<<the queen may have acted as regent
for her son, but held all the powers of king.>>

The fact that a KIng's wife acted as regent for a minor child after the
father's death does not in anyway prove that she had any right to the
Throne in her own right.  She may very well have in AE where she was also
the late king's sister/daughter.  Look at Western Europe where foreign
queens have frequently served as regents.  Also to my knowledge, in most
cases a regents powers ARE those of the King.

Michael McCarthy
sokar@...

I am not familiar with the Old Kingdom data but I have seen data on females
titles in the 18th Dynasty that makes me believe that this theory did not
hold for most of the period.  WHile there were indeed many brother-sister
matches, many of the better known cases seem to be exceptions.  Thutmosis
III did indeed marry Hatshepset but I had never heard that he married her
daughter who was fathered by Thutmosis II.  AMonhotep III did not to my
knowledge marry any sister but did marry daughters while Tiy still lived.
Akhenaton did not marry a sister, and they are known to have existed, but
Nefertiti whose relation to the royal line is problematic.

Clearly the AE were not your typical bronze age patriarchal/patrilineal
society.  Clearly women had inheritance rights that they did not have
elsewhere and I have no reason to believe that these rights did not include
the Royal throne.  I simply do not believe that the evidence supports a
matrilineal descent claim tho this is not the first time I have heard of
it.  Must also add that I am not sure that the evidence would completely
support a claim that the title descended in a patrilineal fashion.  Royal
wife, Great Royal wife, and God's wife are titles that I am not sure that
we understand completely.  Will try to find that 18th dynasty chart I saw
that showed who had which titles.

Michael McCarthy
sokar@...

I am thoroughly convinced that you are correct on that
score....but there are some answers that are quite
plausible.....
1. Thutmose [III] was a very young infant when his
ailing father died....
2. He was a child of a 'concubine'..not even a 'minor
wife' [recorded]....
3. Hatshepsut was the only one with the bloodline to
qualify to be his 'regent'..which she was for several
years before 'ascending' the throne....
4. Her maternal uncle was the High Priest of the
Temple of Amun, in Wst/Thebes
5. He did, [and this is recorded in her mortuary
chapel, although one can't take those things as
'written in stone'...no pun intended], see to it that
the god, Amun 'talked' stating that Hatshepsut was a
'god' which Amun 'favored' to ascend the throne
because of her bloodline/ancestors....
6. It is now pretty well known that there were
'talking tubes' installed in many of the temples which
were in control of a priest (probably the Sem)....
7. [this is hypothesis]...Senmut/Senenmut could
possibly have been the consort of Hatshepsut...we know
that Thutmose III was 'married' to Hatshepsut when he
was just a child...but this would fit the idea of a
'ceremonial' only reason...it is also known that
Thutmose III married the oldest daughter of Hatshepsut
and Senenmut/Senmut...
8. There is no hard proof that Hatshepsut was killed
or murdered/assassinated..etc...she could have
'retired' as many royal women did in AE and lived on
her estate with Senmut.....etc.
Jane
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/egyptbeyond/
--- Michael Mccarthy <sokar@...> wrote:
> <<the mythic story of Thutmose III and
> Hatshepsut being 'mortal enemies'...and that he was
> responsible for the defacing of her monuments and
> mortuary chapel has no hard archaeological
> proof....>>
>
>
> I was at least partially aware of that.  That is why
> I am not sure that we
> understand exactly what the dynamics of the
> situation really were.
> Nominally Thutmosis III was subordinate to his aunt
> and then cut loose as a
> conqueror once she left the scene.  Have read at
> least one theory which
> made Senenmut an "eminence grise" behind her and HIS
> memory does seem to
> have been damned.  Hard to imagine a real conqueror
> king sitting passively
> for 15 years but that is what he appears to have
> done.  I suspect there is
> a lot more to the situation.
>
> Michael McCarthy
> sokar@...
>
>
>
>
>

isis1037@...
Owner/moderator
Website:
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<<the mythic story of Thutmose III and
Hatshepsut being 'mortal enemies'...and that he was
responsible for the defacing of her monuments and
mortuary chapel has no hard archaeological proof....>>


I was at least partially aware of that.  That is why I am not sure that we
understand exactly what the dynamics of the situation really were.
Nominally Thutmosis III was subordinate to his aunt and then cut loose as a
conqueror once she left the scene.  Have read at least one theory which
made Senenmut an "eminence grise" behind her and HIS memory does seem to
have been damned.  Hard to imagine a real conqueror king sitting passively
for 15 years but that is what he appears to have done.  I suspect there is
a lot more to the situation.

Michael McCarthy
sokar@...

Early Dynastic:
MERYT-NEITH/MERNEITH: ['Mernieth' was commonly a male name. The female
equivalent was 'Meryt-Neith',(mry.t nth). [Dynasty 1].
Believed to have been the third ruler of the 1st Dynasty; Early
Dynastic Period. A carved funerary monument, discovered in 1900 CE,
contains her name, and is dated to aproximately 3000 BCE. Other
excavations support the idea that she ruled with the power of a king,
and was buried with the honors of an all powerful ruler.
Her tomb was originally over-looked by the first excavators in the Umm
el Ga'ab area at Abydos, but was later identified by Petrie. Numerous
sealed jars were found in the burial chamber, which was somewhat
deeper than the storerooms of the tomb.
The tomb was surrounded by 41subsidary tombs, which may suggest
ritualistic killings at the death of a ruler at this time period.
[ie:"The Deathpit of Ur"].
Inside this tomb was also discovered the stele bearing the name
'Merneith',(Meryt-Neith), with no title or information regarding the
subject. [Much of this could have been destroyed or stolen, as the
tomb had been not only pillfered in antiquity, but also during the
early 'archaeological' excavations which destroyed more than saved and
are now considered more a 'treasure hunt' than science.]
This tomb is located in a burial complex that, apparently, was
reserved for kings. The stele contains the Horus seal, which signifies
a king. Avove her name is also the symbols for the title, "Kings'
Mother". [She is thought to have been King Djers' wife and King Dens'
mother]. It is also many Egyptologists opinion, that she originally
acted as regent for her infant son, and in so doing, officially was
recognized as a king. This was not unusual, and is thought to have
been a traditional type of transition, when necessary, accepted as
such, and in some opinions, part of the responsibility expected when
associated with matralineal descent among certain queens.
She also had a tomb complex in Saqqura, which was also a tradition of
many kings all through the AE history.

ANKHESENPEPI II; (aka: Ankhnesmeryre II; Meryre-ankh-nas). [Dynasty 6;
Old Kingdom]:
King Pepi I;(Mery-re), is believed to have married two sisters with
the same name. One was the mother of Pepi II. Apparently, after the
death of the father and an older brother, (Merenre), Pepi II became
king at the age of 6 years. Again, the queen may have acted as regent
for her son, but held all the powers of king. Her tomb is believed to
have been found recently by a French team. [6-2000 CE].
There were several usurpations in this period, and seems to have been
a battle associated with religious tenets. [The Cult of Re in the
north (Lower Egypt), vs. several gods favored locally by the different
usurpers]. By the 6th Dynasty, it seems to have returned to a more
settled time period and re-associated with Re.

