Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV)

Main article: History of Ancient Egypt

Pharaoh Akhenaten reigned for 17 years (1367-1350 BC).

Akhenaten's coup is the first official proclamation of monotheism in world history

The first five years of rule in full accordance with ancient tradition, he stayed with his court in Uaset (Thebes), at the center of the cult of Amun-Ra, "king of the gods." But already at this time, trends were manifested, which gradually led to a break with Amon-Ra, the patron god of Egypt, Uaset and the royal house.

Already in some texts from the time of Amenhotep ІІI, the father of Akhenaten, the word "Aton" is found, meaning "Solar Disk." It is difficult to say what explains the increasing use of the word, but probably even under Amenhotep IІІ the cult of Aton as a solar deity appeared in Uaset. Two circumstances speak in favor of this assumption: firstly, the pleasure boat of Queen Tia, the wife of Amenhotep ІIІ and the mother of Amenhotep ІV Akhenaten, in which she sailed in a pond specially dug for her, was called the "Shining of Aton"; secondly, the texts of tomb N 46 in Uaset during the time of Amenhotep ІIІ mention the title of the one who is buried in it - "the manager of the palace of Aton." There are other indications of the appearance in Thebes of the cult of the new solar deity Aton. In other words, the cult of Aton in Uaset arose already under Amenhotep IІІ, if not earlier. Apparently, Aton was one of the hypostases of the solar god of the city, Jonu (Heliopolis) Ra-Harahti, or is somehow closely associated with him.

The new ruler of Egypt, Amenhotep ІV, in Thebes began to noticeably deviate from the traditions of the cult of Amun. This manifests itself in art: in the images, the symbolism of Amun-Ra and other ancient gods disappears and a new image appears - the Solar Disk, the rays of which end with the hands of human hands with symbols of life and power.

Official traditional immobility, detachment in the images of the king and his family are replaced by dynamism, naturalism, and familiarity with earthly life. Very accurately, or maybe somewhat exaggerated, the unattractive features of the royal physique are reproduced.

The head of the colossus Akhenaten with the removal of the god Shu - the eldest son of the Sun. From the temple of Gempaaton in Karnak. Sandstone, 14th century BC Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum. Photo - Kenneth Garrett

This contrast between the old and new styles is especially striking in the Theban tomb of Vezir Amenhotep ІV named Ramose (the king is depicted here in the old, then in the new style). The tomb is not finished, and what became of the vezir is unknown. Following him, other nobles began to "disappear." Sources remain completely silent about the events of the subsequent time. We can only assume that the gap between the new pharaoh, his innovative art and the cult of the new god Aton, on the one hand, and the Theban priesthood and ancient traditions, on the other, deepened everything.

Moving the capital from Ouacet to Achetaton

In the sixth year of his reign, Amenhotep ІV moves his residence to the new, newly built capital of Achetaton (modern El Amarna), north of Thebes, on the east bank of the Nile, where nothing reminded the new pharaoh of either the god Amun or his rich and haughty priesthood. Here everything was permeated with the cult of a new god - Aton. A grand temple was erected for him. Akhenaten's coup was the earliest official proclamation of monotheism in world history.

A new bureaucracy and a new priesthood, the priesthood of the god Aton, appeared around the pharaoh. Whiset fell into disrepair. Any income ceased to flow into the treasury of Amun, the names of Amon and other deities themselves were persecuted - they were everywhere erased in inscriptions. Amon's name was erased even in the cartouches of the late Amenhotep ІII. The king, who bore the theophoric name Amenhotep ("Amon is satisfied"), replaced him with Akhenaten ("pleasing to Aton"). During the reign of Akhenaten, religious intolerance manifested itself for the first time and once in the history of ancient Egypt.

The cult of Aton, in essence and in form, was sharply different from the cult of Amon and all other ancient gods:

• the new god had neither anthropomorphic nor even more zoomorphic iconography;
• the image of him was not embodied in statues, there were no myths and legends about him;
• he had no relation to the mythology of other gods.

It was a naturalistic cult - a cult of the most life-giving sun, in other words, a cult of the great power of nature, simple and clear, devoid of theological and mythological tricks, embellishment and symbolism. The temple of Aton was open to everyone, there were no places inaccessible to believers in it. Gifts were brought to the open altars to the great and united new god.

How did his admirers imagine this god, starting with Akhenaten himself? The answer to this question gives us a magnificent hymn to the god Aton, apparently composed by Akhenaten himself or at his direction. Aton is the life-giving power of space; he is the creator of the whole world, animals and people. Having created people, Aton endowed them with various linguistic and ethnic characteristics, different skin colors. He created both Egypt and foreign countries - Syria, Kush - and ensures their existence. In other words, Aton is a universal god, good for all and all.

