| | '''Akhenaten''' (known variously as '''Akhenaton''' or '''Ikhnaton'''; previously as '''Amenhotep IV''') was [[pharaoh]] of [[Egypt]] from 1352 - 1336 [[B.C.]] as part of the 18th dynasty. He rejected the traditional gods of Egypt in favor of the sun, which he called [[Aton]]. He moved the capital from [[Thebes]] to Akhenaten (modern [[Amarna]]) to escape the influence of the priests of [[Amun]]. | | '''Akhenaten''' (known variously as '''Akhenaton''' or '''Ikhnaton'''; previously as '''Amenhotep IV''') was [[pharaoh]] of [[Egypt]] from 1352 - 1336 [[B.C.]] as part of the 18th dynasty. He rejected the traditional gods of Egypt in favor of the sun, which he called [[Aton]]. He moved the capital from [[Thebes]] to Akhenaten (modern [[Amarna]]) to escape the influence of the priests of [[Amun]]. |
| − | Statues of him show an artistic form new in Egypt, including various deformities which have led some scholars to conclude he had [[Marfan's syndrome]] or [[Frolich’s syndrome]]. A thorough examination of the royal mummies did not uncover evidence of unusual diseases or deformities, so the depictions are most likely an artistic style.<ref name=Hawass>Zahi Hawass, PhD, et al., "[http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=185393 Ancestry and Pathology in King Tutankhamun's Family]", ''JAMA''</ref> In addition, various courtiers were depicted in a similar style.<ref name="AIG">John Ashton & David Down. ''[http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/utp/akhenaten-and-nefertiti-the-beautiful Unwrapping the Pharaohs, chapter 21]'''</ref> | + | Statues of him show an artistic form new in Egypt, including various deformities which have led some scholars to conclude he had [[Marfan's syndrome]] or [[Fröhlich’s syndrome]]. A thorough examination of the royal mummies did not uncover evidence of unusual diseases or deformities, so the depictions are most likely an artistic style.<ref name=Hawass>Zahi Hawass, PhD, et al., "[http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=185393 Ancestry and Pathology in King Tutankhamun's Family]", ''JAMA''</ref> In addition, various courtiers were depicted in a similar style.<ref name="AIG">John Ashton & David Down. ''[http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/utp/akhenaten-and-nefertiti-the-beautiful Unwrapping the Pharaohs, chapter 21]'''</ref> |
| | A bust of Akhenaten's beautiful primary wife, [[Nefertiti]], has made her one of the best-known Egyptian queens. In Akhenaten declining years, she served as a regent with the reign name Nerferneferuatan. She continued to rule under this name "Akhenaten-less" for a short time after Akhenaten's death.<ref name=Allen>Allen, James, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20120301142642/http://cassian.memphis.edu/history/murnane/Allen.pdf The Amarna Succession], ''Causing His Name to Live: Studies in Egyptian Epigraphy and History in Memory of William J. Murnane,'' University of Memphis, 2007.</ref> This is followed by the reign of Smenkhkare, a brother of Akhenaten. Within a year of Akhenaten's death, both Nerferneferuatan and Smenkhkare disappeared from the records and [[Tutankhamun]], a boy of 10 or 11 at this time, ascended to the throne.<ref name="Allen" /> Real power in this period may have been held by Ay, a vizier appointed by Akhenaten. Tut reversed many of Akenaten's policies. Egypt reverted to [[polytheism]] and the priests of Amun regained power. | | A bust of Akhenaten's beautiful primary wife, [[Nefertiti]], has made her one of the best-known Egyptian queens. In Akhenaten declining years, she served as a regent with the reign name Nerferneferuatan. She continued to rule under this name "Akhenaten-less" for a short time after Akhenaten's death.<ref name=Allen>Allen, James, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20120301142642/http://cassian.memphis.edu/history/murnane/Allen.pdf The Amarna Succession], ''Causing His Name to Live: Studies in Egyptian Epigraphy and History in Memory of William J. Murnane,'' University of Memphis, 2007.</ref> This is followed by the reign of Smenkhkare, a brother of Akhenaten. Within a year of Akhenaten's death, both Nerferneferuatan and Smenkhkare disappeared from the records and [[Tutankhamun]], a boy of 10 or 11 at this time, ascended to the throne.<ref name="Allen" /> Real power in this period may have been held by Ay, a vizier appointed by Akhenaten. Tut reversed many of Akenaten's policies. Egypt reverted to [[polytheism]] and the priests of Amun regained power. |