign of Akhenaten has come to be known by historians has become one of the most enigmatic and intriguing periods in Egyptian history and has managed to puzzle historians and researchers until this day.

  • Issue Year: 2011
  • Issue No: 02
  • Page Range: 5-20
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Romanian
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