Akhenaten

Akhenaten was believed to have been born sometime between 1362 and 1379 BC. He became pharoah around 1353 BC during the 18th dynasty and was married to Nefertiti, who historians believe to have been related to him. It is also thought he married his third daughter of six, Ankhesenamen and that they may have produced one offspring, a girl.

During his reign as Pharoah, Akhenaten made major changes to the Egyptian system. Most notably was a religious revolution. He overthrew Egyptian polytheism and insisted that a single god would be worshipped instead. In this case it was the god Aten, otherwise known as the sun. After his death these changes were short-lived.

He also had a significant influence on the Egyptian art style, which set him apart from those who went before him. It was also thought that he was the father of King Tutankhamun.

He died in 1336.

Interesting sites

Valley of the Kings

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Tell el-Amarna

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Related articles

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Akhenaten, Tut, Nefertiti – they all kept up this fortress in the Sinai Desert. The aim? To preserve their peaceful idyll.

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Related artefacts

The Younger Lady mummy from KV35, Ritual Figures of King Tut Hunting a Hippopotamus, The Stroll in the Garden, Restoration Stela, Ritual Figures of King Tut Astride a Panther, Statue of Akhenaten, House Altar Depiciting Akhenaten, Nefertiti and Daughters, Group Sculpture Of The Pharaoh With God Amun, Chariot of Tutankhamun, Canopic Human-Headed Stoppers, Tutankhamun Shabti, Canopic Chest of Tutankhamun, Colossal Statue of Tutankhamun (Horemheb Belt), The Ritual Figure of Sekhmet, Limestone stela with a seated figure of Akhenaten

Alternative names

Amenhotep IV

Interesting Publications

The Hemlock Cup: Socrates, Athens and the Search for the Good Life

Jonathan Cape Ltd (8 Oct 2010)

by Bettany Hughes

Amarna Sunset: Nefertiti, Tutankhamun, Ay, Horemheb, and the Egyptian Counter-Reformation

The American University in Cairo Press (15 Nov 2009)

by Aidan Dodson

Amarna: The Missing Evidence

Peach Pixel (2009)

by Sue Moseley

Images

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