NITOCRIS; [6th Dynasty; Old Kingdom]:
She is mentioned in the Turin Canon and also described by the Greek
historian, Manetho, as being 'braver than any man', as well as
beautiful. [ This was, of course, related to him by Egyptians as part
of their historic traditions].
Herodotus, another Greek historian, states that a group of
conspirators asassinated the king, (brother of Nitocris), and
installed her on the throne. Based on what happened next,(according to
the story which Herodotus related), one could assume that this was
against her will at the time. He described how she caused a large
underground chamber to be constructed, invited all the men she
believed involved in the death of her brother to a large, sumptuous
dinner, and then committed suicide by throwing herself onto "burning
embers". [There is also a translation which includes the fact that
these conspirators were then killed, also].
There is no evidence that she ruled, other than a mention by later
Ptolomaic historians, but if she did, she would have been the last of
the 6th Dyanasty 'kings'. (Rather than Pepi II).

SOBEKNEFERU: [Already posted in the archives].

QUEEN TETISHERI: [17 D.; 2nd Intermediate Period]
Wife of King SequenenreTao I, ruled Egypt in his place as co-regent,
while he was conducting military campaigns against the Hyksos and
Nubia, with all the powers of a king. By the New Kingdom Period, she
was considered and referred to, as "The Mother of the New Kingdom".

QUEEN AHHOTEP: [17th D.; 2nd Intermediate Period]
Married to SequenenreTao II, she ruled Egypt as a co-regent while he,
too, was engaged in military campaigns against the Hyksos. She was the
mother of the later King Ahmose, (who successfully ejected the Hyksos
from Egypt), and probably the mother of Khamose(Kamose), although
there is conjecture about he, perhaps, being an uncle of Ahmose rather
than a brother.
This queen was awarded the highest battlefield honor, the Order of the
Golden Fly, which was only given for the highest bravery in the
battlefield. [This medal was found in her tomb]. This leads one to
suppose that she may have led a military campaign herself. According
to the stele found in Abydos, and erected by her son, King Ahmose, she
defended the land of Egypt several times during his absence fighting
in other parts of the country. She held the co-regency throughout this
period, and is honored by a pyramid burial complex among her
ancestors, [the Intefs], near the entrance to the later 'Valley of the
Kings'. Ahhotep, as well as her mother, Tetisheri, held the title of
'Gods Wife of Amun'. This had been an Old Kingdom queens title which
had become obsolete over the time period of the OK and 1st
Intermediate Period. It was rejuvinated after the Middle Kingdom and
again used by the 'Intef' queens during the 2nd Intermediate Period
and all of the New Kingdom. In the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom,
these two were semi-deified and both honored as the 'Mothers of the
New Kingdom' until the Ramesside Period..

HATSHEPSUT: [18th D.; New Kingdom]
Wife of Thutmose II, descendent of Queens Tetisheri, Ahhotep and
Ahhotep Neferteri. Since the heir of Thutmose II,[born of a 'harem
girl'], was too young to rule, Queen Hatshepsut, who was an acting
co-regent, ascended the throne as regent to the infant, Thutmose III.
[IMO; she was closer in bloodline to the throne than Thutmose III].
There seems to be conjecture regarding the destruction of her
monuments, and her name. It seems that the 'erasures' did not take
place immediately after Thutmose III came to the throne. There are
questions as to whether he was responsible, or someone later.

TWOSRET: [19th D.]
At the death of Seti II, his Queen, Twosret, became regent for her
husbands' son, born to a Syrian consubine. [The son suffered from a
deformed leg, thought by some to be the results of polio]. When the
sickly child died, there was no other male heirs available to rule, so
Twosret simply assumed the full titles of king and continued to rule,
in her own name. There is some evidence that her reign held little in
power, other than the title. Egypts' central authority had been
disintegrating since the reign of Ramesses III, and civil unrest was
very common in this period. Although originally buried in KV 14, her
remains were moved. Amummy at the Cairo Museum is thought to be her,
but has never been positively identified.

AHMOSE NEFERTERI: [18th D.; New Kingdom]
May have acted as regent for her son, Amenhotep I. It is a fact that
she was semi-deified by later New Kingdom cults, along with her
ancestors, Tetisheri and Ahhotep. [see 'Matrilineal Descent' article
in the 'messages' list].

NEFERTITI: [Amarna Period]
There are those who suggest that she may have ruled as both co-regent
and regent for a year or two after the death of her husband, King
Amenhotep IV (Akhenaten). There is no hard proof, as yet found, to
either prove or disprove this....

NOTE: This does not include Kleopatra.....[who was Greek]

