Father and Son: Amenhotep III's and Akhenaton's Religious Exploitation

Father and Son: Amenhotep III’s and Akhenaton’s Religious Exploitation

Samantha Walker
NMC101Y1
Professor Goebs
November 20, 2008

Enduring for 250 years, the Eighteenth Dynasty was the greatest period in Egypt’s civilization in terms of the extent of its empire and in material achievement.[1] By the time Nebmaatra Amenhotep III became pharaoh, there wasn’t much for him to do in terms of progressing the nation. However, that didn’t stop him from issuing radical change and establishing greater power. Amenhotep III made a visible statement of his empire by moving the power center from Memphis to Thebes. Thebes is adorned with many of Amenhotep III’s artistic and architectural achievements. These achievements were propaganda that depicte power, wealth, and ability. Religion was an important part of Egypt’s existence and so ,understandably, the exploitation of religion was a large part of the king’s propaganda. Amenhotep III’s son, Akhenaton, continued this religious exploitation during his reign as well. Amenhotep III had used Thebes as a center for religious propaganda, leading to Akhenaton`s religious exploitation, and ultimately his monotheistic religion, Atenism.

Amenhotep III had always shown a desire to challenge the current state of affairs. It must have been obvious to him that the influential Amun clergy, who were based at the Karnak temple in Thebes, would oppose him.[2] There would have been no better place to move the power center then Thebes so that he could keep the powerful religious group under control. One of the reasons Amenhotep III continued his father Tuthmois’s emphasis on solar worship was most likely in efforts to please the Amun clergy. Loosening the effective power of the Amun Clergy could have been late on. attained by his growing connection and influence over the solar deity, which may stand as another motive for his artwork, and another intention for his use of propaganda. This theory is supported by his

Bibliography: 1) Blankenberg, C.. The Large Commemorative Scarabs of Amenhotep III. Leiden: E.J.Brill, 1960. 4) Kozloff, Arielle. Egypt’s Dazzling Sun.. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1992. 5) Dunn, J (2003). The Lions of Egypt. Tour Egypt!, Retrieved Nov. 19, 2008, from http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/lions.htm 6) AJ Giannini 7) Brewer, D.J., & E. Teeter (2007). Egypt and the Egyptians. N.Y, N.Y.: Cambridge University Press.p.52. 8) Beckford, Donald, The Sun-Disc in Akhenaten’s Program: Its Worship and Antecedents (1976)p.49. 9) Lorenz, Megaera (Jan. 15, 2000). The Art of the Amarna Period. Retrieved November 27, 2008, from The Art Of Pharaoh Akhenaten 's Reign Web site: http://www.heptune.com/art.html ----------------------- [1] Kozloff, Arielle. Egypt’s Dazzling Sun.. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1992. p.2. [2] Fletcher, Joann. Chronicle of a Pharaoh: The Intimate Life of Amenhotep III. United States: Oxford University Press, 2000.p.50. [3] Fletcher, Joann. Chronicle of a Pharaoh: The Intimate Life of Amenhotep III. United States: Oxford University Press, 2000.p.52. [4] Blankenberg, C.. The Large Commemorative Scarabs of Amenhotep III. Leiden: E.J.Brill, 1960.p.63. [5] Dunn, J (2003). The Lions of Egypt. Tour Egypt!, Retrieved Nov. 19, 2008, from http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/lions.htm [6] AJ Giannini [7] Fletcher, Joann. Chronicle of a Pharaoh: The Intimate Life of Amenhotep III. United States: Oxford University Press, 2000.p.52. [9] Fletcher, Joann. Chronicle of a Pharaoh: The Intimate Life of Amenhotep III. United States: Oxford University Press, 2000.p.51. [10] Fletcher, Joann. Chronicle of a Pharaoh: The Intimate Life of Amenhotep III. United States: Oxford University Press, 2000.p.56. [14] Beckford, Donald, The Sun-Disc in Akhenaten’s Program: Its Worship and Antecedents (1976)p.49. [15] Aldred, Cyril, Akhenaten, Pharaoh of Egypt: A New Study. London(1968)p.58. [16] Brewer, D.J., & E. Teeter (2007). Egypt and the Egyptians. N.Y, N.Y.: Cambridge University Press.p.52. [17] Brewer, D.J., & E. Teeter (2007). Egypt and the Egyptians. N.Y, N.Y.: Cambridge University Press.p.52. [18] Lorenz, Megaera (Jan. 15, 2000). The Art of the Amarna Period. Retrieved November 27, 2008, from The Art Of Pharaoh Akhenaten 's Reign Web site: http://www.heptune.com/art.html [19] Lorenz, Megaera (Jan