Episode 20 Egypt’s Heretic Pharaoh

The History of Ancient Egypt

Professor Robert Brier

Film Review

Amenhotep IV (1353-1336) would change his name to Ankenaten (meaning beneficial to Aten, the god of the solar disk). Believing there was only a single god, he created the first world’s montheistic culture in the world at a time when all other cultures were polytheistic.

His numerous Karnak temples to Aten, all open to the sun, were dismantled by subsequent regimes. We know about his regime, because the pharaohs he succeed Amenhotep IV reused the inscribed blocks of stone for other monument. These inscriptions reveal Nefertiti, his chief wife, was a commoner and often took the pharaoh’s place in making religious offerings, which was unprecedented.

Ankenaten moved Egypt’s religious capitol from Thebes to a spot in the desert he named Akhet Aten (meaning horizon of the Aten). According to to one of the boundary stones of Akhet Aten, Aten had revealed to the pharaoh the exact location of the new site, as well instructing him never to create a statue or physical image of the sun god.

Ankenaten’s new religion preached love instead of war. Despite panicky letters from diplomats requesting military support to preserve the respectful and subservient status of Egypt’s vassal states, he refused to lead military raids n neighboring countries.

According to Brier, he was really more of a religious mystic than a pharaoh and composed all the prayers (instead of his priests) used in the new temple. Artists had much more artistic freedom under Ankenaten, and the pharaoh himself is depicted with a peculiarly elongated face. Frescoes from this period depict Egyptian birds in their natural children, as well as the pharaoh playing with his children.

Film can be viewed free with a library card at Kanopy.

https://www.kanopy.com/en/pukeariki/video/1492791/1492836