Theory.....Matrilineal Descent


This theory refutes the old 'traditionalist' theory, rife with their
own old misinterpretations of Egyptian art and life by applying to it
the familiar conventions of their own patricultures, which has been
that of the 'brother/sister' marriage being a form of incest. The
science of Anthropology has recognized that this may not have been
true for years, but the historians through the centuries,[with the
exception of the Greek historian, Hipparchus in 125BCE], have refused
to change their hypotheses, although many more modern historians have
accepted this as a viable theory....
Ancient Egyptians followed the Neolithic practice of reckoning descent
and propery inheritance through a woman and her eldest daughter(s).
A matrilineal/matriarchal society was principal in ancient Egypt.
The 'Cow-goddess' and Auset/Ast/(Isis), were symbolically linked to
the 'solar blood'(ie;RE), or the 'mother of kings', although only in
symbolic or 'ceremonial' marriages, to their brothers.
Although the king,(male), was the visable administrator of Egypt, in
most cases, he owed his power, or legitimacy to assume the throne, to
the queen. The throne was inherited by the queen's eldest daughter.
[One can begin to realize this by seeing the later images/depictions
of Isis (Ast/Auset) which shows her crowned with a throne]. The queens
daughter was the 'king-maker' in two ways.
1. While she was unmarried or separated from her husband, her brother
could rule WITH HER as regent.
2. When she took a husband, he would then rule as king.
The queen stood between two males; her brother and her husband. The
queens' brother was king by right of birth and kinship to the queen,
which made him undeposable.
The queen's husband, on the other hand, as a commoner, was king only
as long as the marriage lasted. He was deposed if it was terminated by
the queen.
You can possibly see this in the short kingships which were rampant
during the early years of the Old Kingdom, as well as some cases in
the late 2nd Intermediate Period and the New Kingdom.
As this practice was not always followed in all eras of Egyptian
history there are gaps. In some eras one can see that the female
symols of deities such as the cow, horns, sun disk, uraeus serpent,
and vulture were not as apparent as the male bull, ram, hawk, flail,
scepter, and pyramid. But, by the New Kingdom, (the last of the 2nd
Intermediate Period in the 17th & early 18th Dyn.), the symbols were
again in ascendancy, as well as the 'office/title' of 'God's Wife' and
'Divine Wife'; 'Royal Daughter' etc...[Hatshepsut had the Red/pink
Temple built in Karnak]. This could possibly be attributed to the
ascendancy of the Intef family in Thebes (Wst/Waset), and was quite
clear by the reigns of the kings who married Queens Tetisheri and her
daughter, Ahhotep, as well as their descendants of the early 18th
Dyn.of the New Kingdom through Queen Ahhotep Nefertari.
In either case; brother or husband, the queen was, it is thought in
this theory, 'ceremonially married' to the king, who served as her
"man of business affairs", so that she might share with him the mystic
and divine virtue that was attached to the royal inheritance. [This
point is amplified by Robt. Briffautl's anthropological study, "The
Mothers"(1927)].
The queen was not so much the 'wife' of the king as the wife of the
god, and it was as a temporary incarnation of the deity that the king
was spouse to the queen. It was associated with the 'magic' possessed
exclusively by the women of the royal family. [This was all connected
with the very ancient fertility beliefs].
Included in this theory is the opinion that both the brother and
sister of the ruling pair could each have a consort or consorts for
relationships, these were not included in the possession and
transmission of property, but the queens female children, by her
consort, constitued the 'royal line'..[thus there was no
'interbreeding' or incestual overtones]. These female children would
then inherit the titles of 'Royal Mother', and 'Great Royal Wife'....
The maternal uncle would hold a more important permanent position in
the royal household than her husband; [example: Tutankhamun was king
due to his marriage to Queen Nefertiti's daughter, Ankhsenamun. Since
Ankhsenamun had no direct brother, [at least there is no hard evidence
that she did], after the death of 'Tut', and the failed plan of hers
to marry a Hittite prince,(he is thought to have been murdered before
he could reach her, and is documented in the Hittite hisory), the
maternal uncle, Ay/Aye,(a High Priest), then
ascended the throne and 'married' Ankhsenamun. [This would debunk the
theory that he was a 'dirty old man' who married his neice!] This was
a purely cememonial and symbolic marriage...[this does not negate the
many theories which include force and murder...which could in all
probability have been true owing to the political struggles between
the priesthood/temple of Amun and the royal family of
Akhenaten/Amenhotep IV]...
A childless princess could not hold the throne unless married;
[although many queens ruled alone during the minority of the
direct heir].
Hatshepsut was "a princess who became queen when there were no
legitimate male heirs"...[Thutmose III was not a 'legitimate heir',
but married Hatshepsut, and then her daughter to achieve his
legitimacy]...
Another example associated with the art of ancient Egypt is the
funerary statues of Prince Rahotep and 'his' consort, Nofret. It
describes Rahotep as a 'son of Sneferu, also high priest of Heliopolis
(Iunu), and a general. The embrace of a royal female spouse would
actually be a 'gesture' of showing that the male had the legitimate
right to his office. [Nofret was probably a younger daughter of the
queen..thus the 'embrace'...he was HER consort].
The evolution of the symbols given to the queen included the 'mother'
deities such as Ht-hor(Hathor); Nut; and Isis. These were associated
with the 'cow-goddess'(fertility); who was in charge of regeneration
and sustenance.
The sun was 'born' of Nut, the sky-cow deity,(amalgamated with
Nekhbet?), while the king was associated with the 'Bull of
Heaven',(after the 5th Dyn. Old Kingdom ca. 2580 BCE.). The queen was
thought of as the 'king's mother' through her association with the
'mother-deity'....
Matrilineal descent made it possible for men of talent to rise to the
throne of Egypt, but even the most ambitious and powerful male ruler
had to reckon with the 'Cow-Queen's' power. They could assert their
power 'visibly', as did Hatshepsut, Nefertiti, Neith and several
earlier queens, or function as the 'power behind the throne'.
In either case, Egyptians knew this, as many historians DO NOT, that
the Great Royal Wife made whomever she 'married' into a living
god/king. Therefore we must reexamine our definitions of 'dynasty' as
well as 'succession' in ancient Egypt.
There is also an astrologic/astronomic association in this theory, as
well as a Jungian psychological one (which I won't go into)...
Males, as have been mentioned, were associated to the 'Bull of
Heaven', which fits with the beginning of the Age of Taurus
constellation. But, around 2,000 BCE., the vernal equinox was marked
with the heliacal rising of Aries,(the Ram), and the rise of the
Theban princes, a region favoring war and ram gods. This could have
been the time of the descendancy of the female symbols of the
'cow-goddess' or the lull in the traditional matrilineal descendancy
tradition, which was later
brought forth again....
Jane
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/egyptbeyond/

Biblio:
Nancy Luomala; Jane Sellers; Evelyn Reed; Robt. Briffautl; Christopher
L.C.E. Witcombe; Maustafa Gadalla.......

Well, its' quite easy to try to 'think' for the AE in
hindsite...but we actually don't know just why
Amenhotep III and IV did what they did.....
As far as Thutmose III and his aunt, Hatshepsut..it
certainly helped her to have been much closer in
hereditary female bloodline, [ie: matrilineal descent
which was practiced from prehistoric times clear
through the actual Egyptian royal social system], and
also a maternal uncle who was also the High Priest of
Amun!....... [the mythic story of Thutmose III and
Hatshepsut being 'mortal enemies'...and that he was
responsible for the defacing of her monuments and
mortuary chapel has no hard archaeological proof....In
fact, many scholars believe that Horemhab may have
been the culprit...]
Jane

--

isis1037@...
Owner/moderator
Website:
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I just voted in the poll and want to explain my vote of "neither"

I have the opinion that AMenhotep III was interested primarily in
increasing the power of the King by making the King more of an actual god.
The Aten cult allowed him to do so in a fashion that appeared to be a
return, at least partially, to "Old Kingdom" ways.  I do NOT believe that,
given the nature of the AE society and the position of the King that the
idea of the "over-powerful AMun priesthood" is a concept that the AE would
have recognized.  I consider it a 20th Century anti-clerical concept
applied to what was in fact close to being a theocratic society.  If we
knew more about the nature of Thutmosis IV succession to the throne, and
also Hatshepset's, we might better understand the true issues.  IN both
cases, it appears at least superficially, that the AMun priesthood may have
pre-empted the succession.  This is somewhat less than black and white by
complaint actions of Thutmosis III (for Hatshepset) and lack of knowledge
of alternative heirs for THutmosis IV.  The fact that AMenhotep III and
Akhenaton found it wise to marry the daughters of senior army generals
lends support to this.  The ultimate succession of AY, Horemheb and
Rameses, all army generals makes it looks like some type of a power
struggle was in progress but I am not convinced that "an over powerful AMun
priesthood" is the root issue.

Compare, perhaps, the ENglish Wars of the Roses.  An over-powerful church
there was, and the ultimate Tudor successor took corrective action but that
was not the issue in the power struggle.

