Atenism is a monotheistic religion [characterized by the belief that there is only one God]. In ancient times, several gods represented diverse facets of nature such as the Sun and moon. The Hebrew people were rather unique because they idolised one god compared to other cultures around them had many gods.
An Egyptian pharaoh put a bold claim that there is only one god even if everyone got upset. That one god would be Aten [also Aton]. Religion was vital to the Egyptian life. Scholars and experts estimated there may have been over one thousand gods in the ancient Egyptian pantheon [all the gods of a people or religion collectively].
The chief god was Re [also Ra] who created everything along with all other gods based on the Egyptian belief. Re, the ancient Egyptian deity of the sun,was often portrayed in art and on tombs as a sun disk, scarab beetle, or a man with a falcon's head.
Aton was believed to derive from the image of the sun disk of Re. Since the sun crosses the sky every day, the disk of the Sun was associated with the idea of creation and continued existence providing life and energy.
Worshipping Aten was significant under Akhenaten who lived during the 18th dynasty [also the New Kingdom] and ruled between 1353 and 1336 BCE. His father was Amenophis III [a.k.a. Amenhotep III meaning "Amun is Satisfied" and also known Amenhotep as the Magnificent] and his mother was Queen Tiye.
Akhenaten, who rejected the old gods and initiated a monotheistic worship of the sun-god Aten, was originally known as Amenophis IV [Greek form of his name]. Amenophis is translated as "the god Amun is content". After becoming Pharaoh upon his father's death, Amenophis IV changed his name to Akhenaten which means, "he who is effective on Aten's behalf," featuring the importance of his belief in Aten. It is not clear as to why he decided to focus on the worship of Aten rather than the traditional gods of Egypt. It is possible he did so to curb the power of the priests of Amun.
An Egyptian pharaoh put a bold claim that there is only one god even if everyone got upset. That one god would be Aten [also Aton]. Religion was vital to the Egyptian life. Scholars and experts estimated there may have been over one thousand gods in the ancient Egyptian pantheon [all the gods of a people or religion collectively].
The chief god was Re [also Ra] who created everything along with all other gods based on the Egyptian belief. Re, the ancient Egyptian deity of the sun,was often portrayed in art and on tombs as a sun disk, scarab beetle, or a man with a falcon's head.
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| Ra: God of the Sun Photo credit: Education for Life Academy |
Aton was believed to derive from the image of the sun disk of Re. Since the sun crosses the sky every day, the disk of the Sun was associated with the idea of creation and continued existence providing life and energy.
Worshipping Aten was significant under Akhenaten who lived during the 18th dynasty [also the New Kingdom] and ruled between 1353 and 1336 BCE. His father was Amenophis III [a.k.a. Amenhotep III meaning "Amun is Satisfied" and also known Amenhotep as the Magnificent] and his mother was Queen Tiye.
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| Amenhotep III seated with Queen Tiye Photo credit: Education for Life Academy |
Akhenaten, who rejected the old gods and initiated a monotheistic worship of the sun-god Aten, was originally known as Amenophis IV [Greek form of his name]. Amenophis is translated as "the god Amun is content". After becoming Pharaoh upon his father's death, Amenophis IV changed his name to Akhenaten which means, "he who is effective on Aten's behalf," featuring the importance of his belief in Aten. It is not clear as to why he decided to focus on the worship of Aten rather than the traditional gods of Egypt. It is possible he did so to curb the power of the priests of Amun.
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| Akhenaten Photo credit: Quora.com |
Although the cause of his death is still a mystery, Alexander the Great, the Macedonian King and great conqueror, died at the age of 33, on June 10, 323 BC in Babylon (modern Iraq).
Yes the cause of his death was a puzzle but the real enigma was the actual disappearance of Alexander the Great’s mummified body and tomb! No one can claim to have seen this tomb after the end of the 4th century and locating the place where Alexander is buried seems to have become an impossible mission for archeologists.
By which time Ptolemy Lagos, one of Alexander’s generals, had secured the wealthy territory of Egypt for himself, attacked the funerary procession carrying Alexander's body and redirecting it to Memphis in Egypt, where Alexander was initially buried. It was later moved by Ptolemy II Philadelphos, the son of the first Ptolemy, to Alexandria. After an elaborate ceremony, the body was laid to rest in a Mausoleum called Soma or Sema, an ancient Greek word meaning “dead Body”.
The tomb was eventually closed to the public by Septimus Severus (early third century AD) out of concern for its safety on account of the hoards of tourists who came to visit the site. By the 4th century, the location of Alexander's tomb was lost. The oblivion lasted until the 19th century, when the Egyptian astronomer Mahmud el-Falaki attempted to locate the tomb. According to El-Falaki the tomb would have been located under the mosque of Prophet Daniel, where he was not allowed to dig. But most archaeologist are convinced that he was buried in Alexandria, the city that he founded in Egypt.
Until today no one can be sure where the tomb of one of the greatest men who changed history lies, but besides Alexandria, there have been claims that he rests in Asia, Macedonia, and the Siwa Oasis. There has even been a wild allegation that Alexander the Great could be buried "down under" in Broome in Western Australia!