Akhenaten

NAME: Akhenaten was originally named Amenhotep IV, meaning "Amun is satisfied". He changed his name to Akhenaten, meaning "Effective for the Aten", in the fifth year of his reign.

WHAT FAMOUS FOR: Akhenaten is famous for his religious reforms, his artistic style, and his family life. He abandoned the traditional worship of many gods and focused on the cult of Aten, building a new capital city called Akhetaten (modern Amarna) and closing the temples of other gods. 

Akhenaten also introduced a new artistic style that depicted him and his family in a more naturalistic and exaggerated way, showing their emotions and physical features. 

BIRTH: Akhenaten was born around 1380 BC, the son of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye. He was probably the second son, but his older brother Thutmose died young, making him the heir to the throne.

FAMILY BACKGROUND: Akhenaten came from a powerful and wealthy family that ruled Egypt for over a century. His father Amenhotep III was a successful and popular pharaoh who expanded Egypt's influence and prestige. His mother Tiye was a strong and influential queen who came from a non-royal family. Akhenaten had several siblings, including a sister named Sitamun who married their father.

CHILDHOOD: Little is known about Akhenaten's childhood, but he probably grew up in the royal palace of Malkata in Thebes, surrounded by luxury and splendor. 

EDUCATION: Akhenaten's education is not well documented, but he may have learned from tutors and priests about the history, culture, and religion of Egypt. He also showed some artistic talent and appreciation for poetry and music. He may have been influenced by some foreign ideas and beliefs, especially from Syria and Babylon.

CAREER RECORD: Akhenaten's career as a pharaoh was marked by radical changes and challenges. He ascended the throne around 1353 BC, at a time when Egypt was prosperous and stable. However, he soon began to introduce reforms that altered the religious, artistic, and political landscape of Egypt. He promoted the worship of Aten as the only god, moved the capital from Thebes to Akhetaten, and supported a new style of art that broke with tradition. 

Akhenaten  neglected the foreign affairs and military defense of Egypt, losing some of its allies and territories. He faced opposition and resistance from some segments of society, especially the priests of Amun who lost their power and wealth.

APPEARANCE: Akhenaten's appearance was unusual and distinctive. He had a long face, a thin neck, a prominent chin, full lips, almond-shaped eyes, and long ears. He also had a slender body with wide hips, a protruding belly, thin arms and legs, and female-like breasts. Some scholars have suggested that he may have suffered from some genetic or medical condition that caused these features, such as Marfan syndrome or Froelich's syndrome. Others have argued that he deliberately portrayed himself in this way to symbolize his role as a creator and nurturer of life. Some debate about the accuracy of his depictionsdue to artistic style.

Wooden standing statue of Akhenaten. Currently in the Egyptian Museum of Berlin By Miguel Hermoso Cuesta - Wikipedia

FASHION: Akhenaten's fashion reflected his religious devotion to Aten. He often wore a blue crown with a sun disk and uraeus (cobra) on it, symbolizing his connection to the sun god. Akhenaten also wore long white robes with colorful patterns and fringes, gold jewelry, sandals, and sometimes a false beard. He sometimes appeared bare-chested or naked in his monuments to show his fertility and humanity.

CHARACTER: Akhenaten's character is hard to judge from the available sources, but he seems to have been a visionary and a reformer who wanted to transform Egypt according to his beliefs. He may have been sincere and passionate about his faith in Aten, or he may have been arrogant and authoritarian in imposing his will on others. 

Akhenaten may have been a loving husband and father who cared for his family, or he may have been an isolated ruler who ignored the needs of his people. He may have been a genius or a madman or both.

SENSE OF HUMOUR: There is no evidence that Akhenaten had a sense of humour or enjoyed jokes or laughter. His religious views were very serious and solemn, and he did not tolerate any mockery or criticism of his god or himself. He may have found some joy and pleasure in music and poetry, but he did not express any humour in his art or literature.

RELATIONSHIPS: Akhenaten's most important relationship was with his wife Nefertiti, who was his chief consort and co-regent. She shared his religious views and supported his reforms. She also bore him six daughters: Meritaten, Meketaten, Ankhesenamun, Neferneferuaten, Neferneferure, and Setepenre.  Akhenaten loved his wife and daughters and often depicted them with him in his monuments. 

Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their children By Neoclassicism Enthusiast Wikipedia

He may have also had other wives or concubines, such as Kiya, who may have been the mother of his son Tutankhamun. He also had some diplomatic marriages with foreign princesses, such as Tadukhipa of Mitanni and the daughters of Burna-Buriash II of Babylon.

MONEY AND FAME: Akhenaten was very rich and famous as the pharaoh of Egypt, the most powerful and wealthy country in the ancient world. 

He inherited a vast fortune from his father and spent it lavishly on building projects, temples, palaces, statues, and tombs for himself and his god. Akhenaten also received tribute and gifts from other kings and rulers who recognized his authority and prestige. However, he also lost some of his money and fame due to his neglect of foreign affairs and military defense. He failed to maintain Egypt's empire and influence in Asia and Africa, and he faced rebellions and invasions from some of his vassals and enemies.

FOOD AND DRINK: Akhenaten ate and drank like any other Egyptian king, enjoying a variety of foods and beverages that were available to him. He ate bread, meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, cheese, honey, and sweets. He drank beer, wine, milk, water, and juices. He also offered food and drink to his god Aten as part of his worship.

