During the Eighteenth dynasty period, Akhenaten was a pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt. He was the son of Pharaoh Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye and was also known as Amenhotep IV. Akhenaten was popular as well as controversial for bringing about certain revolutionary changes in the well established religious beliefs.  However, it is ambiguous whether he ruled along with his father Amenhotep III or succeeded him.

In the early years of his life, Akhenaten worshiped the traditional god of Egypt, Amon-Re. He had beautified the southern entrance of the temple of Amon-Re. But soon drifted from the customary practice of worshipping the traditional gods. Akhenaten began to worship the new supreme deity Aten, the sun god and built a temple at the Eastern Karnak known as the Gempaaten in this deity’s honor. This temple was constructed within the first year of Akhenaten’s reign.

In the honor of his deity, Akhenaten built some temples at Karnak-like Rud-menu and Teni-menu. Akhenaten demolished Amenhotep’s cartouches which had the encryption of Amon’s name, vandalized the sites or temples built in the name of Amon. This act caused a great amount of unrest and anguish amongst the people of Egypt.

As a tribute to Aten, Akhenaten had built a city known as Amarna between 1353-1335 BC. During the Amarna period, massive modifications were brought about and people’s mundane life was depicted in the Egyptian art forms. Akhenaten was believed to have an elongated head, big breasts, bloated belly and small legs. The name of the Amarna city was later on changed to Akhenaton.

In the fifth year of his regime, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten, a step taken to show his loyalty towards Aten, the Sun God. During Akhenaten’s rule, the city of Amarna became the religious center.  Akhenaten was known to redirect the funds to aid Aten. In the Year nine of his reign, Akhenaten declared that Aten was the only god and that he was a messenger of God.

Akhenaten’s Reign

Egypt had an alliance with Mitanni and Akhenaten’s relations with Tushratta, the emperor of Mitanni are presumed to have fallen out. Another allied state of Egypt, Hittites invaded Mitanni and conquered a considerable portion of Mitanni.

Akhenaten faced problems as his intervention was necessary to solve the dispute between Shechem and Jerusalem. During the invasion of Byblos by Amurru, the ruler of Byblos is believed to have written letters to Akhenaten requesting him to extend his support. However, Akhenaten is said to have ignored the letters sent by the king of Byblos.

Akhenaten gradually left the control of Egypt in the hands of the government functionaries and other diplomats which made these bureaucrats more powerful.  It is said that the emperor’s of the states and governors under Egyptian control often wrote to Akhenaten’s about their difficulties and grievances. When the Amarna Letters were unearthed, this essential information regarding the pharaoh’s rule and his foreign policies was found out.

In the Amarna period, the problem of plague and influenza epidemic, famines and ailments were rampant.  It is believed that not only several children and Suppiluliumas but the king of Hittite also died because of this epidemic outburst. For the first time in Egypt, the eruption of influenza was documented and later on began to spread in areas that were close to Egypt.

Akhenaten died around 1336 or 1334 BC. Soon after his death, everything was annihilated in Egypt. Though the religious alterations and reforms brought about by Akhenaten were somewhat accepted by the priests and the subjects. But after his death, his successors enforced the customary traditional religious beliefs and started worshiped the traditional gods of Egypt. Thus, the revolutionary religious revolution by Akhenaten was restricted to his reign.