Michael McCarthy
sokar@...

Very little is really known about this short, and very misunderstood
period in ancient Egyptian history...
There are many libraries full of rhetorical ideas and theories, but
since NONE of the burials of the 'main characters' of this period have
been found, [ie: Akhenaten, Nefertiti], and most of their daughters,
or many stelae or papyri manuscripts...there are many unanswered
questions, as yet...
One totally mistaken view, that has it's own private religious agenda,
is the idea that monotheism was a part of the 'new' religion put forth
by Amenhotep IV,(Akhenaten), or the theory that Nefertiti was the main
force in this religion....although it may be true...there is no hard
proof..only conjecture.....
The god, Aten/Aton etc. had been worships for millennia as an Upper
Egyptian sun deitiy, but had been relagated to a 'minor god' in the
Middle Kingdom. It is known and factual, based on discoveries in one
palace of Amenhotep III [the father of Akhenaten], of a shrine
dedicated to Aten. The palace was located on the western side of the
Nile adjacent to Wst [Greek 'Thebes']....
It is now conjectured that this very important and powerful king MAY
have recognized the power and wealth of the Temple of Amun that was
threatening to, politically, overshadow the king, himself...
He was diplomatically...and possibly very carefully, attempting to
control this...but died before this was accomplished...
Akhenaten had been presiding as co-ruler with his father for several
years before the kings' death.......
Unfortuneatly, Akhenaten became too zealous in his beliefs, and began
to persecute the Amun priesthood, as well as closing the temples...
BUT, it was he, himself, that he made the only 'intermediary' between
this god and his people.....[actually this was not uncommon and had
been practiced in the Old Kingdom, although not associated with either
Aten or Amun]....
There are several other 'theories' which are now thought to be
obsolete....
There were other deities which remained important in the Amarna
Period....several statues of these have been discovered...and also one
has to consider that the Cult of Re, as well as the Cult of Wsr [Greek
Osiris] were still very active, and not included in the persecutions.....
The idea that Akhenaten's mother, Queen Tiye was 'a commoner' is not
altogether correct.....most take 'commoner' to mean from the ordinary
  ranks of 'non royals'.....she was from the nobility...and her family
had been in these ranks since the Old Kingdom...her mother having the
very prestigious title of Superintendent of both the Harem of Amun at
Min as well as in Thebes...and her father being the Head of Horse at
the royal compound...
Jane
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/egyptbeyond/

Within five years of his succession Akhenaten had practically
destroyed Egypt's ancient polytheistic religion and had dismissed
most of the established pantheon replacing it with one sole god, the
Aten. As we know, the Aten was the living sun's disc and its light
provided life to all of the Earth's creatures. In contrast to
Egypt's other famous deities, the Aten is quite enigmatic and yet at
the same time, accessible by everyone. Of course direct spiritual
contact could only be made through Akhenaten himself; nevertheless
(As opposed to Amun), the Aten was always overhead and visible.

As a 'democratic' god, the Aten had no need for a temple as anyone
could worship him at any time during the day. In my opinion,
Akhenaten needed his temples as a means of controlling access to his
god, and so Aten worship followed the traditional pattern. But the
new temples were a direct contrast to the gloomy precincts of Amun
and the other traditional gods. Modelled on the solar temples of Ra,
they were in essence simple open courtyards which allowed the sun to
shine down on the worship of the faithful.

What obviously was the problem was the essential nature of the Aten
itself. Like other creator gods the Aten combined male and female
elements so that he could become the 'father and mother' of all
things created. He was both asexual and androgymous, had no
anthropomorphic association and, by his very nature as sole creator,
could have no spouse. This in itself was neither unique to the Aten
nor to Egypt. In Egypt asexual gods had been known to create life
single-handed; Atum, for example, had either masturbated or
expectorated to produce his gender-specific children Shu and Tefnut.
In many senses, the old-style of divine families were an example to
the Egyptian people. The Aten was remote, characterless and his role
as a fertile god was a very much theoretical one. We also have no
knowledge on how Akhenaten came to be the son the Aten. In a sense,
Akhenaten had raised a god that was ironically detached and yet ever
omnipresent - giving the people a very liberated existence.

Does anyone else have any opinions on this?

Thanks,
Danny
Owner

Enter your vote today!  A new poll has been created for the
horizonaten group:

In the early years of Amenhotep IV's reign, the Aten was
growing in unprecedented power. Why do you think this is?

   o Amenhotep IV wanted to stifle the power of the Amun priesthood
   o He believed the potency of a single god would strengthen the empire


To vote, please visit the following web page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/horizonaten/surveys?id=1086669

Note: Please do not reply to this message. Poll votes are
not collected via email. To vote, you must go to the Yahoo! Groups
web site listed above.

Thanks!

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Well, what a week or so it has been! Thanks to everyone for helping
the Network get off to a great start. Even with the Network only
being up for 8 days, so much has happened. Therefore, I've decided
to report back to you all in the form of a Newsletter. This will be
posted on all Avis-Pirum groups, and will basically be an informal
guide to what has gone on in the Network over the last week or so.
By the way, if you are an Owner of your own History group, and you
would like to join Avis-Pirum, and get lots of benefits and new
activity to your group, then do not hesitate to contact myself
(jmperry2005uk@...) or Danny, Owner of Horizon of the Aten
(imperial_avis@...) for more information.


NEW HORIZONS

Avis-Pirum was thought up in Bristol, UK on Friday 18 March. It was
Danny, a very good friend of mine, who suggested the idea of an
internet network devoted to spreading interest in History. I agreed,
and we co-founded the Avis-Pirum Network. Anyone wondering about the
curious name of the organisation? Well its an amalgamation of our
two names: both Latin terms, 'Avis' being 'bird' (Danny Bird)
and 'Pirum' being 'pear' (Jordan Perry). As I had always been
interested about Ancient Rome, and Danny about Ancient Egypt,
so we both put our passions into practice. Just to tell you, I'm
really enjoying running 'Temple of Jupiter', and I'm finding our
discussions really exciting. Most interesting all, I'm appreciating
all the different opinions there are on the subjects, and its
encouraging me to look at Rome at different angles. I'm sure Danny
is having a great time runniong 'Horizon of the Aten' too. Feel free
to add messages, links and photos.

TOPICS

In little more than a week, there has already been many different
issues debated on the two groups, and different topics discussed. On
the Temple of Jupiter, the very fabric and mindset of Rome has been
talked about, and why it became the superpower of its age. The
importance of religion in Rome has also been discussed. After this
newsletter, I am about to post the first instalment of what will be
a huge undertaking: the first year of Gaius Julius Caesar's adult
life, his transition from adolescence to manhood, when he dons
the 'toga virilis' for the first time. Every Saturday, each year of
his adult life will be posted in chronological order, up to his
murder in 44 BC. Feel free to contribute- simnply say you will be
covering the next year by replying to the post of a certain year.
In 'Horizon of the Aten', discussions have taken on less a thematic
form, and has been more of a dynastic discussion. Talks started off
with the reign of Amenhotep III, and it was discussed how Atenism
began to rise in this age, and would become the approved
monotheistic faith in the reign of Amenhotep IV. This was Egypt at
the zenith of its power: and yet a conflict of religion can clearly
be observed in this era. It was suggested that Atenism was paramount
in centralisation, and curbing the power of the Amun cult.
Some fascinating topics, and hope this commitment continues.