MUSIC AND ARTS: Akhenaten had a great interest in music and arts, especially those related to his religion. He composed hymns and songs praising Aten, such as the famous "Great Hymn to the Aten," which expresses his devotion and gratitude to the sun god. 

Akhenaten encouraged a new style of art that was more realistic and expressive than the traditional one. He commissioned artists to portray him and his family in various scenes of daily life, showing their emotions and interactions. 

He also introduced new forms of architecture that used natural light and open spaces to create a sense of harmony with nature.

LITERATURE: Akhenaten was a patron of literature, especially poetry. He wrote or inspired many poems that celebrated Aten and his creation. He also used literature as a way of communicating his religious ideas and teachings to his people. He wrote letters and decrees that explained his reforms and policies. 

Akhenaten wrote personal letters to other kings and rulers, such as the Amarna Letters, which reveal some aspects of his diplomatic relations.

NATURE: Akhenaten had a deep appreciation for nature and its beauty. He saw nature as a manifestation of Aten's power and benevolence. He admired the sun's disk as the source of life and light for all creatures. 

Akhenaten also enjoyed the sight of plants, animals, rivers, mountains, stars, and seasons. He depicted nature in his art and literature as a way of expressing his awe and wonder.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS: Akhenaten did not seem to have any hobbies or sports that he practiced or enjoyed. He was more focused on his religious duties and activities than on leisure or entertainment. He did not participate in hunting or warfare or play any games or instruments like other Egyptians. 

SCIENCE AND MATHS: No personal contributions recorded, but his reign saw advancements in engineering and construction related to Akhetaten.

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY: Akhenaten was a philosopher and theologian who developed a new system of thought and belief based on his worship of Aten. He rejected the traditional polytheistic religion of Egypt that involved many gods, myths, rituals, temples, priests, magic, festivals, etc. He replaced it with a monotheistic religion that involved only one god, Aten, who was the creator and sustainer of everything. Akhenaten claimed that he was the only son of Aten who knew him personally and could reveal him to others. He taught that Aten was the only true god who deserved love and obedience from all people. 

SCANDAL  Akhenaten's religious reforms were highly controversial. He closed the temples of other gods, confiscated their lands and wealth, and erased their names from monuments. His radical reforms were seen as heretical and offensive by many Egyptians, especially the powerful priesthood of Amun. After his death, his successors tried to erase his memory and restore the old religion.  

MILITARY RECORD Akhenaten's military record is not very clear, as most of his inscriptions focus on his religious reforms and his family life. However, it seems that he neglected Egypt's foreign affairs and lost control over some of its vassal states in Syria and Palestine. He also faced rebellions and invasions from the Nubians and the Libyans. Some historians suggest that he was more interested in diplomacy than warfare, and that he maintained peaceful relations with the Hittites and the Mitanni. He also exchanged letters and gifts with other rulers, such as Burna-Buriash II of Babylon and Tushratta of Mitanni.  

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Sculptures suggest a slender build, but health is unknown.

HOMES Akhenaten's main home was his new capital city of Akhetaten, which he built on a virgin site on the east bank of the Nile. The city was designed according to his religious vision, with a central temple dedicated to Aten, surrounded by palaces, administrative buildings, workshops, gardens, and tombs. The city was also decorated with numerous reliefs and statues depicting Akhenaten, his wife Nefertiti, and their six daughters in intimate and naturalistic scenes. Akhenaten also had other homes in Memphis, Heliopolis, and Amarna, where he built smaller temples for Aten.  

TRAVEL Akhenaten's travel activities are not well documented, but it is likely that he visited some of the major cities of Egypt during his reign. He may have traveled to Memphis, the traditional residence of the pharaohs, to perform ceremonies and rituals and Heliopolis, the cult center of Re-Harakhte, the god whom he initially associated with Aten. He may have also traveled to Amarna, where he had another temple for Aten, and where he may have planned to be buried. However, he probably avoided Thebes, the former capital and the stronghold of Amun's worship.  

DEATH Akhenaten's death is shrouded in mystery and controversy. He died in his 17th year of reign, around 1336 or 1334 BC, but the cause of his death is unknown. Some speculate that he died of natural causes, such as a disease or an accident. Others suggest that he was assassinated by his enemies or by members of his own family who opposed his religious reforms. 

His burial place is also uncertain. He may have been buried in a royal tomb in Akhetaten, but his body may have been later moved to another location by his successors. Some scholars believe that Akhenaten was buried in tomb KV55 in the Valley of the Kings, but this is disputed by others who argue that the mummy found there belongs to another pharaoh.  

Akhenaten's restored the traditional Egyptian religion with the original gods. The Aten temples were demolished, and Akhenaten became known as "the Enemy."

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Akhenaten has appeared in various forms of media over time, reflecting different interpretations of his character and legacy. He has been portrayed as a visionary reformer, a mad fanatic, a romantic lover, a tragic hero, or a mysterious figure. Some examples of media works featuring Akhenaten are:

- Akhnaton (1973), a verse drama by Agatha Christie

- Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth (1985), a novel by Naguib Mahfouz

- Akhenaten and Nefertiti (1973), a biography by Cyril Aldred

- Akhenaten and Nefertiti (1984), a ballet by Philip Glass

- The Egyptian (1954), a film by Michael Curtiz

ACHIEVEMENTS Akhenaten introduced a unique religious system, pioneered a groundbreaking artistic style, and left a lasting legacy despite its eventual reversal.