1347 BCE
Egyptian Echo
Issue #10
Akhenaton and Monotheism
Akhenaton’s Outlandish Religious Reform.
A worthy decision or a lead to demise?
Five years after the coronation of Amenhotep IV (Akhenaton) in 1352 BCE a series of religious reforms have swept the nation into a
monotheistic belief. In Akhenaton’s newly built capital city of Akhetaten a declaration of religious pronouncements stating that the
people of Egypt can only worship one God, Aton were released. This new rule affects everyone’s daily lives and upheaves long-held
traditions. Still riding the high of Thutmose III’s success a decline is foreseen, and Akhenaton’s religious matters are driving us towards
our demise.
With Akhenaton only being in throne for five years by 1347
BCE his religious ideologies could be seen from the very
beginning. Akhenaton placed special focus on the Gods AmunRe and Re-Harakhti during his first four years of rule. These
sun-gods were just the foreshadowing to Akhenaton’s reforms.
Just this year Akhenaton built a new capital city, Akhetaten. In
his reformation he states that this new capital city will be home to
one God and one God only, Aton. From here on out the
religion that we know, and love will be eradicated from our lives.
After Akhenaton’s declaration, attempts to erase our past beliefs
and traditions started. He sent out people to remove and replace
art forms that didn’t conform to his new beliefs. He has defaced
temples of traditional Gods and chiseled out any mention of
their livelihood. Production of architectural and art forms are
still spewed out at unbelievable rates all focused on the God
Aton.
Being all consumed with religious reform Akhenaton neglects
other aspects of ruling. The current threats from the Hittite
nation are plain ignored and are causing an uproar of anger.
So, is Akhenaton’s choices worthy or is this the lead up to our
demise? I’ll let you decide, but my opinion remains unchanged.
This religious reform is the lead up to our demise.
Being forced to turn our backs and attempt to forget hundreds
of years of our history is showing an outpour of anger. Tie this
into the fact that Akhenaton neglects every other aspect of life
except for religion, and we have ourselves a building catastrophe.
Akhenaton’s new rules challenges past authorities and is causing
rising tensions between pharaoh and people. His obsession with
being the sole power through the God Aton is sending ripples
through the vast polytheistic past religion.
The people are rightfully angry with being forced to turn their
backs to hundreds of years of tradition, but this isn’t the only
problem. Akhenaton’s focus on reform has left the lives of his
people, trade, foreign communications, and militaristic
advancements a second priority. His focuses neglect the basic
needs for survival and challenge the authority of military regime.
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