A FEW UPSETS...

Nevertheless, despite postive activity, there has been some negative
activity from one person in particular. Someone by the name of
magus_18.geo, who held extremist beliefs, posted a few comments
concerning religion, without any evidence or historical context, and
were offensive. Needless to say, he and his aliases have been
banned. Temple of Jupiter simply came out stronger, and discussion
resumed as normal, which really shows the strength of community that
is already in place.

VOTE ON CHAT

There is poll currently running on the Temple of Jupiter asking
whether or not there shouldf be a weekly group Chat, where members
can discuss topical issues and make suggestions about the
group/Network. If it goes ahead, I hope Club Chat to be an enriching
weekly event, a place where members can speak directly, and to bring
us together as a community. At the moment, there is 5 votes to 0 in
favour. The poll will close some time on Easter Monday. I encourage
Danny to consider holding a similar poll on Horizon of the Aten.
Times will be decided if the poll is in favour, after the closure of
the poll, based on the best time for what is a global group.

All I have to say is that I wish all members of AP a very Happy
Easter.

Yours sincerely,
Jordan Perry
Owner of Temple of Jupiter
Co-Consul of Avis-Pirum Network

You are very correct in your assessment....
Jane/isis
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/egyptbeyond/

--- Jordan Perry <jmperry2005uk@...> wrote:
>
> Hi its Jordan here, Owner of sister group, Temple of
> Jupiter
>
> I certainly believe, in what limited information I
> know, that
> Amenhotep III used the monotheism of the Aten to
> centralise power.
> This is also the case with Amenhotep IV: by
> re-introducing the Aten
> itself, the pharoah was strengthening his position
> as not only head
> of religion, but as head of the realm. He was also
> counteracting the
> great influence of the Amun priesthood.
>
> Many thanks
> Jordan
>
>
>
> --- In horizonaten@yahoogroups.com, "Jane"
> <isis1037@y...> wrote:
> >
> > Hello....Jane/isis here...
> > One has to take into consideration that, as stated
> in another msg.,
> > Amenhotep III had 'rehabilitated' a rather minor
> solar deity, Aten,
> > [Atun/Aton], who had been relegated to a 'back
> burner' in the Late
> > Middle Kingdom at Amun became the 'state deity' in
> Wst/Thebes....
> > But, one of the main reasons for this was not only
> his and his
> wife's
> > connections with the ancient Intef family, but
> also a purely
> political
> > move to attempt to reign in the power and wealth
> which had been
> gained
> > by the Temple of Amun....
> > Jane/isis
> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/egyptbeyond/
>
>
>
>

isis1037@...
Owner/moderator
Website:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/egyptbeyond



__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/

Hi its Jordan here, Owner of sister group, Temple of Jupiter

I certainly believe, in what limited information I know, that
Amenhotep III used the monotheism of the Aten to centralise power.
This is also the case with Amenhotep IV: by re-introducing the Aten
itself, the pharoah was strengthening his position as not only head
of religion, but as head of the realm. He was also counteracting the
great influence of the Amun priesthood.

Many thanks
Jordan



--- In horizonaten@yahoogroups.com, "Jane" <isis1037@y...> wrote:
>
> Hello....Jane/isis here...
> One has to take into consideration that, as stated in another msg.,
> Amenhotep III had 'rehabilitated' a rather minor solar deity, Aten,
> [Atun/Aton], who had been relegated to a 'back burner' in the Late
> Middle Kingdom at Amun became the 'state deity' in Wst/Thebes....
> But, one of the main reasons for this was not only his and his
wife's
> connections with the ancient Intef family, but also a purely
political
> move to attempt to reign in the power and wealth which had been
gained
> by the Temple of Amun....
> Jane/isis
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/egyptbeyond/

Welcome Jane and all new members to the Horizon of the Aten! I hope
you will enjoy being a part of the group!

Thanks,
Danny
Owner

Hello....Jane/isis here...
One has to take into consideration that, as stated in another msg.,
Amenhotep III had 'rehabilitated' a rather minor solar deity, Aten,
[Atun/Aton], who had been relegated to a 'back burner' in the Late
Middle Kingdom at Amun became the 'state deity' in Wst/Thebes....
But, one of the main reasons for this was not only his and his wife's
connections with the ancient Intef family, but also a purely political
move to attempt to reign in the power and wealth which had been gained
by the Temple of Amun....
Jane/isis
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/egyptbeyond/

Now something strange was happening on Egypt's temple walls. While
Amun-Ra, king of the gods, assumed a curiously muted presence, the
ancient sun god Ra-Harakhty, and the deified sun's disk, or Aten,
began to emerge as significant gods. Clearly these sun gods were
very important to the new king. From seeds sown in the reign of his
father, and idea was growing in Amenhotep's mind, driving him in a
direction that no pharaoh had travelled before.

During Year 2 came the announcement that a heb-sed or jubilee was to
be celebrated at Thebes on the third anniversary of Amenhotep's
accession. This was very unusual; jubilees were expected after
thirty years of rule, not three! What was Amenhotep celebrating? Was
it his thirtieth birthday, his late father's posthumous fourth
jubilee, or the recognition of a new state god? Perhaps Amenhotep
intended to use the jubilee asa means of revealing some important
development in his own royal divinity? The people probably did not
care much; jubilees were enjoyed whatever their official pretext and
everyone looked forward to days of feasting, drinking and
merrymaking.

Egypt's builders took to their tools. Memphis, Heliopolis and Nubia
recieved new sun temples; temples open to the sun's rays rather than
the gloomy enclosed edifice favoured by Amun. But attention remained
firmly focused on Thebes. To the east of the extensive Amun complex
Amenhotep built his own impressive series of temples oriented
towards the east, the land of the rising sun, and dedicated to the
worship of the Aten. Here he was to reinterpret the traditional heb-
sed rituals, excluding many of the great state gods, Amun included,
from his festivities. In a clear insult to the old order the shrines
which would normally have housed the traditional deities now
contained depictions of the king beneath the Aten's disc.

Amun's priests did not like this new development. What had once
seemed a minor religious foible - the king's personal devotion to a
relatively obscure cult - was gathering frightening momentum. It was
now obvious that Amenhotep was prepared to discard casually almost
two thousand years of polytheistic religion. By the end of Year 5
the Aten was undeniably Egypt's dominant god. Offerings which had
once been presented to Amun were now being diverted to the Aten so
that the new cult grew rich as Amun grew poor. Soon many of the old
temples were closed, while their treasuries and assets, were
confiscated and officially presented to the Aten.

