Highlights of Akhenaten:
| Occupation | Pharaoh of Egypt |
| Born | Around 1380 BC |
| Died | 1336 BC |
| Reign | 1353 BC to 1336 BC |
| Known for | Changing the religion of Ancient Egypt and building the city of Amarna |
Biography:
Akhenaten was a pharaoh of ancient Egypt who ruled during the Eighteenth Dynasty of the New Kingdom. He is renowned for transforming Egypt’s old religion from the adoration of many gods to the adoration of Aten.
Growing Up
According to certain historians, Akhenaten co-ruled with his father for a number of years. some do not. In any case, Akhenaten succeeded his father as pharaoh in the year 1353 BC. Egypt has grown to be one of the most powerful and prosperous countries in the world under his father’s tenure. The height of Egyptian civilization occurred about the time Akhenaten assumed power.
Changing His Name
Even after ascending to the throne, Akhenaten continued to go by the name Amenhotep. He was officially known as Pharaoh Amenhotep IV. But he changed his name to Akhenaten in the sixth year of his pharaonic rule. His adoption of this new name reflected his adherence to a brand-new religion that honored the sun god Aten. Its full title was “Living Spirit of Aten.”
Changing the Religion
When Akhenaten assumed the throne, he made the decision to change Egyptian religion. The Egyptians have worshiped a wide range of deities for thousands of years, including Amun, Isis, Osiris, Horus, and Thoth. However, Akhenaten only had faith in Aten, a single god.
To honor his new god, Akhenaten erected a multitude of temples. He also ordered the closure of numerous ancient temples and the removal of several ancient deities from inscriptions. Many Egyptian citizens and priests disapproved of him because of this.
Amarna
Akhenaten made the decision to erect a city in respect of the god Aten around 1346 BC. The ancient Egyptians gave the city the name Akhetaten. Archaeologists refer to it as Amarna today. Under Akhenaten, Amarna was made the nation’s capital. The Great Temple of the Aten and the royal palace were both located there.
Queen Nefertiti
Queen Nefertiti served as Akhenaten’s primary wife. Nefertiti was a queen with enormous authority. She co-ruled with Akhenaten as Egypt’s second-highest authority. A sculpture of Nefertiti that depicts her beauty has made her famous today. In the past, she was frequently referred to as “the most beautiful woman in the world.”
Changing Art
Akhenaten changed the religion and fundamentally altered Egyptian art. People were presented with ideal physique and looks before Akhenaten. Artists tended to show individuals more accurately during Akhenaten’s reign. This was a significant shift. This era produced some of the most exquisite and original works of art from Ancient Egypt.
Legacy and Death
Around 1336 BC, Akhenaten passed away. Before Akhenaten’s son Tutankhamun seized the throne, there may have been two pharaohs who ruled for a brief period of time, according to archaeologists.
After Akhenaten’s rule, Egypt quickly reverted to its original faith. Thebes once again became the seat of government, and Amarna eventually became a ghost town. Because Akhenaten disobeyed the established gods, later pharaohs had his name deleted from lists of pharaohs. In Egyptian archives, he was sometimes referred to as “the enemy”.
Akhenaten Facts That Are Interesting
His mother, Queen Tiye, most certainly had an impact on his religious views.
Not long after Akhenaten’s passing, the city of Amarna was abandoned.
It is likely that Akhenaten had Marfan’s syndrome, a condition.
Though his body was not discovered there, he was probably interred at the royal tomb in Amarna. It might have been removed to the Valley of the Kings or destroyed.