"Amenhotep ІV rejected the age-old Egyptian polytheism and established as a state faith the veneration of the sun alone along with his son and likeness to Pharaoh." It is wonderful that "the first sun-worshiping innovations of the king and even the accession of the sun to the detriment of all other Egyptian deities were carried out in the old capital," that is, in Ouaset. But after the yard moved to the new capital, not only the names of the old gods, but the words "gods" themselves, "god" not only ceased to appear on sun-worshiping monuments, but sometimes even were exterminated in previous inscriptions. Thus, in the country, by the will of the king, due to his authority and real power, virtually strict monotheism was established, replacing ancient polytheism. "Even on the outskirts of the country, in the most remote temple lands, metropolitan events followed. In the capital itself in the city of Ne (i.e. in Uaset) people of a very modest social situation in every possible way avoided using the word 'god' on their own funeral utensils. In some places, however, old traditions broke through. In the inscription of the ruler of one city near Achetaton, the god Khnum is mentioned. " However, such facts were isolated. The power of royal power brought, at least externally, the whole country to its knees before the god Aton. "There was a complete rejection of the old gods... At the same time, it was a complete triumph and the completion of the idea of ​ ​ the sun as a pharaoh, a performance that clearly appeared in the new sun worship... A new faith... began to see in Pharaoh and in the sun only two supernatural kings. "

Let's summarize:

1) the cult of Aton was an expression of genuine monotheism, but a specific, life-giving force of nature - the sun - was deified;

2) the sun was not only a god, but also a prototype of Pharaoh;

3) Pharaoh was the son and likeness of Aton. Here there are ideas accompanying the Heliopolian cult of the god Ra: a) Ra is the sun god (as is Aton); b) Ra is the creator of the world and all things; c) Ra - the prototype of the pharaoh; d) Pharaoh - son and likeness of Ra.

In other words, Akhenaten threw out elements of mythology, symbolism and polytheism from the Heliopolian doctrine of God Ra, preserving only everything directly "sun-worshiping" in a rationalized form. The sun-worshiping connection of the doctrine of Aton with Heliopolian views is completely obvious, wrote M.A. Korostovtsev.

There can hardly be any doubt that Amenhotep ІV preferred Aton over Theban Amon in the early period of his reign, back in Ouacet. It is quite understandable that such an action provoked resistance from the Theban priesthood and marked the beginning of his fierce struggle with Amenhotep ІV. Both struggling sides were very strong, but still the advantage was on the side of the king: "Amenhotep ІV was the least complacent dreamer, as some researchers wanted to imagine him too hastily. It was a formidable ruler, and the reprisals that he repaired over the disobedience of his will were terrible... Pharaoh's anger befell not only the leaders of the previous reign, but also, and almost to a greater extent, the king's own associates, who had recently been entrusted with power and trust. "

The downside of this activity of intimidation and destruction was the creation of a more or less cohesive core of like-minded people and associates. The king's new environment was not chosen from the old priesthood and nobility, but from the people. Favored by Pharaoh, nominated by him to high posts and completely dependent on his will, these new associates, sincerely or for career purposes, meekly obeyed Pharaoh and did everything to be known as convinced admirers of Aton.

The official monotheism introduced by Amenhotep ІV briefly outlived its creator and organizer. Under the second successor of Amenhotep ІV, Pharaoh Tutankhaton (Tutankhamun), who ascended the throne in 1347 BC and died already in 1339 BC (the three-year period between the death of Akhenaten and the accession to the throne of Tutankhaton is filled with the rule of Smenkhkar), the restoration of the cult of Amun, other gods and in general all ancient traditions took place. Priesthood and nobility were eliminated during the reign of Tutankhaton, who changed his name to Tutankhamun, all the innovations of Akhenaten.

The doctrine of Aton was the product of Akhenaten's mind and will. This does not mean, of course, that it had no real soil. The conflict between Pharaoh and the Theban priesthood, which arose during the time of Pharaoh's stay in Ouaset, grew into a grandiose struggle. The banner of the pharaoh in this struggle was Aton, on the side of the priesthood were Amon and the old gods. In the process of struggle, significant shifts took place in the ruling top of the country. Having crushed the material and religious assistance of the old priesthood and nobility, Pharaoh replaced this grouping with a new one, from people chosen by him.

Akhenaten's monotheism was passively received by the people, who for centuries and even millennia were brought up in the spirit of the beliefs of extensive polytheism, which formed an integral part of his spiritual life. Pharaoh God Aton was out of reach and incomprehensible, he could not replace the people with the sounds of great and small gods, all kinds of spirits, "communication" with which was an urgent, everyday need.

The weak point of Aton's religion was an indifferent attitude towards the traditional and so expensive teaching of the afterlife for the Egyptians and the associated idea of ​ ​ afterlife retribution. The Egyptian believing in the afterlife turned out to be disoriented, and there were most of them, and they were all in the camp of opponents of Aton.