Soon, Amun and his divine family were subjected to a persecution
which was to increase in intensity as the new reign progressed.
Amun's name and, more rarely, his image were erased or defaced
wherever they were found. This persecution occured throughout the
length and breadth of Egypt althought it is at Karnak that its true
extent is felt. Here someone even took the trouble to remove Amun's
name from the very tip of Hapshepsut's obelisk where, as obelisk's
are primarily associated with the solar cults, it had probably
caused great offence. Those prominent individuals unfortunate enough
to bear personal names including the element 'Amun' found it wise to
rename themselves at once. As far as we can tell, there was no
resistance to the imposition of the new order, although it is of
course unlikely that any such resistance would have been recorded in
official documents.

The old iconography of a falcon-headed god was abandoned and the
Aten took the form of a faceless sun disc wearing the cobra or
uraeus which signified kingship, whose long rays were tipped with
miniature hands which could gold the ankh, symbol of life. Unlike
Egypt's other gods the Aten was highly visible, yet at the same time
very impersonal - an abstract symbol whose lack of human body
prevented him from appearing in the traditional religious scenes so
that he was invariably depicted above the royal family, an observer
rather than a participant. This elevation of the god, and his
relatively small size, allowed the king to become the most prominent
figure in any religious scene: all eyes were now focused on the king
himself. The Aten required little mystery, no hidden sanctuary and
of course no physical host-statue as the sun was his own image,
visible to king and commoner alike.

With the Aten now recognised as the sole god of Egypt and the
promise of a new future, the religion's founder, Amenhotep IV,
changed his name to the more famous one of Akhenaten - the 'Living
Spirit of the Aten'.

Thanks,
Danny

With the death of Amenhotep III, the ancient world took comfort in
the fact that his son, Amenhotep IV and Queen Tiy, would continue
his father's legacy.

Amenhotep IV emerged from an obscure corner of the royal court to
become pharaoh of Egypt under the throne-name Neferkheperure Waenre
(literally 'The transformations of Ra are perfect, the Unique one of
Ra'). Little is known of him before his assumption and, while his
sisters and his brother are known to us from their statues and
inscribed possessions, the young Amenhotep is to all intents and
purposes invisible. Although we do have a few formal scenes showing
him alongside his father, it is probable that these images were not
carved during the old king's lifetime. It is highly unlikely that
the young Amenhotep had been sent abroad to be raised and educated
outside Egypt. This idea, put forward by those who would like to
interpret Amenhotep's religious beliefs as Near Eastern rather than
Egyptian in origin, shows a lack of understanding of the political
situation throughout the later part of the 18th Dynasty. At this
time Egypt was universally regarded as the centre of the civilised
world, and the Egyptian court was acknowledged as the epitome of
sophisticated luxury. All foreigners wished to emulate the
Egyptians, and the Egyptians themselves were firmly convinced of
their own cultural superiority. No Egyptian was likely to see a
foreign education as in any way beneficial to an Egyptian prince.
Instead, Egypt was in the habit of demanding that the sons of
vassals and allies be sent to Egypt for their education.

If Amenhotep was not raised away from Egypt, could there have been
something about the young prince - perhaps something about his
appearance or even his mental condition - which caused his family to
shield him from public gaze? Yet this begs the question of why, if
the young Amenhotep was so badly disfigured, should he have been
allowed to become king? In fact we should not be too surprised by
Amenhotep's hidden childhood as almost all New Kingdom royal
children led sheltered lives away from the bustle of the court.
Prominent royal offspring were very much the exception, and sons
were particularly well hidden as, while daughters were almost always
included in the traditional 'family groups' which adorned their
fathers' monuments, sons rarely were.

The new Amenhotep IV needed a consort to complete his role as king.
Following the precedent set by his father he rejected his sisters
and half-sisters and looked outside the immediate royal family to
choose as his wife a previously obscure young woman named Nefertiti.

For a brief period it seemed nothing much would change. The royal
court remained based at the Theban Malkata palace and building work
continued in an around the Karnak Temple of Amun. Here, like any
dutiful son, Amenhotep completed his father's unfinished works. In
Nubia Amenhotep finished his father's temple, embellishing it with
scenes of himself worshipping his deified father.

King Tushratta of Mitanni had addressed his condolences (and his
request for gold statues) to Queen Tiy, assuming that she would
continue her influential role at the Egyptian court. He had,
however, misjudged the situation. Tiy had less control over her son
than he had supposed; there was a new queen in her place. The new
pharaoh was less concerned with diplomatic etiquette than his
father - it is hard to imagine the proud Amenhotep III attempting to
pass off gold-plated statues as the real thing - and was not
inclined to be generous with his brother king. Amenhotep IV, not one
to be bound by conventional courtesies, simply ignored all letters
from Mitanni and eventually Tushratta stopped writing.

Any contributions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Danny

Amenhotep III began to pay attention to the other gods of the
pantheon, partially reverting back to Old Kingdom solar theology. He
developed a particular interest in one relatively obscure god, the
Aten, whose name simply means 'the disc', and who since the Middle
Kingdom had been recognised both as a physical manifestation of the
sun god Ra and as a symbol divinity closely affiliated to the king.
The Aten was represented either by a winged sun disc or by a hawk-
headed god, and at the time had no cult centre or major temple.

As the sun and its natural light is so stark and important to Egypt,
it is perhaps obvious that such an elite cult of solar deities
arose. Even the shape of the pyramid may well have been intended to
represent the sun's rays in solid form, a straight sided ramp that
would allow the king to climb up to heaven. Ra, the sun god, was
ocasionally combined with Horus, god of the horizon, to produce the
hybrid deity Ra-Harakhty, a man with Horus' falcon head.

The cult of the sun god was centred on the northern city of
Heliopolis (ancient Iunu), one of the most magnificent cities of the
dynastic age, which may well have provided vital archaeological
clues to the development of the Aten cult. Here the original benben
stone, a pyramid or cone-shaped boulder, possibly a metorite, took
the place of a cult statue of Ra as a focus of worship. Sadly, due
to a fatal combination of ancient destruction and modern
development, there is now almost nothing left of the ancient glories
of Heliopolis. However, the 5th Dynasty sun temples of Abu Ghurub,
only one of which survives, may well have been built to the same
plan. Here the temple consisted of an open courtyard with a central
alabaster altar and, to the west, a large obelisk which acted as a
sun totem or benben.

Amenhotep III used the cult of the Aten as a means of developing a
cult of the king, stressing his own personal divinity through the
newly established Aten priesthood. Although tradition dictated that
the king should become fully divine only at his death, the mortal
Amenhotep was already recognised as the living embodiment of Ptah
and worshipped at the 'Temple of Nebmaatre-United-with-Ptah',
Memphis.

His son, Amenhotep IV would continue the rise of the Aten. At first
it was allowed to co-exist peacefully alongside its divine cohorts,
but the Egyptian Empire was standing on the brink of an uncertain
and curious future ...

