Akhenaten, a name that stands alone in Egypt's ancient past, isolated from history, enigmatic, dark and misunderstood. Many
pharoahs stand in splendour for their achievements, Rameses the Great, warrior king, Khufu, supposed builder of the most famous pyramids, Cleopatra, the young queen who sold her dying empire for love, but all of these stand tall and proud, names to invoke pride in human achievement. Akhenaten is remembered in a different way, almost in the way that Adolf Hitler or Genghis Khan is thought of today. But like the current apologist revival for Richard III in English history, is it time to re-evaluate this derided ancient kings image and look for a more balanced view of the man himself? This may be the book to do just that.
Akhenaten is not a name that many will be overly familiar with, unless you are well acquainted with ancient Egyptian history an even then he is not the most easily studied pharaoh, his deeds having resulted in him having been systematically erased from much of the temple records and carvings by subsequent rulers. Whereas the book begins with the archaeological findings relating to him, I will include a very brief overview of the man before dealing with the book itself, to help set a scene. Born Amenophis IV and originally co-regent for a time with his father (as was the tradition) his was a peaceful Egypt. The empire was prosperous and warfare was at a minimum, an unusual state of affairs for such a turbulent part of the world at that time. So what did this man do that has reviled him throughout history. Upon coming to power the now re-named Akhenaten turned his back on the religious traditions of his country and instigated a new monotheistic system. A combination of the loss of revenue from the old established temples and his extravagance in building his new temples and cities lead the country to the brink of bankruptcy and caused his exile. The effects of his "reforms" were the same as if you tried to shut down the Church of England over night.
So what of the book? Well to begin with Nicholas Reeve's book covers a lot of ground. Not only does it trace Akhenaten's reforms and the earth shattering effects that they had on the country but also it examines what may have driven the man to do what he did. But more than limiting his scope to this apocalyptic period in Egyptian history, Reeve also looks at the fall out from those affects. The fate of Akhenaten's beautiful wife, Nefertiti is discussed, as is the identity of his successor, the mysterious Smenkhkare. On slightly more familiar ground he also rounds off with look at his son and true heir, Tutankhamun and discusses the enigma of his fate, was it murder?
To back up his new arguments, Reeve calls on a wealth of physical and documentary evidence. Archaeological findings from Akhenaten's new capital at El-Amarna, and an examination of the famous Armana correspondences between the king and his neighbours, provide a wealth of fascinating insights into the period. But whereas in the past Akhenaten has been seen as the founder of a whole new faith, the first monotheistic religion of the ancient near east and possible the roots of Christianity and Judaism, Reeve argues that this was a purely political move. To break the strangle hold of the temples of the old system and put all the power under his own control, Akhenaten established himself as the ultimate dictator in the land. But as can be seen the revolution failed and his traditionalist successors have been merciless in their treatment of his reputation. But in the same way that Richard III, Attila the Hun and the like can be seen to have had clear motives behind their seemingly extreme actions, this mysterious pharaoh emerges in a much better light from Reeves re-evaluation.
This book proves to be a masterful piece of research, which not only brings the subject bang up to date but also poses some new theories that both humanise and empower the pharaoh and manage to move him away fre wilder theories that have dogged him in the past. The book is very readable but is probably not a starting point for those wishing to tip a toe in the water. The book requires, I feel, a certain amount of prior knowledge of the period, but that aside will deliver everything you could ever need to know about Egypt's heretical king.