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Fact 3 |
Akhenaten used the might of the military commanders to destroy the old religion and its powerful priesthood who worshipped all the gods particularly the main god Amun at the Temple of Karnak at Thebes |
Fact 4 |
The Egyptians worshipped almost 2000 different gods, and had done so for literally thousands of years |
Fact 5 |
About 4 years into his reign, Akhenaten declared that all the old gods should be abandoned and replaced by a sole god - the Aten |
Fact 6 |
Akhenaten was first known as first known as Amenhotep meaning "Amun is content" but changed his name to Akhenaten, meaning "Effective for Aten" when he forced the change to monotheism |
Fact 7 |
Akhenaten built a new city called Amarna which was located on the banks of the Nile about midway between Thebes and Memphis |
Fact 8 |
He forced the population of Thebes, totalling over 20,000, to move to the new city of Amarna abandoning their businesses, homes and religion at Thebes |
Fact 9 |
The role of the priest in the new religion was decreased as only the Pharaoh and his chief wife Nefertiti were allowed to directly worship the Aten. |
Fact 10 |
Akhenaten ordered that all images of all other gods were ordered to be destroyed. |
Fact 11 |
The traditional temple based economy, run by priests of Amun, was destroyed and run by local administrators and military commanders |
Fact 12 |
The new regime became corrupt and in 1337 BC, after a reign of 17 years, it is believed that Akhenaten was forced to abdicate and soon after died |
Fact 13 |
In 1334BC when Tutankhamun was just 9 years old he was made Pharaoh |
Fact 14 |
In 1331 BC there was a growing backlash against the new religion and the young pharaoh changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamun and the new city of Armana was abandoned when Tutankhamun was forced to return to Thebes |
Fact 15 |
King Tutdied unexpectedly in the year of 1325 at the age of 18/19 and was replaced by the Pharaoh Ay |
Fact 16 |
Temples to the old gods were reopened, their worship was allowed and the roles of some of the priests of Amun were restored. But the god Aten remained as the supreme god, allowing continued worship of the Aten. |
Fact 17 |
After a brief rule of just 4 years Ay died. Their names were struck from royal lists and their tombs and monuments were usurped. |
Fact 18 |
General Horemheb became Pharaoh. Horemheb had the names of Ay, Akhenaten, Nefertiti and to a lesser extent Tutankhamun publically condemned and removed from Ancient Egyptian records and history. |
Fact 19 |
The tomb of Ay, his sarcophagus and paintings were all violently desecrated indicating the hatred that Horemheb felt towards Ay |
Fact 20 |
The Ancient Egyptian revolution ended in 1321 BC with the death of Ay |
Egyptian Religious Revolution Egyptian Religious Revolution |
King Tut Index |
King Tut Treasures & Exhibits |
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