Thanks,
Danny

<<I think its shocking just how severely she has been 'punished'.>>

Before you get too sympathetic, she went ahead and published her book based
on the TV show with no changes at all.  No reference to any controversy,
errors, etc.

Michael McCarthy
sokar@...

I think its shocking just how severely she has been 'punished'.

Thanks,
Danny

Thanks for the information, I had no idea of the repercussions of the
t.v. programme. I saw it just recently and am pleased the arguement
has been settled


On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 13:11:29 -0800, Michael Mccarthy
<sokar@...> wrote:
>      <<Has anyone any thought on whether Joanne Fletcher has
>   really found the mummy of Nefertiti. Her aguements were very
>   persuasive, but no other academics seem to agree with her.>>
>
>   The mummy she claimed was Nefertiti has since been tested and determined
> to
>   be male.
>
>   As a direct result of her TV show, she lost her license to do research in
>   Egypt for violating rules regarding public release of results.  Apparently
>   she filed a formal report with the Egyptian Government saying that the
>   results were inconclusive then went on World TV to announce the discovery.
>   A couple of key Egyptian officials who cooperated with the show were not
>   well pleased with their remarks taken out of context.
>
>   I personally thought the show was one of the worst I had ever seen.  She
>   went to a tomb with three mummy's.  The mummy's were generally purported
> to
>   be Tiy (Amenhotep's Queen), Prince Thutmosis (Amenhotep's eldest son and
>   Akhenaten elder brother), and the so called Nefertiti.  SHe ignored the
>   other two and did X-rays only on the one mummy despite the fact that the
>   generally accepted age of the mummy made it unlikely that it was in fact
>   Nefertiti.
>
>   Michael McCarthy
>  sokar@...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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<<By the later 18th Dynasty, however, there are signs that the
monarchy may have started to feel itself challenged by the ever-
increasing power of Amun.>>

There is some evidence that this is not completely true.  The move to
monotheism was, under this view, one were the living King became the major
god 0of the Country and everyone else worshipped him.  L'etat c'est moi.
In spades.  Under this theory the move started under AMenotep III who
apparently was, late in his reign, worshipped as a living god and reached
it zenith under his son.  If this theory has any merit, the opposition was
more a resistance to Royal absolutism than a return to polytheism.

Given the nature of the Egyptian State, it is hard to understand how the
AMun priesthood could have acquired enough power to really challenge the
King.  Also worth noting that both AMenhotep III and Akhenaten married the
daughters of senior Army generals.

Michael McCarthy
sokar@...

<<Has anyone any thought on whether Joanne Fletcher has
really found the mummy of Nefertiti. Her aguements were very
persuasive, but no other academics seem to agree with her.>>

The mummy she claimed was Nefertiti has since been tested and determined to
be male.

As a direct result of her TV show, she lost her license to do research in
Egypt for violating rules regarding public release of results.  Apparently
she filed a formal report with the Egyptian Government saying that the
results were inconclusive then went on World TV to announce the discovery.
A couple of key Egyptian officials who cooperated with the show were not
well pleased with their remarks taken out of context.

I personally thought the show was one of the worst I had ever seen.  She
went to a tomb with three mummy's.  The mummy's were generally purported to
be Tiy (Amenhotep's Queen), Prince Thutmosis (Amenhotep's eldest son and
Akhenaten elder brother), and the so called Nefertiti.  SHe ignored the
other two and did X-rays only on the one mummy despite the fact that the
generally accepted age of the mummy made it unlikely that it was in fact
Nefertiti.

Michael McCarthy
sokar@...

The pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty opnely acknowledged a great debt to
the god Amun, for they well understood that it was Amun who had
enabled the mighty Theban warrior Ahmose to unite Egypt after the
civil unrest and foreign rule of the Second Intermediate Period.
Amun's protection of Ahmose soon proved to be a shrewd political
move, and the devotion of successive 18th Dynasty kings allowed him
to evolve from a relatively insignificant local god worshipped in
and around Thebes into the patron god of the Egyptian Empire.

Amun, appearing as a man dressed in a kilt and wearing a distinctive
head-dress of two tall plumes, was recognised both as king of the
gods and father of the king. He became associated with the most
important Old Kingdom deity in the compound sun god Ra and linked
with the ithyphallic fertility god Min. Amun's mighty Karnak Temple
dominated the Theban skyline, and he was the presiding deity in each
of the royal mortuary temples on the west bank of the River Nile.
Within his temples, however, Amun was an aloof and secretive god;
his name, which translates as 'The Hidden One', gives a clue to his
character. Amun's home was a dark and lonely shrine hidden deep
within the sacred precincts, inaccessible to the ordinary people and
visited only by priests who attended to the daily rituals of washing
and dressing the god and making offerings of food, drink and
incense. Even when on festival days Amun sailed out into the
sunlight his sacred boat became a miniature temple and he remained
concealed behind the doors of his shrine. This hidden aspect of the
god allowed his priests - those privy to his divine wishes - great
power.

Amun's temple grew physically vast and, as royal endowments
increased, developed into a significant semi-independent economic
entity administered by an increasingly complex hierarchy of priests.
For many years the king and priesthood of Amun existed side by side
in symbiotic harmony. The priesthood, which owned substantial tracts
of land in the south, assisted the vizier in the administration of
Upper Egypt, thus freeing the royal court to reside at Memphis. The
king in turn supported the god financially, while making judicious
use of their relationship to reinforce his own position as divine
ruler. By the later 18th Dynasty, however, there are signs that the
monarchy may have started to feel itself challenged by the ever-
increasing power of Amun. Amenhotep II, Tuthmosis IV and Amenhotep
III all attempted to maintain control over the cult by appointing
their own loyal followers, natives of northern towns rather than
southerners, as High Priest of Amun. Amenhotep III, ruling over a
peaceful empire, must have seen little need for the protection of a
mighty warrior god although he was certainly not averse to
exploiting other aspects of Amun's divinity. Amun was chosen to be
his heavenly father, and the extensive programme of refurbishment at
Karnak and Luxor which continued throughout his reign is a testament
to the king's loyalty.

Of course, Egypt's unprecedented wealth meant that the king's
generosity need not be confined to a single cult ...

Thanks
Danny

Hi I am new to the group. My main interest is in the armana period
although I am just an interested amateur and eager to learn more. I
have been lucky enough to visit egypt and am going again this year.
I have been interested in Egypt since my Father told me what I
thought was a story about finding treasure in the desert, I was
about 9 years old and have been hooked since then, now I am married
with children and my interest hasn't changed much just expanded to
include Akhenaten until Horemheb.
Question? Has anyone any thought on whether Joanne Fletcher has
really found the mummy of Nefertiti. Her aguements were very
persuasive, but no other accademics seem to agree with her. Hope to
hear from you soon. Nefrure

A few comments on a very interesting summary.

Egypt was by no means the only superpower.  The Mitanni, the Hittites, the
Babylonians were all certainly major powers.  Particularly the Hittites.

