Religion of Akhenaton
Amenhotep IV was the tenth king of the 18th Egyptian Dynasty and was perhaps the most controversial because of his break with traditional religion. It has been said by some that he was the most remarkable king to sit upon Egypt's throne. Amenhotep IV was traditionally raised by his parents, Amenhotep III and Queen Tiy by worshipping Amen. Amenhotep IV, however, preferred Aten, the Sun God that was worshipped in earlier times. Early in his reign he changed his name to Akhenaton, meaning "He Who is of Service to Aton" and renamed his queen to Nefer-Nefru-Aten, which is "Beautiful is the Beauty of Aten." The king and his queen, leaving Thebes behind, built elaborate buildings at Akhenaten (Amarna) "The Horizon of Aten." He then sent his officials around to destroy Amen's statues and to desecrate the worship sites. These actions were so contrary to the traditional that opposition arose against him. The estates of the great temples of Thebes, Memphis and Heliopolis......
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Approximate Pages: 7 (260 words per double-spaced page) |