Also interesting to note who Tiy's family was.  A senior army general of
chariots.  IN one place her father's mother is listed as Mutemwiya which is
the same as AMenhoteps mother.  They were from Akhmin which later produced
another power clan.

Michael McCarthy
sokar@...

Amenhotep III aceded to the throne of the world's only acknowledged
superpower in his early teens, his father, Tuthmosis IV, having
ruled for only nine years. During his brief reign Tuthmosis had
raised an obelisk at the Karnak Temple, campaigned successfully in
Nubia and established good diplomatic relations with the Syrian
kingdom of Mitanni by marrying the daughter of King Artatama I. His
main claim to fame was, however, that he had instigated the world's
first rescue mission by freeing the great sphinx at Giza from the
sand which threatened to overwhelm it completely.

The young Amenhotep III inherited an empire whose borders stretched
from the fourth Nile cataract in Nubia to northern Syria, and whose
sphere of influence extended much further afield. In accordance to
Egyptian tradition the widowed Mutemwia ruled as regent during the
first few years of her son's reign, and under her guidance Amenhotep
grew into the archetypal New Kingdom monarch, healthy, vigorous and
brave. His courage in the hunting field was unprecendented; by his
own account he shot 102 savage lions in the first ten years of his
reign, while in a single day's hunting in the Faiyum he killed no
fewer than fifty-six wild bulls.

Egypt's New Kingdom population of approximately 4 million benefited
from its strong economy. As the king grew ever richer he was able to
pass his wealth downwards by creating employment for vast numbers of
labourers and craftsmen. The civil service and the army had
developed into efficient professional units; bureaucrats and
soldiers were now rewarded for acts of outstanding loyalty or
bravery by a gift of gold presented at a special ceremony by a
grateful king. The priesthood of Amun-Ra, already in receipt of a
good income from its numerous assets supplemented by generous
offerings from the royal palace, was now entitled to a large share
of all foreign tribute, and the enormous temple storehouses were
slowly filling.

The peace of Amenhotep's reign allowed him and his ministers to turn
their attention inwards, towards the improvement of their own land.
Using the vast expanse of wealth, Amenhotep triggered an extensive
building campaign to glorify the gods and himself. Heliopolis
(temple of Horus), Sakkara (the Serapeum), Hermopolis (temple of
Thoth) and Elephantine (temple of Khnum) were among those reigional
centres which benefited from the king's generosity. Three kilometres
south of Karnak stood the hitherto rather shabby Luxor Temple, a
shrine dedicated to Amun, to the ithyphallic god Min and to the
celebration of the divine royal soul or 'Ka'. Amenhotep revamped
this temple and linked it to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes.

On the west bank at Thebes Amenhotep built himself an immense
mortuary temple of unprecedented luxury. The temple functioned as a
temple to Amun. After Amenhotep's death, it became the centre of the
dead king's cult. These two striking figures still stand, isolated
and battered. During the Graeco-Roman period they became known as
the Colossi of Memnon, a corruption of Amenhotep's throne name,
Nebmaatre - some people have even suggested that these statues
served as a divine symbol significant in years to come.

Amenhotep III needed a queen to continue his progeny, and within two
years of his reign he had married a young lady called Tiy who became
queen of the most powerful country in the world. Circumstantial
evidence suggets that Tiy had a brother, a man called Ay. We know
that courtier of this name rose to prominence under Amenhotep IV.
Towards the end of his reign Amenhotep established a cult to a
deified form of himself, ' Amenhotep, Lord of Nubia'. Tiy gradually
became regarded as the female counterpart of this semi-divine king.
There are even details of Amenhotep making offerings to his own
image!

Tiy bore her husbands at least six children: two sons, Tuthmosis and
Amenhotep, and four daughters. Amenhotep III enjoyed a lengthy
reign, celebrating three sed festivals, or jubilees, during his
regnal years 30, 34 and 37. There seems to be a steady break from
tradition during the reign of Amenhotep, even the sed festival,
traditionally commemorated in Memphis, ancient capital of the Old
Kingdom, was no longer being celebrated there. After the last
jubilee the festival palace was demolished in order to expand the
sacred lake in time for the second celebration. The excavation of
this lake, still visible in modern times, was one of the largest
civil-engineering projects ever undertaken in dynastic Egypt. It
measured two kilometres by one kilometre. For a long time it was
thought that this site was the pleasure lake ordered by Amenhotep
for his deloved queen and recorded on a scarab:

'His majesty commanded the making of a lake for the great Queen Tiy
in her home lands of Djarukha, its length being 3700 cubits and its
breadth being 600 [or 700] cubits. His majesty made a festival of
the opening of the lake in the third month of the inundation season,
day six, when his majesty sailed in the royal barge 'The Sun Disc
Dazzles'.

We have a mere handful of scenes showing Amenhotep towards the end
of his lengthy reign. His earlier portraits had depicted a prime
physical specimen displaying all the masculine vigour expected of a
New Kingdom monarch. His later images are less stereotyped. The king
appears languid to the point of lethargy, and there has been a
general consensus of opinion that we are looking at a fat and tired
old man. However the king was not clinically obese - it seems likely
that king's extra pounds are nothing more than the inevitable
results of a lifetime of overindulgence which were not seen as a
matter for shame. These were in fact respected signs of old age in
dynastic Egypt.

As Egypt's king suffered, the political situation in the Near East
was shifting. Egypt remained the dominant world power but the
Hittites, a non-Semitic people based on the Central Anatolian
plateau, were pursuing expansionist policies which posed a threat to
Mitanni's north Syrian possessions. The final year of Amenhotep's
reign loomed and during the seventh month his regnal year 38, he
died at Thebes. Tuthmosis, the crown prince, had predeceased his
father, and so it was his younger son, now Amenhotep IV, who
performed the funerary rites and buried Amenhotep III in a suitably
regal tomb in the Western Valley, close to the Valley of the Kings.

Thanks
Danny

Hi,

I'm a sixth form student and I've just set up a fresh and new
Ancient Rome group. Its therefore only just set up and needs some
help to really get going. Its the sister group to 'Horizon of the
Aten', and part of the new, up-and-coming Avis-Pirum (AP) Network.
All are welcome, wherever you are over the
world, whether you have just a casual interest in the era, or you
are an expert of the period. The group is:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/templejupiter/

Come and join us so we can have some vibrant and interesting
discussions. All views and opinions are respected, and we're hoping
to build a warm community.

Many thanks
Jordan Perry
Owner of the 'Temple of Jupiter'

Hello! I would like to give a big welcome to all new members joining
the group! As we're a new group, we'd really appreciate it if you
could help make it vibrant and enjoyable. My name is Danny, and I am
the Owner of the group. The group itself ia part of a wider
network called Avis-Pirum (AP) which I helped co-found with a good
friend of mine.
So I hope you enjoy being part of the Horizon of the Aten!

Many thanks
Danny Bird
Owner